Planning a Meat-Free Wedding Reception Everyone Will Love
If you and/or your groom enjoy a restricted diet like vegetarianism, you may be concerned about what to serve your guests at your reception. There are just as many reasons for being vegetarian (religious, health, moral, personal taste…) as there are types of vegetarians. Some also won’t consume any dairy (vegans), honey or gelatin, while others will eat fish (pescatarians) or occasionally even chicken. How strict you are, and the reasons for your strictness, will determine how you go about making special preparations.
If you do eat fish or chicken, the only thing you need to do is make sure meat doesn’t somehow find its way on the main menu, usually as an appetizer. Tell the caterer of your dietary restrictions; they should have plenty of substitutions for steak kabobs. On the other hand, you might allow meat to be served before the main course, to satisfy the meat-eaters in the crowd. The choice is entirely up to you. In today’s world, however, you’re not going to offend people if red meat is absent from the menu.
The meat and potatoes of vegetarian dinners.
If you want your meal to be strictly vegetarian or vegan, let your guests know ahead of time. Work with the caterers to come up with creative ideas for dishes—finding an all-vegetarian caterer or a vegan baker shouldn’t be difficult. Caution is best when serving food to people, however, so know your crowd.
If hubby’s side lives on steak and potatoes, you have a couple of options to consider: You could turn your reception into a cocktail party so the invitees won’t be expecting a full meal (and consider adding something of special interest, like a martini bar or signature drink). Morning or midday weddings are sometimes more easily suited to vegetarian fare, but if you want to offer a full dinner, provide a few options on the main course like any other reception menu; your guest will appreciate the options!
The other choice is to eat vegetarian yourselves, but offer a meat option for others. This is the way to go if you truly are in the minority among your guests, and are more comfortable knowing they’ll get what they want. Ultimately your friends and family will mostly be aware of your beliefs, and even if they don’t fully expect a meat-free experience, they’ll likely understand when they’re told.
Whatever you decide, make it clear in the invites what food will be served at the wedding. And don’t “compromise” by having a food-free affair. Remember, people don’t go to a wedding expecting a lavish five-course dinner unless they’ve been told that’s what they’re getting. They will, however, expect to be fed, whether it’s meat, fish, or something entirely different.
-David Toussaint