Menu question - vegetarian options?

Can you do a pasta dish as one of the sides?

There are pasta options - some have chicken, though we could probably request for meatless. There are also heavy passed hors d'oeuvres (most without any meat) if someone really didn't want to eat any meat. Also salad is included.

We are offering three options - beef, fish and chicken - as we are unaware of anyone on our guest list that is vegetarian. However, on our response card, guests have the option of listing dietary restrictions and if anyone mentions that they are vegetarian/vegan/kosher/gluten free, etc., my caterer will cater to those restrictions. Maybe that's an option for you?

Well, since we're trying to do buffet and not plated/sit-down there really isn't a need for entree choices on the response card. Maybe something on the website indicating a buffet and to let us know if there are any dietary restrictions? Is that acceptable to do?

Sorry, I missed the buffet part. I think putting something on the website is fine but you should consider still adding a line to your response card re: dietary restrictions. It would be a shame to have a vegetarian option that no one will eat.

Yes, 100% necessary.

You can still have a line on the RSVP card for dietary restrictions. When we were doing a buffet, we were still going to do that. We're not outwardly offering a vegetarian or vegan meal, but have a space on the RSVP card to list dietary restrictions and our caterer will create a dish for that guest that's of equal cost and value to the other plates.

Sometimes even if there is a buffet, they can do a special plated vegetarian meal if anyone needs one. maybe see if your venue could do that?

Well if it's a buffet, not every single tray will have meat in it, right? There will be veggie trays or salad trays, no?

To the best of my knowledge, there are no vegetarians in my family. I'm still doing a vegetarian dish (buffet) that can be enjoyed by all - stuffed portable mushrooms.

We offered 2 duet entrees plus a delicious vegetarian choice. 11% of our guests - over 20 people - chose the vegetarian entree, and I know they weren't all vegetarians. Half our passed hors d'oeuvres were vegetarian as was most of the food on our cocktail hour's cold buffet/stations. We made sure to chose a vegetarian soup course.

I've been to 2 6-item buffets; 2 meats, starch, vegetable, roll, and salad mix. At both, my vegetarian cousin was S. outta Luck.

Everyone thinks that none of their guests are vegetarian. Many of those people would be in for a surprise.

About 5% of my guest list chose the vegetarian option on their RSVP. None of them is a real vegetarian. It's always good to give the option.

There will be vegetarian passed hors d'oeuvres as well as salad, and some appetizer-type items that do not have meat in them. I will definitely add info to the website.

I will think about still adding a line on the response card for any dietary restrictions and make sure to ask the caterer if they can do "special" meals for anyone who may have those restrictions.

@AL - I appreciate your opinion, very many of my family members have been married in the last year and none have offered any vegetarian options. My cousin's wedding literally had ONE entree (which had chicken in it) and only ONE side option - which was salad. Nobody had any issues with it - However, I don't want to necessarily go that route and I am just trying to do the right thing by our guests.

At least ask for any dietary restrictions in your RSVP, even though none of your guest is vegetarian one of the plus 1 might be. Believe me it really sucks going to a wedding and having nothing available to eat but just a few hors d'oeuvres.

Although I'm not aware of any vegetarians our buffet will include a brown butter mizithra pasta just incase

We are having a veggie option in case anyone decides between now and the wedding that they are vegetarian. Our caterer is going to have the ingredients on hand to make them in case any vegetarians pop up!

Definitely do a line on the RSVP card for dietary restrictions! We are doing stations, so no need for food choices, but our caterer still needs a list of allergies and requirements to work around.

Pasta

I don't think so. I'm assuming since you're doing a buffet, you won't have guests selecting an entree, and that there won't just be meat dishes on the buffet. I do think its good to include a note on the RSVP card about dietary restrictions so if a plus-one or something is a vegetarian, perhaps the caterer can put together a special plate for that person.