Everything to Know About Wedding Food and Catering

While flowers are beautiful and linens can make an impact, nothing fuels a wedding weekend more than the food. Weddings are always a bit of a marathon, so queuing up a great catering team and menu is essential to keep guests going from the “I do’s” to the after-party. Remember that bites should be served at all moments post-ceremony, so selecting a menu goes far beyond choosing a meat and vegetarian entrée.

“Starting at cocktail hour, whether it’s a bar snack, served bites, or a late-night mountain of French fries on a silver tray by the dance floor, you want your guests to access food at any time,” explains Marjorie Artieres, creative director of Pinch Food Design. “Because food service can come in different forms at different times, it also should be used as a tool to create rhythm or flow in the wedding. One way to think of food service is different chapters that when put together tell a story to your guests, so remember to have fun with the menus, presentations, and forms of service.”

That story–much like your vows–can also serve as a way to enhance the design of the day and reflect your own history. “The food program at your wedding is a wonderful place to showcase the things that you love as a couple,” notes wedding planner Tory Smith of smith + james. “We’re often asked about the best ways to make a wedding feel unique and ‘like us’ and food is a fantastic touchpoint to do so. Wedding food sometimes has a reputation for being boring, but it certainly doesn’t have to be.”

Need to know all the ins and outs of wedding catering? Read ahead to learn how to navigate choosing wedding food that you and your guests will actually love.

How to Choose a Caterer

The biggest factor that will dictate your catering selection is your wedding venue. Some venues will require you to work with their in-house catering team or one they have an exclusive partnership with. Others will require you to budget for bringing everything in. For example, if you plan to get married in your parent’s backyard, you’ll likely need more infrastructure than a regular home kitchen. “Depending on the set up of your venue, a kitchen tent may be needed and you’ll need a place for the catering staff to plate the meals ahead of time,” says Smith. “Make sure to ask your caterer what their rental needs are (i.e. if you’re serving french fries late-night, you’ll need to rent a fryer).” Carly Katz-Hackman, chief sales officer of Pinch Food Design, adds, “As long as there’s space and light, any off-premise caterer should be able to build out a kitchen adequate to serve your guests!”

If you’re considering a venue with an exclusive caterer, it’s important to learn about the food experience ahead of booking. Tastings don’t take place until after you put down a deposit, so you might want to do a little research to get firsthand reviews from your planning team, couples who got married there, or past guests. In the case that there is in-house catering from a venue’s public restaurant, you can likely get a preview by eating a meal when you do a site visit. For example, Brooklyn’s Wythe Hotel offers food from its award-winning restaurant to be served throughout your wedding experience. “Le Crocodile is available for dining anytime, so you and your guests can savor their delicious offerings whenever you like, not just on your big day,” shares wedding sales director JD Dosch. Other venues might even offer preview days where you can try the food in addition to receiving a tour of the space.

Have your choice of caterer to bring in for your wedding day? That’s when you can tailor your experience even further. “I would always advise looking for a caterer who aligns with your vision,” says Artieres. “You want to hire a caterer for what they do best and feel confident about the result. There is always a risk in trying to change someone’s entire approach to food and presentation.” Of course, it’s helpful to work with a company that is vetted and has familiarity with the flow of your venue. “You can also ask your venue for their favorite caterers who consistently serve delicious food and are open to adjustments or customization,” suggests Smith. Another tip? “Before booking a team, be sure to ask how they feel about menu customization. The best catering teams are always happy to help you realize the menu of your dreams!”

What to Know About Menu Selection

There are generally three stages of food to think of serving at your wedding. First comes cocktail hour. “We think cocktail hour is a great opportunity to utilize food as a main character at your wedding,” says Smith. “The cocktail hour setup lends itself to a less formal vibe than your sit-down dinner does. Have fun with your tray-passed hors d’oeuvres selections!” While grazing tables or a live oyster shucker could be a hit, don’t be afraid to get even more creative. Artieres suggests playing with “an expressive crudité tablescape, a vertical cheese-board display, or collaborating with the florist on incorporating food in sculpture-like compositions.” She adds, “We often do mixology experiences like a martini bar where the martini is being mixed going down a cold, chiseled marble slab, elevated food carts, or what we call pop-ups—a sort of ephemeral food flash-mob where large bites of food are brought to guests on unique pieces and disappear.”

Before you choose your wedding reception menu, you should consider what style you want it served. “A cocktail-party format (buffet with no assigned seats) generally allows to build up the party energy very quickly, where mingling, eating, and dancing is all happening at the same time, ” shares Artieres. “A family-style dinner allows guests to connect at the table in a convivial spirit. It’s about sharing food and passing each other platters, creating a family setting much like at home.” She notes, “It does take more attention for the caterer to make sure everyone is served and fed.” Then, comes the formal, multi-course meal, which is the easiest type of service for a caterer. “It allows us to control individual food restrictions, portions, and timelines,” she explains. However, she notes, “A seated dinner can feel rushed when the venue access is limited, and you want to fit dinner, dessert, and dancing all in three hours. You want to make sure enough time is allocated for guests to find their seats (about 20 to 30 minutes), enjoy dinner, and leave the table.”

While you may be able to choose a few options to offer guests, it’s best to get an understanding of how your caterer can accommodate dietary restrictions. “Typically dietary restrictions can be flagged and accounted for separately from the menu selections,” explains Smith. “It’s always a good plan to have a vegetarian or vegan option available for guests, and most caterers offer this as a ‘silent vegetarian option’, which means they will provide it in addition to your main menu selections.” She adds that if your guests indicate restrictions within their RSVP, you should let your caterer know at least two weeks in advance to accommodate.

If you are having an after-party, late-night food is essential to keep guests going. “In general, we prefer to have all after-party food trays passed, so there aren’t stations of food sitting out in the same room where you’re dancing,” notes Smith. “Hot and sweaty dance floors don’t mix with a platter of chicken tenders that has been sitting out for an hour. Plus, who doesn’t like a cheeseburger handed to them while they are on the dancefloor?” Katz-Hackman shares that couples should be aware that they may need to factor in extra budget for staff to stay late. She says, “For clients who may not want to spend the extra money to bring their guests a little late-night indulgence, we often recommend a drop-off from a local pizza joint or even a food truck, which can add another layer of surprise and delight while keeping the budget tight.”

When going through options at your tasting, remember to prioritize what you want out of the day. Dosch advises, “If you’re passionate about an all-vegan menu, go for it and keep it as a surprise for your guests. It’s natural for family and friends to offer opinions, but don’t feel pressured to compromise just to please others. The day is truly about celebrating your love and preferences. And if there’s someone, like a grandmother, who absolutely needs steak and potatoes, you can always arrange a silent plate through your vendor.”