Getting together with happy couples to plan fabulous food for weddings of all shapes and sizes is something which we absolutely LOVE doing. And of course, we all want to be certain that every single person at the wedding is going to absolutely adore the food that we create!
Guest lists can be long and sometimes, if people who you don’t know so well are coming along, you may not be certain whether there are any types of food which they must avoid.
From nut allergies, gluten, lactose and glucose intolerances, to vegetarian, vegan, kosher and pescatarian diners, there is just so much that you should be aware of before you start.
So, what is the best way to accommodate food allergies at your wedding? How can you know that your guests will be able to enjoy the food you provide, safely?
In this blog, we look at the things you can do, both before the wedding and on the big day to ensure things run swimmingly.
What to consider before the big day
The success of any wedding is all in the planning and this includes assessing the dietary requirements of the guests, as well as planning a menu which will delight the senses. The secret here is to ask people, well in advance, if they have any allergies, dietary requirements or intolerances.
When you send out your wedding invitations, add in a form which the guests can return to you with their RSVP card which states any allergies or dietary requirements that they have, or ask that they email you with details. Or, if there are menu options to choose beforehand, be sure to include ones which contain no allergens and that all menu options come with an allergen list so that guests can make an informed choice.
Once you have the information that you need you can work with your caterer to provide a menu which everyone can enjoy. If you feel that you cannot safely identify the foods which people can and can’t eat, especially with regard to those which cause severe allergic reactions, then you may wish to avoid trigger foods altogether, such as seafood, wheat, nuts and seeds.
Stay food safe on your wedding day
When choosing the person to provide your wedding food, be sure to find the right caterer. That means one who is happy to be flexible enough to accommodate all of the above. In addition, on the big day, it’s useful to be additionally cautious, just in case someone has a food allergy which you are unaware of. Therefore try the following:
- Include allergen free, meat free and vegan options
- Label food with any allergens contained within it
- Allow guests with allergies to approach a buffet first to avoid cross contamination
- Ensure your caterer can provide a version of the dish which does not contain certain foods
This way you can be completely confident that if any one does end up requiring medical assistance, that it’s not down to something that could have been avoided.
Check availability
At Thomas Towers we believe that flexibility and creativity are what makes wedding food come packed with the WOW factor.
If you would like to find out more about how to guarantee that you serve wedding food which all your guests will love, then get in touch to chat through some ideas – we’ve got bags of them!
Why not check our availability for your event date while you are there? We look forward to taking your call.