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Planning Your Wedding Reception Menu
The time an effort that you devote to your wedding
reception
menu depends entirely on the type of wedding reception that you are
organizing.
A memorable wedding menu fits in perfectly with
the style of
the reception and entertaining, from a wedding buffet to cocktail
snacks or the grandest dinner party.
The sections below will give you a guide for
planning refreshments to suit all occasions.
Creating the
Perfect Wedding Reception Menu
 The
style of the menu must reflect the
impression
given on the invitation. For example, if you plan buffet, the food must
live up to the occasion, bowls of nuts and chips with a few salads will
not do.
- Make sure the menu fulfills its intended role.
If your guests are invited to a meal, don’t just give them light snacks.
- The wedding reception menu should be made up of
dishes
that are convenient to serve and eat in the circumstances of the party.
For example don’t serve food which requires a fork and knife at a
cocktail party where finger food would be more appropriate.
- The presentation, taste, texture and color of
all the
dishes, should all be palatable and visually pleasing. These
characteristics should also flow throughout each course.
- Consider the venues kitchen facility and
equipment, and plan a menu that will not overstretch either of these.
Catering Your Own Wedding will give you information on what to look for
when selecting a reception venue.
- Select dishes and quantities which you know
that your helpers can handle with confidence.
- Think about preparing some dishes in advance
and freeze.
- When you are catering for a large number of
people you may have to take into consideration some special dietary
needs.
Wedding Reception Menu Style
Next you will need to decide on what style of reception that you would
like to have. Here are a few suggestions:
A Formal Buffet
A buffet is practical for a large wedding and formal parties. The
buffet may consist of hot or cold food or a combination of both.
Canapés
or hors d’oeuvers can be served beforehand. Preferably the buffet
should consist of a choice of fish, poultry and meat dishes accompanied
by a large range of salads and vegetables.
It is usual to serve only the main course and no
appetizer. The buffet is then followed by dessert.
The
guests can be seated at formal dining tables, in which case the buffet
can include pies roasts and other foods which can be eaten with a fork
and knife.
If there is limited seating you are best serving
foods that can easily be eaten with a fork.
You may like to hire some waiters and waitress to
help serve the food and clear the dishes between courses.
Formal Dinner
Serve your guests good quality bought or home-made appetizers with
drinks before dinner.
The
meal can consist of four or five course, or more. Avoid serving supper
dishes and one pot-dishes. It is acceptable to serve food in smaller
portions throughout the meal.
If it is a very formal dinner
party consider hiring waiting staff. Show the staff the facilities
beforehand and discuss the menu requirements with them in detail and
provide them with a guest list with any special notes relating to
serving requirements.
The simplest formal dinner party menus
should include soup or a first course, a main course and dessert and
cheese. A light appetizer or a fish dish may be served after the soup
or a refreshing sorbet may be served between the first and main
courses.
Informal Dinner Parties
Informal dinner parties usually
consist of three or four courses. The first course may be an appetizer,
salad or soup and the main course is followed by either dessert or
cheese or both can be offered.
These parties can feature a more extensive menu
even though the general feel is very casual.
Supper Parties
One or two course may be sufficient and the food can be very simple.
The term supper indicates a causal approach to the evening.
Cocktail Parties
A cocktail style wedding reception is great when you have limited
seating and don't want to have a very long reception. Canapés or
horsd’oevres, snacks and dips are the usual refreshments. These should
be severed as bite size pieces to be eaten with the fingers. Any messy
food should be served on cocktail sticks.
Afternoon Tea
This is great for a casual style reception it
can be simple or elaborate. Guests can either be seated in easy chairs
with plates on their knees and cups on occasional tables, or they can
be seated around tables. The
food can be as simple as sandwiches and cakes or with more elaborate
dishes such as quiches, pastries, cold meats, cakes, biscuits which can
be served buffet style.
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