Dating | Weddings

Wedding Food

You might be too happy to eat, but your guests will certainly expect a little nourishment. But will a sit-down meal for 200 or a ham sandwich in your local fit the bill?

The format of the meal will greatly influence your menu. Your choice is almost limitless if you choose a formal meal, but bear in mind that large numbers will require dishes that can also be made comfortably en masse - so, no soufflé for 300. Three courses are usually standard.

To begin with, you need to decide what part food will be playing in your festivities, and then make a decision about how that will be achieved. If you would like a proper feast, your options are formal sit-down meal or buffet. The first will require waiter service; a formal buffet will, too, since it will be eaten with knives and forks, sitting at proper tables, and therefore need to be cleared afterwards. Another idea is the more casual finger buffet, which is eaten whilst standing and will not need to be cleared away immediately. Obviously, for weddings held at home, the last is the most suitable option, unless you are planning a marquee.

A sit-down buffet will allow you to plan the seating arrangements, but is a slightly more affordable (and often less stressful) option than the banquet. It used to be a collection of cold foods, but now they often include hot dishes too. A finger buffet allows people to eat and mingle, and is often a great choice when you are pressed for time or squeezed by your budget. Remember, though, that you still need to provide some chairs for children, pregnant ladies and the elderly. (You should make provisions for these people throughout the day whatever format you decide on.)

Canapés are an elegant way to look after your guests as they await the formal sit-down dinner, and also as a means of ensuring that evening guests are catered for. Your caterer should be able to offer you a selection of options, so plan a tasting session and see what you like. Ask to see photographs of previous events, as presentation is essential.

HIRING CATERERS

If you plan to use the catering services of the venue you have hired - hotel or restaurant - try them out before confirming. That way you can see their approach. (Extra staff may be hired in on the day for your wedding, but at least it gives you a feel for things.) If the food is dreadful under normal service conditions, you are unlikely to get a good standard when the kitchen has to cope with a hundred covers at once.

For outside catering companies, seek recommendations from everyone you know. Eaten fabulously at a friend's wedding? Ask for the number. Great canapés at the work Christmas party? Find out who organised it and raid their address book. A reputable caterer should also be able to give you references.

Caterers (and hotels) will also have sample menus that cover different price ranges. They are a great place to get inspiration: ask if you can mix and match from their sample menus, and don't be afraid to make special requests. Do remember, though, that the dishes will need to be made in hefty quantities within a strict time frame, so be reasonable.

Look at the venue's recommended caterers; they will know the lay out of the kitchens and therefore should be able to make things run smoothly. If the venue is new to the caterers, they should carry out a site visit to ensure that they have all they need to prepare the menu you have planned.

For a marquee, they will need to bring all of their own equipment, such as ovens, and be able to handle all of the disposal and clearing of waste and bottles. Make sure that you know what you are both responsible for. Make sure that they have a head waiter who can act as intermediary between your best man and the kitchen so that the cutting of the cake, champagne toast and clearing are all done efficiently. You may even want to give them a copy of the schedule. Many of us have been to a wedding that is so delayed that everyone is too tipsy to take any interest in the starter that arrives two hours late.

Ask your caterers what extras they can provide: can they organise extra staff to do the coat check and run the bar after the meal is over? They also will have contacts for chairs and tables, cutlery and linen, so ask, but you needn't stick with their suppliers.

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