Wedding Catering – The Food

When deciding on your various wedding catering options you need to think about what style of wedding you are having. There are many different routes you could take when it comes to supplying food for your guests. Are you having a daytime or evening reception? Is your wedding a beach or casual affair?

Having chosen what style of wedding catering you will have, the next decision to make is the type of food you want and how you’d like to serve it. Here are a few wedding catering menu ideas for you to think about.

Brunch

A wedding brunch allows you to select a delicious variety of both breakfast and lunch dishes. Add an interesting selection of breads, muffins and friends, platters of fresh fruit and endless hot, fresh coffee and your guests are sure to enjoy.

• Freshly-baked crust fruit bread, Danish pastries and brioche served with cultured butter
• Toasted fruit and roasted nut muesli with a fresh berry yoghurt
• Fluffy buttermilk pancakes with maple syrup
• Honey-glazed leg of ham carved by our chef
• Mini croissants filled with Tasmanian smoked salmon, crème fraiche/leg ham and King Island brie/plain with raspberry jam
• Platters of fresh seasonal fruits
• Freshly percolated Olympic blend coffee
• A selection of Twinings teas
• Just Juice orange juice

Lunch

For lunch, think in terms of light yet satisfying dishes with a variety of flavours, accompanied by a well-chilled, fruity Chardonnay or Champagne.

• Blue eye cod or Barramundi with roasted baby beets, rocket, radish and horseradish
• Slow cooked Thirlmere duck breast on char-grilled polenta with glace fruits and juniper berry jus
• Chicken prosciutto – chicken breast fillet rolled with roasted capsicum, fresh basil, semi-dried tomatoes, wrapped with crispy prosciutto meat presented with fresh tomato coulis
• Roasted free-range breast of chicken with fresh hers, artichokes and oven-dried tomato served on a creamy sun-dried tomato sauce
• Roast pumpkin and fetta cannelloni baked in a three-cheese sauce
• Tasmanian salmon with green asparagus, leek and peppercorn infusion

Set menu

A set menu will be served to your guests at their tables. It can have as many courses as you desire, and can offer a range of options for each. Orders are usually taken when guests are seated, however, you may choose to send the menu with the invitations. Confirming your guests’ preference before the wedding can be a useful way of reducing the price per head.

A set menu is the most traditional option, usually has three courses and suits a lunch or dinner reception. The larger the range of choices provided, the higher the cost per head, so you may decide to have one set entrée and/or dessert with a red meat or white meat main. Alternatively, you could have your entrée and main served, followed by a dessert buffet.

Don’t forget guests with specific dietary requirements or vegetarians, and be aware that although you may want to be very creative, you will need to cater to the tastes of the majority of your guests.

Pros

• Guests can just relax and sit comfortably without getting up.
• Guests are able to be quite specific with their meal, eg. The eye fillet, but with no garlic.
• The food is served instantly, and is fresh

Cons

• Generally the most expensive catering option.
• Menu options may be limited, as all the meals need to be plated at the same time.
• Guests are seated in specific places and can’t move around.

Buffet

Buffets have changed drastically since the days of long queues with people holding plates. Most caterers now offer a wide selection of dishes, both hot and cold, and they can set up more than one station for food so guests don’t have to wait. You may also choose to set up different stations with different themes to accommodate a variety of tastes. For example, consider an Asian stand with a range of sushi, noodles, fried wontons and dumplings; an Indian stand with curries, rice, naan bread and chutneys; or a seafood stand with oysters, fish and salad. Generally, there are two options for buffets: finger buffets or fork buffets.

1. Finger buffets offer a range of bite-sized food that is easy to eat without having to be seated at a table or requiring cutlery. They are suitable for relaxed, low-key weddings or as a way to provide food for guests joining the reception after the main meal is completed. Finger buffets can be served either as a light meal or for a mid-afternoon or late-evening reception.
2. Fork buffets offer a wide choice of food, such as meats, salads, breads and hot and cold dishes. Guests will require cutlery and need somewhere to sit while they eat. You can usually expect the head table to be served at a fork buffet. Fork buffets suit breakfast, lunch or dinner receptions.

Pros

• A buffet is a more cost-effective option than a set menu.
• Food can be served over a period of time and left for guests to pick at late into the night.
• Guests can change seats without missing out on their meal.

Cons

• Guests may have to queue while waiting for their meal.
• It must be efficiently managed so that items don’t run out and guests aren’t disappointed.
• The food isn’t as fresh because it has to sit out and be kept hot.

Canapés

Canapés are a great option if you are on a low budget, but don’t want cheap food. You may choose to serve canapés at an afternoon tea or late-evening reception. By not providing a full meal to guests, you can keep the cost per head to a minimum while still enjoying the formality of a range of waited canapé. A general guide for quantities of canapés is to serve at least six different varieties over two hours or, for a four-hour affair, at least nine different kinds.

Pros

• Less expensive than either a buffet or set menu.
• Canapés suit either a laid back or sophisticated event.
• Can make for a short and sweet wedding celebration.

Cons

• As a full meal is typical, canapés need to be explained.
• Guests tend to drink more if a full meal is not served.
• Dietary requirements are difficult to cater for.

Like good gossip, wedding canapés are eagerly anticipated. These artful bites should be sufficient in number to stave off any lurking hunger pangs while still leaving your guests looking forward to more. How many you need will depend on the time frame involved. Once you have decided on this, try to choose a variety of flavours. For example, if you are serving six different pieces, choose 2 seafood, 1 vegetarian, 1 or 2 poultry and 1 or 2 meat. It’s also a good idea to serve both hot and cold canapés. Here is an  example canapé menu.

• Mediterranean ocean tout in herb crepes
• Camembert and strawberry on toasted batard
• Sydney rock oysters with shallot, ginger & soy dipping sauce
• Chilled vichyssoise in a shot glass with salmon roe chive baton
• Peking duck pancakes served with coriander and plum chutney
• Chicken satay with spicy peanut sauce
• Chilli and saffron petit roll with Moroccan spiced beef, mustard cress and harissa aioli
• Prawn Pad Thai stir-fried with Thai herbs, bean shoots and rice noodles, topped with chopped roasted peanuts (served in Chinese carton with chopsticks)
• Steamed spinach and mushroom dumplings with dipping sauce served on white spoons

Entrée

The entrée is your guests’ first impression of the meal to come so it must be divine! If you budget allows, offer a choice of entrée, possibly a hot and a cold option.

• Roasted and de-boned quail on ragout of exotic mushrooms and baby leeks
• Twice-cooked rosemary and goat’s cheese soufflé with a hazelnut salad
• Lamp and vegetable mille feuille with three-bean vinaigrette and rocket lettuce
• Seafood plate of Tasmanian smoked salmon, ocean king prawn, oyster, bug tail with a lime mayonnaise
• Vietnamese chicken summer roll with coconut and chilli salad
• Cajun beef tenderloin on a salad of snow peas, bean shoots and coriander with a hot and sour Asian dressing
• Spinach and ricotta cheese cannelloni with fresh Napolitana sauce
• Zucchini pancakes with double brie and semi-dried tomatoes

Related Posts :

Choosing the Right Wedding Reception Venue

Wedding Reception Catering

Planning your Wedding Reception Style