With all the thought you put into choosing your wedding venue, gown and wedding invitations, one of the most important takeaways from a guest’s perspective might just be the food. And as with everything else planned in today’s weddings, you’ll want to personalize your wedding reception food in a way that stands out and makes your wedding memorable. From exciting foodie bars to exotic ingredients, find a caterer who can serve up more than beef and chicken.
Expect catering costs to depend on where in the country you live and how many guests you are inviting. Caterers charge per guest, and costs typically range anywhere from $30 on up into the hundreds, as high as $300 or more in some places for really high end caterers. Here are some basic guidelines you should explore when talking to caterers to help you set your wedding reception menu within your budget:
Serving style
The traditional choice has been between buffet vs. formal sit-down. But today’s caterers may also create self-serve food stations or amp up the cocktail style service either in addition to your sit down meal, or in place of a sit-down meal. You may still have tables and chairs for guests to sit at, but as a less regimented part of the reception. This would work better for a non-dinnertime event.
Types of Food
Besides the traditional options, which were usually restricted to beef vs. chicken or seafood entrees, couples today want a lot more choices in the way of local organic foods, seasonal items, and international or ethnic dishes. An experienced caterer knows how to incorporate any of these options into a traditional menu or create one completely different.
Courses
A formal wedding dinner typically includes an appetizer, soup or salad, entree and dessert. You’ll need to decide if you can offer more than one option, and whether you want to elaborate on each course or limit options to stay within budget. Some new trends include caterers offering late-night options such as sliders and other comfort food, or tasting plates during the main dinner, allowing guests to sample more instead of choosing just one.
Cocktail Hour
If you can afford to have hors d’oeuvres, and most guests now expect it, you’ll need to decide whether you want them to be served by catering staff (passed hors d’oeuvres) or self-serve, such as in the form of a set table or stations. You can also choose to have a signature appetizer served as part of the sit-down meal. The biggest trend in hors d’oeuvres is mini foods–an entire entree recreated in the form of a bite-size delectable.
Coordinate Menus with Your Wedding Invitations
When you’ve worked your way through this part of planning, decide if you want to print wedding menu cards to include in your wedding invitations. The other choice is to print a wedding menu card to place in a stand on each table, or a few menu cards for guests to share to get them mingling. Coordinate your wedding menu card designs with your wedding invitation design by choosing from the gorgeous selection of original wedding stationery at www.looklovesend.com. All our wedding invitation suites are printed on premium, heavy weight paper, and you can easily personalize your information online. Approved orders ship the next business day.
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