Wedding Catering Trends
Food fashions change constantly, but here are a few recent trends that should appeal to just about everybody:Local food: With rising fuel prices, it's a great idea to do your part by supporting local farmers and producers. Local food also happens to be chic, so you should be able to find a caterer who's open to the idea and willing to make it a reality.
Lots of tastes: Everybody loves bite-sized food; dumplings, mini hamburgers, and tea sandwiches are especially fun. A similar idea, "tasting menus" offer guests small portions of many different dishes.
Interactive cuisine: Make your food interactive: let guests assemble their own mini pizzas or shish kebabs, or have chefs make customized sushi, fajitas or omelets.
Ethnic food: Asian food is popular now, along with Indian and Mediterranean cuisines.
Fusion menus: If you can't pick a single cuisine, why not try "fusion" cuisine, melding you and your partner's favorite foods?
What to Serve at your Reception?
Although receptions with sit-down dinners are traditional, you are by no means restricted to such a set up. A brunch buffet might follow a morning ceremony; an early evening wedding might have a cocktail reception with hors d'euvres but no meal. What food you serve depends on the level of formality of your wedding, the time of your ceremony and your personal preferences.Tips for Selecting a Caterer
To find the right caterer for you, start out by asking around to see if anyone you know knows a great catering company or chef or attended a recent wedding or party with exceptional catered food. If you've picked any of your other vendors already, they might have recommendations as well. It's best to check with your ceremony site as well, as some locations require their own caterers be used.Here are a few questions to ask candidates:
- What styles of cuisine do they offer? Traditional Southern? Tex-Mex? Asian fusion?
- Can you peek in on an upcoming party or event to get an idea of their presentation?
- Ask for sample menus based on a few sample items (for example, salad, followed by fish and risotto).
- What extra charges can you expect? Do they charge for wait service or delivery?
- What uniforms do the catering staff wear? You'll want them to match the style of your wedding.
- What is the server-to-guest ratio?
- Do they include dishes and linens?
Budget-Friendly Catering Ideas
Although catering often eats up a good deal of your wedding budget, with a little planning you can keep costs low while keeping the food delicious. The most effective way of saving money on catering is by not offering a full, sit-down dinner. You could opt for a buffet, a lunch rather than a dinner or, if your reception is not held at mealtime, a cocktail and appetizer reception; all will be much more cost-effective.A few other budget-slimming ideas:
- Ask your caterer if you can provide your own drinks.
- Make sure to get several quotes rather than going with the first caterer you find.
- Ask if your caterer will let you save and freeze leftovers to eat later.
- Find out if your reception site offers catering; this will often save you money.
Virginia Wedding Caterers
Amphora Catering (Vienna): Northern Virginia caterer and event planner specializing in themed events and offering varying seasonal menus.Harvest Moon Catering (Charlottesville): Caterer offering high-end Southern cooking among its offerings.
A La Carte Catering (Haymarket): Caterer and planner offering a full suite of services including sit-down dinners, picnics, buffets, bar services, menu design and wait staff.
Grand Affairs Catering (Virginia Beach): Caterer offering multiple menus including many types of ethnic food, banquet halls and ballrooms for rent and wedding planners.
