You can have the most beautiful event, and yet still not have happy guests. This is true for any event, including your wedding! The secret, after all, is simple — you have to feed them properly. If you don’t serve good food, or worse, you don’t serve enough, you’ll actually be putting your guests and your wedding as a whole in a lot of risk. The last thing you want is your closest friends and family getting irritated due to a lack of food. And you certainly don’t want anyone drinking on an empty stomach.
Food is such an important part of any event, and yes, it can make or break your big day. To make sure you feed everyone well and properly (without breaking the bank) use these top tips below:
Get a Packaged Deal
One of the easiest ways to budget better for catering is to get everything packaged in one deal. You’ll find that wedding reception catering packages can include everything from the cocktail hors d’oeuvres to the main meal to even the late-night meal. You’ll need to get in touch with the catering company directly, as prices will depend on what type of food that you’re after, the quantity, and for how many guests. Getting everything bundled together, however, can help you save big and also makes sure that you feed everyone appropriately.
Spread Out Meals
Rather than have one large meal that can get digested quickly and also lead to a lot of rumbling bellies to start with, spread out the meals and snacks regularly. Cocktail hour, main meal, dessert, light-night buffet. Having food spread out like this will help keep everyone happy, and is also very, very important for events where there’s alcohol involved. The last thing you want is to essentially force your guests to drink on an empty stomach. This will only result in a messy affair and result in your guests burning out too quickly. Spreading out meals can also mean spending less on food overall, which is a win-win for your guests, and your budget.
Get a Dessert Table and Small Cake
Large wedding cakes that can feed everyone can be very, very expensive. You’re actually better off getting a small wedding cake for you, your spouse, and maybe your bridal party, and then a sheet cake for the rest of your guests. Handing out sheet cake is a lot easier, and more economical. As a bonus, your guests usually end up with more cake! Do keep in mind, of course, that a lot of cake is wasted, so start off with small slices and allow guests to go back for more. With this method, you can usually save on your cake costs overall and reduce your food waste as a whole.
Eat Your Own Leftovers
If there’s any leftovers, store it, and eat it later! You can plan a post-wedding brunch with the leftovers from your party to round your big day out and make full use out of your food investment.