Tasting Menu – getting it right for the day
Your wedding day is one of the most exciting days of your life, so much goes into the preparation and planning, and it really is all about you and your partner. The memories will last forever, and the food you eat will be among one of those lasting memories. The Wedding Breakfast will be your first meal as newlyweds. Therefore, you need to give this momentous occasion the time and effort it deserves and make sure it is the perfect choice of flavours for you and your newly betrothed to enjoy together.
Most wedding caterers will offer you a tasting appointment where you can taste and choose the all-important menu together.
Firstly, sit down with your partner and discuss the type of day you both want. Is it a laid back affair with your guests laughing and chatting over delicious bistro boards (we love slow cooked lamb shank in red wine, fresh mint and rosemary served with oven baked ratatouille and a basil mash potato, or would you prefer a more formal traditional affair and give the sense of occasion a wedding deserves with a 3 course sit down menu. You can see some of our menu options here. The type of day you are planning will affect the type of menu you would like to serve.
As part of the food planning, you will be offered the opportunity to try a range of dishes, and this will be across all of the courses. Take your time to savour the flavours and really enjoy the tasting process. Whilst naturally a consideration our main our tip would be – Don’t worry too much about your guests and what they like or don’t like, choose the food and flavours that you both enjoy, after all, it’s your day.
Here are some of our tips for getting the most out of your tasting and making sure you get it right on the day.
Timing
While it might not seem important as to when you come for a food tasting, we suggest that you book your tasting 9-12 months prior to your wedding so that you will be tasting your food in a similar season. If you come in the winter but have booked a summer wedding, you’ll be craving hearty heavy meals that might not be so appropriate for a summer wedding.
Getting to know you
The tasting is a great opportunity to get to know your caterer. And likewise, it is our opportunity to get to know you and your partner. What do you like or don’t like and how do you envisage your day.
We take time during the tasting to understand in more detail how your day will run, the look and feel you are going for and to make sure we are giving our best possible advice on all aspects of the day.
At most weddings, in the absence of a wedding planner or event manager, the caterer becomes the linchpin of the whole event and ensures the smooth running of the day.
Come to the tasting armed with all your questions and any information we need to know to make your day a success. Keep a notebook and write down any questions as they arise over the planning process that way you won’t walk away wishing you’d asked X or Y or needing to find out more information.
Seasonality
The season you choose to get married in will play a role in your menu choices. Typically, over the summer, you will want something lighter or more balanced, whereas in the winter you can go for more hearty dishes. If you did want to go for a heavier main course in the summer, it isn’t off-limits, but you should consider balancing it with a lighter starter and dessert.
Canapés
During your tasting, you will eat around two to three times the amount of canapés you will on your wedding day!
When choosing your canapés, it is important to have a mix of different types on the day. We are unable to predict the weather so we recommend having a 50/50 mix of hot and cold canapés.
You are most likely (although we encourage a glass or 2) choosing the menus sober, remember on the day it will be hot, all weddings are of course ?! Guests will have skipped or had an early breakfast, and being 2 or 3 if not more glasses deep with bubbles people will be hungry. Canapé choice is key here. Mix up the menu with some heartier options as well as a few of the lighter prettier morsels.
We will also serve a separate chef’s choice vegetarian/vegan platter to go alongside your own choices. We do ask however for a canapé choice of more than 5 we ask at least 2 are vegetarian and for a 7 plus-bite menu at least 3 are included for all your guests.
The main event
This might seem like an easy choice, as this month you are loving fish as the sun is starting to shine, or you have just been to your favourite restaurant and their pork belly is second to none. Don’t just go on what you have had recently take your time to consider past and present favourites and to look at the catering company’s socials and website. Don’t be afraid to question what dishes are or if there are any photos you could see.
Remind yourself that this is YOUR day, so pick the food that you would like to enjoy. Move away from the preconceptions of older generations or what you have been told – must serve chicken, no one will eat pork. Be brave, be bold and remember at the end of the day, your guests have been invited to share your day – so make it yours!!
Before you come to the tasting read through our menu packs. They offer numerous tips and guidance on what is included and also guidance to the menu itself.
Talk to your caterer and use their experience and expertise to choose three courses that work well together and will suit your style and venue too. Think of the wedding meal as the anchor point of your wedding, celebrating the most important part – the ceremony – bridging the gap before it’s time to party, so getting the chance to see and taste the food you’re going to eat on the day is a key part of understanding exactly how your day will work.
Dessert
While chocolate is a definite go-to after date night on a Friday, in the comfort of your own home that’s great, but on your wedding day you want to go on to dance the night away, so plan the menu wisely, think about the different courses – if you start with a fish course followed by chicken (or the other way around) there is likely to be room for a chocolatey dessert, however, if you head straight for ham hock terrine and a hearty beef dish, you may want to consider a lighter dessert.
Dietary Requirements
It is important for us to know any dietary requirements among your guests. We can provide a variation of your chosen menu that is gluten or nut free as required.
When it comes to vegetarian and vegan options, we have a fabulous vegan menu and would ask that you if you have vegan guests attending that you choose one vegan option to cater for vegetarian and vegan guests.
While it is possible to have a vegetarian and a different vegan option this will affect your package price. Wedding catering is naturally different from restaurant catering, with all the course dishes being served at the same time to large numbers, to maintain the quality from the first to the last plate. This becomes challenging when trying to balance up to 5 different menu options during the service, especially in some venues where kitchen facilities and space are minimal! Keeping it simple will ensure a smooth-running, slick catering service from start to finish.
Once you have chosen your menu, make sure you review your choice in the lead up to the big day, so you remember what you chose and why. Then on the day, sit back, relax and enjoy your meal with your friends and family, we‘ll look after everything else!