We have some tips that outline how much food you should order for your guests.
Food is crucial to any wedding reception, especially if you’re also serving alcohol. It’s a wonderful way to share culture or a theme with those joining you, so when planning a menu for your wedding, be thoughtful about what you’re serving your guests.
Whether hosting a potluck or hiring a local caterer, it’s better to order more food than not enough because you want to ensure your guests are satisfied with the reception! Most couples rely on a caterer to order food for their wedding, but their calculations are only as good as their guest count.
If you’re estimating food amounts, we have some tips that outline how much food you should order for your guests.
Consider Your Theme
If you’ve chosen a theme for your wedding, you can research which foods you would like to serve and which would go well with the other elements of your event. For example, if your wedding will have a rustic country theme, you might have a catered barbecue to fit this concept.
Other couples choose to include some of their favorite foods on the menu, or serve food that reflects their heritage and culture.
Think About Food Allergies
Once you have established what type of food you would like to serve, you may consider your guests’ food allergy needs. People can be allergic to all kinds of things, including gluten and nuts, so it can be a good thing to consider these types of allergies when planning your menu.
Another option is to clearly label ingredients that contain any of the common allergens on the service table. This will ensure that the wait staff or servers understand which foods contain what.
How to Calculate Food and Drink for Your Reception
When it comes to portion sizes at a wedding reception, there is no one answer for every situation. You’ll need to consider many things before determining how much food to have on hand for your guests. You’ll need to consider aspects like whether your event is in the daytime or nighttime.
If your reception is during the day, you’ll likely be able to serve less food per person, and you can do lighter foods. You can plan on offering a smaller portion of the side dishes if you’re planning a big meal with appetizers, a main course, sides, and dessert. When you host your wedding reception during the day, the main dish can be any number of items, from baked, fried, or barbequed meat to sandwiches.
How Many Beverages Do You Need?
Whether your wedding will be held during the day or evening, there are many options to make sure your guests stay properly hydrated. If you’re planning a daytime wedding in the summer, you’ll want to have plenty of water on hand. The last thing you need is someone passing out due to dehydration! Now that plain water isn’t the only choice, water can be served in many creative ways. Try infused water to add some refreshing fruit.
If you want to serve alcohol during your daytime event, plan on two people to one bottle of wine, depending on your crowd. Serving beer is quite common for an outdoor wedding, either by the keg or bottle. If you’re serving by the bottle, you can plan on two per person per hour.
With an evening wedding, you may end up serving quite a bit of alcohol. You can plan on one bottle of wine per two people per hour and two bottles of beer per person per hour.
HISTORIC OAKLAND MANOR: THE PERFECT WEDDING VENUE
Nestled in a peaceful wooded area in the heart of downtown Columbia, Historic Oakland Manor stands proudly in natural splendor. Elegant Oakland is the perfect setting for ceremonies, wedding receptions, bridal showers, holiday parties, family celebrations, business meetings, or retreats. Schedule a tour today with our expert venue coordinators! Please call (410-730-4801), email ([email protected]), or visit our chat on our homepage to book a tour appointment.