β‘ Key Takeaways
- Remember to feed your bridal party and wedding party members throughout the day, as they will be helping you from early morning and need sustenance to stay calm and focused. Don't forget to arrange food for your entertainment, such as the band or DJ, as they need to eat during the evening just like your guests do. Avoid skimping on evening food for your guests, as numbers can be unpredictable with last-minute cancellations or unexpected arrivals. Choose a flexible catering supplier who can adjust quantities based on final guest numbers to ensure everyone is properly fed without waste. Poor wedding food planning is something your guests will remember for all the wrong reasons, so make it a priority from the start of your planning process.
Three common mistakes brides make when planning wedding food
Planning wedding food can be a stressful experience, particularly if you choose a ‘DIY’ approach. It can be hugely tempting to spend lots of time and energy on decorating the tables and the venue, sourcing favours, and designing the table plan. However, although all of these elements are a big part of your special day, there is one even more critical element that you should always make sure you plan well in advance. It’s an easy mistake to make, but if the food you plan for your wedding goes wrong, it’s something that the guests will not quickly forget!
There are three cardinal mistakes that we advise brides and grooms to avoid when it comes to food.
Forgetting to cater for the bridal party during the day
Your reception may be starting in the mid or late afternoon. So don’t forget that your bridal party is likely to be on hand much earlier in the day. Whether they are helping you set up the venue, or just getting ready and helping the bride put the final touches to her outfit – they will definitely need some food before the big day kicks off!
And it’s not just about the bridesmaids. Make sure that the best man and ushers also have something to eat. It’ll help keep everyone calm and focused on the important jobs ahead of them that evening.
Forgetting about the band
The entertainment is probably one of the first things you thought about booking when you started to plan your wedding. Just like the bridal party, it’s important to remember that they will need food to see them through the evening. Wedding catering options like pizza van hire can offer a great solution. It’s easy to up the numbers to make sure your guests, as well as the providers, are well looked after.
Skimping on food for evening guests
Deciding on evening food for your guests can be one of the hardest decisions to make. Whilst you can be fairly certain of your numbers for a formal reception, the number who will show up for an evening reception can always be a little more uncertain.
Guests tend to feel less guilty about dropping out of an evening-only invite, even at the last minute. Or, perhaps even more frustratingly, they may well arrive with partners or children unexpectedly in tow.
We would always advise brides and grooms to carefully consider their evening food options, and ensure their supplier is flexible enough to mean that food available is appropriate for the number of guests – meaning everyone has a stress-free and enjoyable evening.
