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B A N Q U E T S , R E C E P T I O N S , C A T E R I N G , S H O W E R S , P A R T I E S
C H I C A G O W E D D I N G & P A R T Y R E S O U R C E
W W W . C H I C A G O W E D D I N G R E S O U R C E . C O M
16
By Jill Jaracz, CTW Features
The biggest event of your lifetime deserves the party of a
lifetime. After your family and friends have seen you get
hitched, the wedding meal takes center stage. If you’ve
been wise with your catering choices, the food will keep
everyone in a celebratory mood.
Food helps to tell a story and to create an environment.
When you’re choosing the food that will tell the story of
your relationship, the first thing to keep in mind is how
much you can spend. The cost of food and beverages takes
up about 30 percent of your budget. According to a recent
survey of wedding expenses, the average couple spends $66
per guest on catering.
With so much at stake, it pays to find the right caterer for
your event. There are so many little things you’ve got to
think of that day, you don’t need to worry about food.
If you don’t have a particular caterer in mind, research local
vendors and get suggestions from friends who have recently
gotten married. Think about the guest experience and what
experience you want to provide for guests.
A good planner will talk about the type of food you like and
don’t like, as well as your budget and the day’s schedule. If
you’re taking pictures after the wedding, a cocktail hour is
a pretty standard way to entertain guests while you’re busy
with the photographer. However, if you take pictures before
the ceremony, you can go straight from the ceremony to
dinner.
Know how formal of a feel you want. A sit-down, plated
dinner is more formal than a buffet. A family-style service
is more casual and encourages conversation at the table.
While buffets were thought to be a cheaper option than a
sit-down dinner, it’s not always the case.
If budget is a huge concern, you also can change the time
of day for your reception. Brunch is a unique time, and
you can do fun stuff with breakfast cuisine. Heavy hors
d’ouevres cocktail hours and dessert receptions are other
effective ways to celebrate.
For longer receptions, you may want to consider offering
some late-night bites to keep your guests fueled while
they’re dancing the night away. Late-night pizzas or a food
truck serving tacos or other street-food faves adds variety
to your food choices and gives your guests a totally different
way of interacting with the food.
Keep variety in mind for the main meal, too; aim to have
some options to cover your guests’ different palates and
dietary restrictions. However, with a large-scale event, you
just can’t cater to everyone. Do make sure you find out
about any specific food allergies so the kitchen can prepare
for them. Otherwise, plan for three appetizers, two meat
entrees and five or six sides that are hearty enough for
vegetarians.
The most fun weddings focus on having an abundance of
good food. Don’t get so fancy with food that they don’t
know what they’re eating. A good portion of protein
and a decent starch is all you need for a fun celebration,
particularly if it looks beautiful and is edible. If your guests
are well-fed and have access to good drinks, they’re going to
spend the night with you.
© CTW Features
Plan a Menu sure to please all your guests
Catering often is a top wedding expense. Make sure your money is
well spent by giving guests a meal they’ll never forget
If your guests are well-fed and have access to good drinks,
they ’re going to spend the night with you.