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Original poster

What's the worst meal you've been served at a wedding?

703 replies

Higgeldypiggeldy35 · 06/09/2021 22:43

I'm veggie so unfortunately have had my fair share of shitty wedding meals as the vegetarians often seem to get shafted but this one takes the biscuit. Fancy wedding, very expensive and exclusive venue, meat eaters had a feast and it looked amazing, I was served......a grilled mushroom, and it was cold. This place is probably £100 per head at the very least and the best they could rustle up for a vegetarian was a mushroom. So, make me feel better, what's the worst meal you've been served?
This is meant to be light hearted 🐱

OP posts:
FlaviaAlbiaWantsLangClegBack · 14/09/2021 10:45

I can't imagine posting a bad review no matter how bad the meal was Gasp0de in case it upset the bride and groom. It's not like visiting a restaurant and paying for it yourself, to me it would feel like I was giving my friends hospitality a bad review instead of the venue.

rookiemere · 14/09/2021 10:48

Yes @FlaviaAlbiaWantsLangClegBack , and in the cases of the disappearing buffets the top table will have experienced it with plenty of food and who wants to be churlish and mention such a thing to a happy couple on their wedding day.

CMOTDibbler · 14/09/2021 10:53

Exactly, I'm never going to tell the bride and groom that I spent the whole day starving because they didn't have gluten free canapes or evening buffet (true story, went to a wedding where the MOG was also coeliac and I was newly diagnosed so thought I'd follow her lead on the evening buffet - she walked up it, walked down again and then off. Not a single gluten free item). Or that I had to leave the table to have words about them serving me something that is patently not gluten free. Or that it was melon, inedible, melon....
And you can't go an put a review online in case the families involved see it

Interested in this thread?

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General food Weddings
MimiDaisy11 · 14/09/2021 10:57

Do they bank on the happy couple not getting feedback from their guests and therefore not leaving a review?

Sadly I’d imagine most people wouldn’t say anything negative to the bride and groom about the meal. I’d feel rude doing it and would worry they’d take it the wrong way, like I was unappreciative.

Ddot · 14/09/2021 11:17

BlotBangRub
I think that was a MIL revenge

NotPersephone · 14/09/2021 11:20

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 14/09/2021 11:26

I wasn't really assuming guests would jump onto TripAdvisor and say 'I was a guest at the wedding of John Smith and Mary Brown on 1st October at TakingThePiss Manor and I can honestly say I've never had worse food in my life. I gather you charged them a small fortune and promised them the earth, but all I can say is the top table seemed to get good food and service, but the rest of us didn't. Top tip to anyone thinking of booking TTP Manor as a wedding venue - don't. Your big day will live on in the memory of your guests, but not for the right reasons.'

Even if posted anonymously, that might cause a bit of a stir.

I was hoping that the bride and groom, or someone close to them, would circulate and take notice of what was happening in the rest of the room, not just on the top table, and take the caterers/venue to task if it wasn't up to scratch. I can see why that doesn't happen much, though.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 14/09/2021 11:27

@BlotBangRub

When my friend got married, her M.I.L offered to do the buffet as she is a cook by trade. There was around 30 guests, including me and my husband. Walked into the reception, which was at a village hall type of venue, got a drink and sat down. Her M.I.L came in and put down a plate of food on each table which consisted of a meat paste sandwich on cheap white sliced bread, one sandwich each and two bags of crisps. She had even done a head count of each table prior to serving up. So, if there were say four people sat at a table, they got four sandwiches and two bags of crisps, enough for one sandwich and half a normal size bag if crisps each! My friend was mortified and spent most of it in the loo crying.
Oh dear. Are they still married, Blot? On speaking terms to MIL? What a nasty thing to do.
ThumbWitchesAbroad · 14/09/2021 11:36

I have to agree - I'd never tell a B&G that I'd had a crappy meal experience at their wedding! If they had had a crappy meal too, and were complaining to me about it, I'd happily agree with them - but I'd never bring it up unless they did.

burnoutbabe · 14/09/2021 11:42

but surely this is how bad service gets away with it.

The caterers make sure that B&G (and parents) get a great meal. Everyone else, who cares, they won't complain.

So they use it to rip off the couples.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 14/09/2021 11:45

Exactly, @burnoutbabe! Weddings have become so elaborate and expensive that knowing the couple have probably put themselves in debt for years to come to pay for it, and have spent countless hours planning it all for months in advance, it would seem churlish to tell them it wasn't actually very good.

