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The Simple Approach to an

Awesome Wedding Menu

You don’t need to overdo it to plan a dream dinner.

Follow these tips to keep it smart and stress-free

By Anna Sachse, CTW Features

The wedding meal and bar tab are typically your top

wedding expenses. And with endless photos and magazine

editorials featuring lavish stations, chic small bites and

couture cocktails, it can be easy to get ahead of yourself

and your pocketbook.

Here are expert tips to balance your dream dinner-and-

drinks spread with your budget realities.

EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS

Not sure if you’re feeling macaroni-and-cheese cupcakes

and mugs of spiked cider or a raw bar and saketinis?

Do a Google search for different wedding reception styles

and see the results.

Online resources put tons of options at your fingertips.

You’re exposed to so much more than just what’s in your

area, allowing you to pull ideas from experts around the

world!

Use the images and ideas you find to build a dream menu

that you can then share with your caterer and bartenders.

Pinterest is amazing for helping you clarify your vision.

Of course, inspiration shots and menu requests are one

thing, but you don’t want to go too far, to the point in which

you are directing your chef on how to cook. But most

caterers will be open to work with you to create a special

dish or two or to design a menu in the style you want that

also plays up their talents.

EDIT YOUR SELECTIONS

Couples can get carried away trying to do

everything they see online. The result can

lack cohesion and get expensive.

Rein yourself in by deciding on your priori-

ties. If your goal is a big party, an ample bar

will help, but even “ample” doesn’t have to

break the bank. Offer a selection of white

and red wines (Riesling to Chardonnay and Zinfandels to

Merlots) and both a domestic and imported beer. Kick it

up a notch by offering regional products, cava or prosecco

for your bubbly, and one or two favorite cocktails that you

found during your online research. If you really want it all

and don’t mind a little DIY, make sure you pick a venue that

doesn’t charge you to bring in your own liquor. That can

save a few thousand dollars on your bar tab.

Keep costs down by choosing one or two things you truly

fell in love with during your research that also will make

a big impact. For example, you could have that gorgeous

signature cocktail with a candied-fruit stir-stick and an

elegant dessert table, but skip the 20 cute appetizers that

caught your eye. Or if you’re truly obsessed with small bites,

focus on options that will satisfy guests faster. Cheese and

fruit will not fill people up for the night, but risotto balls

and meat skewers will. And you can always ask your caterer

to suggest unique and memorable dishes that are surpris-

ingly budget-friendly, like gourmet renditions of stews,

curries or even a hearty but stunning salad.