What was your wedding meal?

[pantsoffbing]

And what options were available for the evening guests?

I'm just looking for some inspiration because I have absolutely not a clue what I want for the day! All I know is that full bellies = happier people (and also hopefully less blind drunk people, because we know our friends! )

Surely this depends on your venue and budget!

My most recent wedding was M&S sandwich platters, and I don't regret a thing about the day. You might be wanting to spend thousands on some three course meal. It's always chicken.

@LividLost Honestly, I have no idea what I'm doing with any of it I do know that we're willing to spend a good amount on food and completely forego some other things. 70 day guests and around 150 evening guests.
And sandwich platters sounds like a brilliant idea actually! Then there could be a good range and something for everyone.

We had curry and karaoke but that may not be your sort of vibe!

The venue wasn’t an Indian restaurant but they were happy to accommodate - the only thing we did specify was that we wanted proper naans so they bought them in from a local takeaway.

What’s your favourite meal? Maybe go for that. Wedding meals are generally bland and underwhelming, with tiny portions, trying to cater en masse for all tastes, but it’s your day after all, so have what you’d enjoy eating. Anyone who doesn’t fancy it will know in advance and can fill up with a big breakfast first. Also don’t scrimp on the canapés - standing around before the main event with drinks, you need some snacks.

Fancy starter, filling sausage and mash main, creme brulee for pudding. Bacon sandwiches later. Happy guests all round.

We had

Caesar salad with a vegetarian version
Beef fillet and I can remember what we had with it
Vegetable tarts tatin for the veggies
Strawberry Mille feuille

In the evening cheese, bacon sandwiches and chips. We didn't have any additional evening guests.

There should have been cake involved at some point but we forgot to cut it!

A multi course meal at The Waterside in their private cottage so very fancy BUT there were only 12 of us and it was the only wedding cost.

We had a 100 guests at a local restaurant. They gave us sole access for the day.

There was a starter platter on the table of olives, meats, cheeses and nice bread and olive oil.

We had a buffet, it was roast beef or a vegetarian choice which I've forgotten now (had quite a few vegetarians) , salads, hot potatoes etc. The main course was all gluten free as had a coeliac SIL we wanted to have a decent choice for. And each table was called up.

And a choice of puddings. Gluten free.

It was 13 years ago now...but I seem to recall it went down well.

Bacon sandwiches (not gluten free! and a cheese board in the evening).

Loads of canapés (I went for almost double the ‘recommended’ to ensure no one was left short, then a choice of salmon, chicken in some sort of creamy sauce (I forget but it was amazing!) and beef fillet, then desserts, a trio of mini desserts; brownie, meringue and cheesecake.
Evening food was a hog roast and also heaping plates of pasties, they were hoovered up!
it was for around 100 day guests and around 400 evening guests and in a marquee in a field and the caterers did the most fantastic job, the food was superb.

Wedding food is always terrible! No matter how much money you throw at it's, it's just rubber chicken or bland white fish.
One I went to had an Iranian hot buffet which was quite good. But only stews and stuff, I was disappointed they didn't have a grill!
I'd say hot buffet with a few dishes might be best, people can eat as much or as little as they like.
I once accidentally poisoned about 10 people when I was roped into manning a BBQ at a wedding. I didn't know the groom had left the meat out in the sun for three hours before I cooked it!?

Roast beef, Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, carrots, peas, leaks in white sauce, gravy/vegetarian Mediterranean lasagne salad. Desserts apple pie and ice cream, raspberry pavlova, various cheeses and crackers. Mints and coffee. Wedding cake or sponge.

I’ve attended and been a part of many “typical” weddings with 3/4 course sit-down meals - I’m not originally from the UK though, so I’m not sure if this is actually less typical in the UK. Not many stand out, but I do remember (not fondly) the ones were portions weren’t generous - think twice the amount you’d put on your plate at home, people are usually ravenous after travel to the venue, ceremony, wait for photos and drinks etc.

However one of the most memorable weddings I recently attended served an Afghan buffet as their main meal. It’s one of the most delicious buffets I’ve ever eaten and there was so much choice - 4 different types of rice, so many meats, fish, veggie mains, eggs, then they had a salad bar, a chips station (seasoned so wonderfully the kids weren’t the only ones piling their plates high) and a kebab and skewers station. Catered for all diets and tastes.

Desserts were European-influenced and it complemented the buffet so well.

Classic wedding venue fare at quite a nice contemporary wedding barn in the south east and I had good feedback from guests although I suppose people would say nice things regardless.

It was a duck spring roll, plum sauce starter.
Beef wellington & accompanying potatoes and veg for main.
Trio of desserts, I think there was an Eton mess, a lemon thing and a chocolate thing.
Tea and coffee.

