Eat, Drink and Be Married:
Food Service Questions that Stump the Brides

Planning a wedding can be a daunting task with a lengthy "To Do" list. Some of the most important decisions involve the food and beverage portion of your big day. This is a large part of the experience for your guests and, more importantly, a large part of your budget. Every bride- and groom-to-be have their own needs in this regard. Some of the most frequent and difficult questions I encounter relating to meals and drinks follow:

Q - I would like to serve a sit-down dinner at our reception, but my fiancé says that we'll save a lot of money by having a buffet instead. Is that cost saving enough to be a deciding factor?

A - Contrary to popular belief, buffets are not necessarily less expensive than plated meals. While it's true that buffets require less waiters and waitresses, you will still need adequate staff to assist guests and bus tables. And depending on the type of food you select for a buffet, costs could be comparable to a seated meal in the end. Talk to your banquet manager and discuss the different options they offer – including a detailed breakdown of costs. After you've explored all of the possibilities, you can determine what will work best for you.

Q - We selected chicken piccata and beef tenderloin as our entrées, but several of our guests are vegetarians. Do we have to offer them a non-meat option?

A - While it's not required, it is certainly a nice gesture to make arrangements for your vegetarian guests. Most halls will have no problems accommodating this request – simply include the number of vegetarian meals in your final head count. To assist the wait staff in knowing what each guest ordered, indicate their entrée selection on the place card. This can be as subtle as attaching color-coded ribbons – such as red for beef, yellow for chicken and green for vegetarian. You can even personalize it by incorporating the colors from your wedding. Just be sure to tell your reception hall what they stand for.

Q - My fiance and I have nine nieces and nephews who will be attending our reception. We're having a hard time justifying spending $60 per plate on food they likely won't eat. Do you have any suggestions?

A - Check with your hall and ask whether they offer a children's menu. Instead of filet mignon, serve chicken fingers and French fries to your younger guests. They (and their parents) will be delighted and so will you by saving an average of 50 percent on their meal.

Your older underage guests – ages 13 to 20 – will probably not want a children's meal; however, you should try to make special arrangements for them as well. Since they're under the legal age to drink alcohol, ask your hall to deduct the bar charge from those meals.

Q - Do we have to offer an open bar or are there more cost-effective alternatives?

A - The bar tab can add up quickly, and many couples are looking for ways to keep costs down. Instead of an unlimited, premium bar, consider these other options:

Limit the number of hours that the bar is open. Close the bar during dinner while all of your guests are seated at their tables and have bar service end an hour before the reception is over.

Offer only beer and wine at the bar. This will save a significant amount of money and most guests probably won't even notice that liquor isn't being served.

Serve a few specialty cocktails in place of an open bar. Find out the favorite drinks of your bridal party, and of course, the bride and groom. Make up menus to display on the bar and name the drinks after each person (just be sure to include a description of what they are.)

Q - My fiance's family is from England, but we're getting married in the United State where I grew up. We're planning a traditional American wedding, but I'd like to incorporate part of his heritage into the reception.

Any ideas?
A - Weddings have always been about blending two lives together, and, increasingly in today's world, it is also about blending two cultures. The reception menu can be an ideal way to incorporate aspects of different backgrounds. Instead of the standard beef entree, offer roast beef and Yorkshire pudding as a nod to the groom's roots. Add traditional British fare to your dessert table so guests can sample a variety of treats. Accommodating unique aspects of different heritages can be fun and interesting. Talk to your banquet manager about any restrictions and additional costs for creating a custom menu.

Questions about food, beverage and all aspects of planning a wedding are seemingly endless. So, it is always a good idea to address your particular needs and concerns with a professional who can make your life easier and happier.§

Laura Davis, founder of Laura Davis Weddings, is a wedding consultant in Berkley, Mich. Visit her website at www.davisweddings.com