Gliblet · 14/09/2021 11:52

@CMOTDibbler

Exactly, I'm never going to tell the bride and groom that I spent the whole day starving because they didn't have gluten free canapes or evening buffet (true story, went to a wedding where the MOG was also coeliac and I was newly diagnosed so thought I'd follow her lead on the evening buffet - she walked up it, walked down again and then off. Not a single gluten free item). Or that I had to leave the table to have words about them serving me something that is patently not gluten free. Or that it was melon, inedible, melon.... And you can't go an put a review online in case the families involved see it
We had a friend of my parents making our wedding cake (professional caterer who offered to do it as our wedding gift). Apparently when she arrived to set the cake up and finish the decorations she thought the reception room needed an extra clean so she rounded up the venue staff and nagged them round the room with a hoover and dusters until it was up to her standards. She didn't tell me but did tell my parents (who thought it was hilarious and told me Grin )
ThumbWitchesAbroad · 14/09/2021 11:58

@burnoutbabe - you are so right.
But in most cases, would you even know who the catering company is, if it's not the hotel/venue itself? I mean, you could ask the B&G for the name on the grounds that you're looking for caterers yourself [just not tell them it's to AVOID theirs!], but most people won't bother.

Maybe there should be a name and shame website for caterers/venues (if there isn't already!)

BlotBangRub · 14/09/2021 12:20

@Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g yes they're still married, forty years next year.
Her M.I.L died around 12 years ago, they had very little contact after the wedding, unsurprisingly.

GreyhoundG1rl · 14/09/2021 12:44

We had a friend of my parents making our wedding cake (professional caterer who offered to do it as our wedding gift). Apparently when she arrived to set the cake up and finish the decorations she thought the reception room needed an extra clean so she rounded up the venue staff and nagged them round the room with a hoover and dusters until it was up to her standards. She didn't tell me but did tell my parents (who thought it was hilarious and told me grin )
Haha, she sounds fabulous Grin

noodleone · 14/09/2021 14:04

I've just remembered that I do have story for this thread. It was about 20 years ago now. Wedding reception for probably 100 people in a fairly corporate kind of hotel and I found glass in my cheesecake but only once I had put it in my mouth. I didn't tell the bride and groom but it did get back to them. Nobody wants to mention poor quality food or service to the bride and groom so poor service and caterers continue to get work

Pedalpushers · 14/09/2021 16:56

My friends got married at a hotel, they were vegans and ordered a vegan menu that sounded wonderful on paper, mediterranean mezze and a curry thing. The caterers cooked the wrong meal and their wedding food was salmon followed by beef, they didn't eat at their own wedding but the guests liked it!

Etulosba · 14/09/2021 19:40

The caterers cooked the wrong meal and their wedding food was salmon followed by beef, they didn't eat at their own wedding but the guests liked it!

I feel for the poor sods who ordered the salmon and beef but got the vegan instead.

Trixabellecrowther · 15/09/2021 01:05

I'm a vegan and I'd certainly not be happy with a slab of a vegetable for a high end dinner ! If you're looking at meat subs get a vegan 'steak ' and serve with all the sides.
If you're not, find out what cuisine they like and make a gourmet pasta, tapas selection, pizza with vegan cheese, fried tofu with yummy dressings on seasonal veg and grain etc .. It isn't rocket science!

Hawkins001 · 15/09/2021 01:07

It was still eidible, but not a usual good option, it was bacon rolls.

Zucker · 15/09/2021 15:38

Mostly what is clear from this thread that any quirky or different from the normal ideas sound fabulous and unique on paper but in reality they're often dismal. Take the hog roast for example. Unless its literally a banquet setting with all the trimmings, its just going to be a few shreds of meat on a plate with a bread roll and a few token salad leaves.

People will say to your face how fabulous it all was but in reality it's all a bit meh.

Beeinalily · 17/09/2021 16:43

@MrsClatterbuck I've never been to Ireland sadly, but a friend went for a few days and put on nearly a stone because almost everyone he spoke to insisted on taking him home and giving him a meal! 😀

theleafandnotthetree · 17/09/2021 16:51

[quote Beeinalily]@MrsClatterbuck I've never been to Ireland sadly, but a friend went for a few days and put on nearly a stone because almost everyone he spoke to insisted on taking him home and giving him a meal! 😀[/quote]
Oh God yes, lovely though it is, we are terrible over-feeders. Time spent in other peoples houses can be the weight gain equivelent of being on an all you can eat cruise. We went to my aunts house for lunch once and she had five different deserts prepared, the whole fridge was taken up with them.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 17/09/2021 19:20

I like the sound of your aunt, @theleafandnotthetree - do you think she’d adopt me?

Mammyloveswine · 17/09/2021 21:47

We had a "fork buffet" at our wedding as it was in between Christmas and new year so figured a traditional sit down dinner wasn't what most people would fancy!

There was enough for seconds (we had poached chicken, roast beef, a rice salad, a pasta salad, hot new potatoes, various leafy salads, two different veggie options plus the caterers had added extra dishes as they had ingredients that they needed to use up before the new year!)

Evening guests had bacon sandwiches and potato wedges... my uncle said it was the best food he'd ever had at a wedding Grin

Anyway enough of my shameless brag..

Worst was a holiday in canteen style..we were the last table and there was nothing left by the time we went up!

Also went to a wedding where the food was a really shitty cheap bbq... again there was fuck all left and I was pregnant and breastfeeding a one year old.. couldn't even get pissed Grin

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