Wedding planning can be a challenge but a good plan will put you ahead of the game. What is it you want your visitors to remember about your wedding? If you put this question out there, the responses will be different for every member of your bridal party, your family and friends attending your wedding. For some, it might be the bride walking down the aisle, for others, it’s listening to wonderful memories and hilarious jokes being told during the speeches. But, for a lot of people, the most favourable and memorable part of the wedding day is sitting down to enjoy the wedding breakfast. This is the time to relax and refuel, dining on an exquisite array of food that has been meticulously planned, it is an opportunity for your guests to let their hair down, catch up with old friends and meet some new acquaintances.
The wedding breakfast is the meal you have after the ceremony and is unlikely to take place in the morning. This is the main eating event of the day followed by speeches. The whole wedding ceremony is all about emotion, the wedding reception should be about relaxation, ice-breaking and fun but what is the wedding breakfast about.
If you’re not sure where to start first when it comes to planning this important meal or you’re still feeling a little confused, read on to get more pointers that will have you enjoying planning as much as you will enjoy the wedding breakfast.
Wedding Planning – finding the right suppliers
Your suppliers are the experts who will help bring your wedding vision to fruition, having many different options can make it difficult to know where to start. The best caterers are often booked well in advance, even up to a year, therefore it is important to find an amazing caterer as soon as possible.
For most newly engaged couples, the first part of wedding planning involves selecting your suppliers. From nailing down the date to a venue that can accommodate the day you have in mind, you will also be dealing with suppliers shortly after the proposal. This is new territory and it may be overwhelming for you.
Determining if a supplier is, in fact, perfect for you should feel natural but this doesn’t always happen as you don’t want to make this decision based on more than just a feeling.
From the best ways to research suppliers that is online, word of mouth, and previous clients, to understanding how budget factors into your team selection, consider the following to help you curate the ultimate set of wedding suppliers:
- The day of the week and date of your wedding
- The venue locations of your ceremony and reception
- The timing of your ceremony and reception
- What services do you need from this supplier
- Your maximum number of guests attending
As you go through the many suggestions you will get from your search, keep in mind to always trust your gut, regardless of a flawless portfolio and the best online reviews, a supplier is not right for you if they don’t feel secure, confident and excited about the choices you are going to make. This, however, has nothing to do with their work ethic, just like a romantic partner you won’t vibe with everyone and that is OK.
Wedding planning – choosing the right menus
Your wedding is the biggest and most fabulous event you’re ever likely to throw. The meal you serve at your reception should match the style and grandeur of the ceremony and keep with the overarching theme of the day.
Everyone has different tastes and needs, but there are a few key things to think about when you are planning your wedding meal. The main concerns on choosing the menu are; providing something that everyone will like, choosing something that both looks and tastes beautiful and ensuring it can be served and eaten within their time frames not forgetting the budget. Knowing your budget is the most important rule of planning the wedding, once you know how much you are willing to spend, you can start looking for ideas that are within your budget.
The decision on whether you offer a buffet vs. plated wedding meal is dependent on your taste and your budget. Buffet style wedding meals tend to be cheaper than plated dinner weddings, and they’re arguably more sociable, too. However, many people prefer the formality and tradition of a seated dinner.
Formal: three-course sit-down meal
The catering you choose for your wedding should reflect the style of celebration you have decided upon. If the budget allows and you prefer the formal setting, then the sit-down three-course meal would be ideal for your wedding breakfast.
Let your guests enjoy beautiful white tablecloths and immaculate place settings, they will feel like lords and ladies for the day. Simple but elegant food, beautifully presented and impeccably served, rounds off any wedding celebration perfectly. With attentive waiters and waitresses to attend to your guests’ every need, this will turn your formal wedding breakfast into a really special event.
Informal: serve-yourself buffet
If you would prefer your wedding to be a more relaxed affair and wish to give your guests more choices with regard to the food they have on their plates, a varied self-serve buffet may well be a better way to go.
Both hot and cold food can be attractively presented and served in this manner. The atmosphere is generally more informal than a table-service sit-down meal, though of course, you can retain table plans if you wish. This type of presentation also reduces the catering budget, as less staff will be required in order to serve the food.
Whichever cuisine and style of wedding breakfast you go for, the important thing to remember is that your guests dig in and enjoy the meals. Double-check if guests have any dietary needs to prevent anyone from starving or getting ill on your special day. Above all, remember that it is your day and your meal, and put your own priorities first and foremost.
