Wedding Catering Ideas

June 27th 2022

One element your guests will remember most about your wedding day is the food. Of course, guests are there to watch you tie the knot, converse with you and other guests, and toast to the special occasion! But whatever your view on it, food and dining together really do help us to connect with one another, form new bonds and even reinforce existing ones. Additionally, in the same way that your choice of decor, venue, and music can be a great way of reflecting you as a couple, so can your catering choice!

So, whether you opt for a classic three-course meal, small plates inspired by your love of travelling the world together, or something more laid-back and modern like wood-fired pizzas and grazing boards – the possibilities for food really are endless! Though it’s worth noting some venues may require you to use their in-house hospitality team rather than outsourcing, so you may find your options may be limited to small tweaks to set menus. Whatever the circumstances, you should work closely with your catering team to ensure you get the dining experience you’re hoping for and ensure you schedule in a taste test before your big day! There is a lot to think about, but don’t worry! We’ve created this blog post to inspire you with catering ideas to wow your guests and also reflect yourselves as a couple. So your special day is just that extra bit special…

Classic 3-Course

This option is favored by many couples getting married in the UK and is generally always a hit with guests! For many wedding venues, a 3-course meal may be included in the package, and dishes can be selected from a tried and tested set menu. Meaning it’s often a trustworthy and hassle-free choice to go for! This option is easy to customise and may mean you can opt for dishes inspired by your favourite memories together or some family favourites to make the dining experience extra meaningful. Certainly, more courses can be added to this element but this will increase costs, so remember to consult your budget before you opt for more!

Buffet-Style Dining

This meal is a great way of offering variety especially if you’d like to offer cuisines from all over the world! Buffets can really appeal to guests as they can choose what and how much they’d like to eat and can even be very aestheically pleasing when displayed with lots of vibrant food and careful arrangement! Though buffets can often be slightly pricier as there is generally a larger quantity of food needed, this can be a great alternative when you have a large number of guests and may have picky eaters. Remember to consider a separate dining option or consult your catering team if any guests have any serious allergies so everyone can enjoy the celebrations as much as possible!

Food Stations

Many couples opt for more casual catering options in recent years, such as self-service food stations to appeal to all tastebuds and make the dining experience more exciting. This option is very easily customised, so whether you choose to provide foods inspired by your childhood, wood-fired pizzas freshly made in front of guests, or go all out with an Asain food bar serving sushi and noodles – it’s easy to make this catering option as simple or extravagant as you like!

BBQ

A BBQ is a perfect relaxed summer dining option that can be lower in cost but still just as satisfying as other alternatives! This option is best suited to summer weddings where the whether is guaranteed to be good and can be great for feeding any number of guests from 50-500 people. You can keep it simple with just rolls and pitas or add some tasty sides like pasta and potatoe salads, coleslaw, and even chip and dip! If opting for a BBQ remember you may need to include some options to cater to all guests dietary requirements such as those with food intolerances or vegetarian diets.

Sweet Bars

Whilst this option won’t be able to replace any of the above to feed your guests, it’s a great addition to include for those with a sweet tooth. Sweet bars can include the likes of pick and mix stands, donut walls or popcorn stations! These can really elevate your event in terms of decor and are great for child-friendly celebrations. There are many local Scottish businesses offering services like these which can be customised to fit your decor and the theme of your wedding so it’s a fun option worth looking into if it’s within your budget.

Whether you’re opting for any of the mentioned options or something totally different, it’s really important that your choice of food for your big day reflects you as a couple and fits the vibe for your big day. Remember some important things to consider are your budget, venue, number of guests and food intolerances as well as who is going to prepare and serve the food! If you’re seeking experienced and reliable staff to take care of the hospitality – whether it’s bar staff, a team of waiting staff or entertainment professionals for your big day – enquire through our website to find out more about how we can help!

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