Bridal Club Magazine
The Wedding Meal
The wedding feast is an integral part of the
wedding day. It was once called a wedding breakfast because
the couple had fasted until 
their
nuptial mass and it was the first meal of their day.
Nowadays it can be a luncheon, an afternoon tea, an
early-evening barbecue or a full evening dinner.
Some couples cater for the wedding themselves, with the help of
their families. This involves careful forward planning, good
organisation and an enormous amount of work, both before and after
the wedding festivities.
Other couples choose a hotel or restaurant for their wedding
meal, leaving the responsibility of preparing and presenting the
food to the professionals.
Many restaurants and banqueting venues have 'wedding packages'
covering all types of functions and a choice of costs. It is
well worth investigating those options before you get too far on
with your own planning for a restaurant meal.
Yet other couples choose a venue such as a yacht club or local
hall and employ caterers or wedding organisers to bring food in and
to take responsibility for the serving and the clearing up
afterwards.
It is important to decide early on in your planning what budget
you will set for the wedding meal and stick to that budget.
Professional caterers usually charge a set amount per
person. This varies according to the menu you choose.
Divide the amount you have set aside for catering by the
approximate number of guests you are inviting. This will help
you work out how much per head you can afford and help you choose
the menu.
...relax, let others
take over the responsibility...
Generally, a caterer should be booked several months
before the wedding. Discussions at the time will give the
caterer a general idea of the size and scale of your wedding and
what your budget is. From there a meal can be planned to suit
your particular needs. Take the caterer's advice about what
food to serve but voice any preferences you may have.
Choose around seasonal produce and the ethnic mix of your
guests. Provide a variety of dishes, so that personal tastes can be
satisfied.
Then relax, let others take over the responsibility, devote your
time to your guests and enjoy yourselves.