Post content has been hidden

To unblock this content, please click here

Dedicated August 2021

Meal Tasting and Invitations and Budget Help

Nicole, on February 4, 2020 at 2:21 PM Posted in Planning 0 5

Saved

Flag
Hide content

Looking for guidance around food as it relates to the budget, invitations, and guest experience.

My venue does one planning session/tasting event in the spring of each year. Our wedding will be June 28, 2020 and we are hoping to have invitations sent the first week of April with a response requested by May 15, 2020. We are currently on the fence with offering a chicken or pasta dish for all and only offering an alternative dish to vegetarians or people with allergies. Our venue charges a $500 (taxable) service charge to offer a second option for entree and another $500 (taxable) service charge for third option for the menu, etc. The beef/steak and costlier fish entrees run $20-$30 per plate plus tax etc.
I kind of want to wait to make a decision until after the planning session, but I see that as being a disaster with invitations. I know that it’s preference, but how bad would it look to just have a chicken based entree for the wedding? And if I decided to change my mind later and offer a choice, how can that be handled tactfully?
Thank you all!

Flag
Hide content

5 Comments

Latest activity by Andrea, on February 4, 2020 at 3:19 PM

Super May 2020
Andrea · on February 4, 2020 at 2:26 PM
Flag

Hide content
If you want one option, I think that’s totally fine. If you’re doing one, I’d go with chicken over pasta, I think that’s much more universally appealing. And then have an alternative for vegetarians.
That’s really crap that you can’t taste the food until after your invitations have to go out. Honestly I would contact the vendor and set up a private tasting. I would not be ok with that at all, you can make a good decision until you’ve tasted the food and they shouldn’t expect you to
- Reply
Dedicated August 2021
Nicole · on February 4, 2020 at 2:33 PM
Flag

Hide content
View Quoted Comment
So we can setup a private tasting, but it isn’t the same experience. Like, we can only pick a few to try.
- Reply
Expert September 2021
Ka-Rina · on February 4, 2020 at 2:39 PM
Flag

Hide content
Maybe omit putting food options on invitations all together? Or maybe put something along the lines: let us know if you require special dietary accomodations?
I think only serving one entree is fine!
- Reply
Super May 2020
Andrea · on February 4, 2020 at 3:17 PM
Flag

Hide content
View Quoted Comment
Well at least they offer that! What if people rsvp’d now and then you added a card in the invitation to let people know a later date that they could choose their entrees online?
Our entire rsvp process is being done online and it’s really easy. We might have to go back and get entree choices beforehand for our welcome party/rehearsal dinner if we get over a certain amount of people, and if that happens I’ll send out emails, call or text and direct people back to the website to pick an entree. Zola keeps track of all of that really easily.
How many people are you inviting?
- Reply

Super May 2020
Andrea · on February 4, 2020 at 3:19 PM
Flag

Hide content
Or like a previous poster said, just have guests indicate dietary restrictions and then choose only one entree, they can be surprised when they get there, nothing wrong with that. I’ve been to weddings that only had one option and it was a complete non issue
- Reply