Arkansas brides want to keep their guests happy at their wedding reception, and I don’t blame them.
I’ll be the first to admit that I love food. All types. Gourmet, my mom’s Southern home-cooked meals, international cuisines, you name it. And one of my favorite parts of a wedding reception has to be tasting all the yummy grub! However, while it’s fun to sample, lots of tasting, planning, and decision-making go into what the bride and groom have on their menu.
We agreed with what Easy Weddings had to say in their Wedding Feast Faux Pas to Avoid.
“The trick is keeping your meal simple, opting for good quality ingredients (or a caterer that uses them) and ensuring you choose food that everybody likes, not just the bride and groom.”
To make sure your feast is at the top of everyone’s list, keep the following tips in mind when discussing catering options:
1. Watch where you splurge. You’ll want to have enough food to feed everyone, leaving them with a satisfying feeling, rather than a scarce amount of expensive foods that leave them wanting to hit the first fast food drive-through they see when leaving your wedding. And trust me, your guests will remember the food.
2. Be within “season.” “There is nothing worse than sitting down to a hot and heavy meal on a sweltering summer’s day or nibbling on a cold summer salad in the middle of winter.” Plain and simple.
3. Don’t try to be the expert. If you’re planning on serving alcoholic beverages at your reception, make sure you talk to your caterer about appropriate beer and wine pairings. Don’t make your final verdict solely on what you prefer to drink.
Also, if money is tight, don’t blow your whole budget on providing an endless amount of drinks for your adult guests to choose from.
4. Having wedding cake and dessert. Yes, you can have your cake and eat it too, but is there really a need for having both a wedding cake and a dessert? No, especially if you’re trying to keep costs down. If you’re set on having a dessert, fruit with chocolate and fruit dip options will keep the cake-haters happy.
5. Don’t forget who is consuming. Make sure you have a nice balance among your foods and keep it simple. Don’t have several foods that repeat the same main ingredient, foods that are all spicy, or an entire menu of foods that are too exotic. Chances are someone will go hungry.