Your wedding day is all about the love, but having a delicious spread of food doesn’t hurt. I mean, who can pass up a good plate?

There are so many factors that go into determining your wedding menu but before all of that, you need to settle on a specific caterer. Before making your decision, make sure you ask them these important questions.

What does your schedule look like on the date of my wedding?

Occasionally, caterers will prepare food for more than one wedding per day or weekend. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you shouldn’t consider them, although you need reassurance that your wedding won’t be deprived of the time and attention it deserves.

If your caterer runs a large firm with an abundance of staff, they’ll more likely have the capacity to handle multiple weddings at once. If a smaller firm has another wedding to attend to at the same time as yours and you are doubtful of whether they’ll be able to accommodate yours as well as you would like, you best look at other caterers.

How do your preset packages work?

Caterers typically offer preset packages which could involve a variety of services apart from simply whipping up your wedding meal. These range from stocking the bar and baking your wedding cake to supplying waitrons and cleaning up.

It’s crucial that you take note of what they do and don’t offer. Anything that is important to you that isn’t included in their packages will have to be sourced elsewhere. This can be rather pricey, so if your needs are vast, try getting more bank for your buck by contacting caterers who offer all-inclusive packages.

Are all menus fixed or can you design a personalised menu?

Opting for a fixed menu can make your planning process simpler and less time-consuming as there are less decisions to be made. This can be ideal if you’re planning your wedding on a tight time frame or have many other commitments besides wedding planning.

On the other hand, having a personalised menu means that your precise requirements will be catered for. This will be a major advantage if your guests (or you!) are very particular about what types of food they enjoy. It might also give you the opportunity to match your food to your wedding theme.

Can you cater for guests with special dietary requirements?

Catering for guests with special dietary requirements is often possible, but will usually be done for an added fee. If you find this fee to be too high or have a large number of guests with a specific requirement, a caterer who specialises in meeting that requirement may be a more budget-friendly alternative. In the event that you can’t find such a caterer, costs will need to be cut in other areas of your wedding in order for you to feed all of your guests.

Picture: Pexels

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. On a hot summer’s day, nothing is better than the refreshing coolness of an icy lolly.

With the hot season approaching, it’s best to plan ahead and think of creative ways to keep your guests cool during a summer wedding. Ice cream may seem casual, but it is also fun and nostalgic. A major trend for modern weddings is personalisation, so why not incorporate a childhood favourite into your big day?

Here are some ways to include ice cream into your wedding:

Escort cards:

Use the stick of the ice cream to display your guest’s name, and arrange them in groupings that match with your seating chart. Your guests can simply grab a lolly and head to their table!

Match the colour of the ice cream to your wedding day, and incorporate fruits that are popular in the season like strawberries and watermelon.

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Wedding favours:

Give your guests something to nibble on when they leave your wedding. Simply arrange ice cream lollies on a table, and your guests can help themselves.

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Ice cream carts:

Food trucks are super popular for weddings, so why not have a dessert truck? Load it up with a variety of ice cream flavours and toppings, like fruit, chocolates, nuts and sauces. Your guests can mix and match to create their own unique concoctions.

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Picture: Pexels

If you’ve ever been a guest a wedding, you’ll know there’s a weird waiting period between the wedding ceremony and the reception. While the bride and groom are take photos, the guests make their way to the reception venue and hang around until the bridal party arrives.

To make this period a little more fun, why not have a snack bar for you guests to indulge in? That will take care of that slight rumble in their tummy. It also gives them the opportunity to interact with each other at the same time.

To keep the hunger at bay, delight your guests with a snack bar. Here are some cool ideas.

Movie theatre popcorn

Popcorn is easy to snack on and you can make tons of it at once. You can even offer various flavours, from caramel corn to butter and icing sugar. Make sure to offer your guests tons of toppings and sides, like Astros, mini chocolates and nuts to mix in their bags.

Sophisticated seafood

Oysters are chic and sophisticated. Have them displayed with some lemons and lime, and of course some sauce to pair. If you want to be even more extravagant, have some champagne on hand to pair them with.

Donut wall:

Donut mind if we dig into this station! Donut walls have been trending in the wedding world for years. It doubles up as a snack station and a visual attraction.

Candy station

Get your sweet on with a colourful candy station. Incorporate all your favourite sweets and throw in some sour candies for balance.

Ice cream bar

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. Buy a few of your favourite ice cream lollies in bulk and keep them cold in a cooler box, or have tubs and cones ready for your guests to help themselves. This is perfect for a summer wedding, when your guests will be desperate for something to cool them down.

Feature image: Pexels

It may seem simple, but nothing pleases a crowd like a cheese board. This perfect plate laden with an assortment of cheeses, fruits, meats and spreads is an easy way to serve guests and look like you put some effort in.

However, making the perfect board requires more than just slapping some cheese on a plate and calling it a day. Here are some tips to craft the perfect cheese board.

Variety is the spice of life:

You’ll want a wide variety of cheeses to cater to different taste palettes. Give your guests options by incorporating about 3-5 difference cheeses of varying firmness and texture. A soft cheese like brie, a hard one like parmesan and a crumbly blue cheese cater to different tastes.

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Complementary bites:

It can’t all be about cheese! You need some extra treats to snack on to provide more depth and flavour. Items like meats, crackers, nuts and fruits work wonders in adding both colour and flavour to your board. You want to hit various flavour profiles, so make sure to have something sweet, salty, and crunchy on your board. Red grapes, figs and jam are perfect for some added sweetness, while cured meats give a smoky finish. Add sides of crackers and bread to act as the perfect base for your snacks.

Use condiments like mustard, chutneys, honey and pesto as binding agents and to provide some moisture.

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Pile it on:

There really is no rhyme or reason when it comes to putting your cheese board together, as placement depends on your specific items and the size of your board. In general, it helps to place the cheeses first, spreading them out evenly across the board. Next, pile on your salty snacks and then fill in the gaps with your sweet treats. Use your crackers and breads as a perimeter, and slot in jars of condiments wherever you still have space. Garnish with springs of rosemary.

It depends on you whether you want to pre-slice your cheeses. Slicing them is easier for your guests to dish, but keeping them whole preserves them for longer and looks nicer. If you are keeping them whole, remember to provide individual knifes for each cheese.

Here are some setups to inspire your own:

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Feature image: Unsplash