Earlier on there had been canapés and we also had ice lollies as it was very warm weather (they went down well)

Evening food was a small buffet situation with various cheese and crackers, bagels and cream cheese, bacon baps, chips (or the crisscross type chips), fruit skewers, pick n mix sweets. And I think the cake was out at that point too, one fruit cake and one Victoria sponge. I don't know how much was eaten because I was dancing!

Side note - it bugs me when couples don't opt for the tea/coffee, it's a small cost save but lots of people appreciate a cuppa, it's a long day.

Normal restaurant meals

Wedding food is always terrible! No matter how much money you throw at it's, it's just rubber chicken or bland white fish.

Not true @BobbyBiscuits Our wedding food was great because we prioritised finding a venue that had a great reputation for their food and catering, over other things. People were raving about it and we had very happy guests.

We went for a grill - 2 options of chargrilled meat (chicken and lamb), veggie option of chargrilled halloumi skewers, served to people at the tables. Sides were freshly baked crusty bread and butter, mini jacket potatoes, various leafy salads and tomatoes, homemade sauces, relishes, couscous, tabbouleh, etc. These were all in the middle of the tables for people to help themselves. Servers came round offering extra meat/ halloumi to those who wanted it.

Canapes and cocktails beforehand in the garden.

Evening food was just sausage sandwiches on freshly baked bread rolls, with an array of homemade condiments, relishes, salads, followed by our wedding cake.

The best solution to mass catering is always simple food, cooked well, and a good variety to please everyone.

One of the best wedding food I've had was a hog roast, with lots of salads and mountains of crusty bread. There was also enough cheese to sink a ship and endless jars of home made chutney. There must have been starters and puddings I guess but all I remember is that amazing pork and cheese of just about every kind

One of the most memorable wedding meals as a guest: individual steak and ale pies with mash. Smashing!

Our mothers did an amazing buffet for our wedding, and it was probably the nicest wedding food I've ever had. My mum was a lovely cook and she made all my favourites. Because it was in 1980, we even had cheese and pineapple hedgehogs 😆😆. Our local pub gave us free use of their upstairs function rooms and a big barrel, or whatever it was called, of beer as a wedding present, and my dad bought a selection of wine and soft drinks from Sainsbury's.

Pizza and cake 🍰

We had tomato soup, Christmas dinner and not a clue what our desert was! We also had a buffet in the evening but can't remember what was on that and I don't remember eating any of it cos I was too busy! Got married on 23/12 hence why we had Christmas dinner!

My advice: go very cheap and cheerful, extra points for something a bit tongue in cheek and naf OR go very expensive and wow. But the middle is always terrible - tomato soup and chicken...

Non stop buffet. The first round done by caterers so it was there on arrival, the rest was from the cash and carry and available in the venue kitchen for anyone who volunteered to get it ready. We didn't have evening guests separate. No seating plans, long speeches etc either, just a big informal family and friends party.

We had a hog roast with lots of sides (jacket potatoes, loads of different salads, veggie quiche, etc) . But we didn't have a sit down meal, had a late ceremony, some delicious canapés straight after the ceremony and the hog roast with the disco. They made sure I got a massive bit of crackling 😋

Individual roasted Mediterranean tartlets

Buffet with poached salmon, vegetarian stuff (I was veggie then), cooked meats, salads etc.

Lemon tart

Evening buffet was cheese, biscuits, bread & chutneys

I can’t remember ours now, but I think it was roast chicken, but I know we had brandy snaps with fruit and cream for dessert and they were delicious.

An old fashioned dessert at the time, but the Manager said they were made by the chef and delicious, and had run into the kitchen to get one for us to try, when we were choosing menus. he was right, she was a good chef.

The vegetarians I always felt guilty about, as I didn’t give them a choice, but it was a nut vegetarian roast, with vegetables like ours.

Years later I saw my friends vegetarian wedding menu, and there was no choice there at all, and no meat, so I didn’t feel so badly.

The meal was lovely, but I did regret not going to Harry Ramsden’s for a delicious fish and chips meal, as at the time they were all white linen table cloths and lovely surroundings, but it would have been quite a drive to get there for everyone.

@pinacollateral This sounds absolutely lovely, I'm writing it down. Love the idea of a Mediterranean style meal.

I'm going to have to check on everyone's dietary requirements (I know the vast majority don't have any preferences, just a few I'm unsure of), because I also like the sound of bacon butties in the evening. What could be a good veggie equivalent? I want to make sure they have an equally tasty option if we go that route.

@MeganM3 The coffee/tea is a great point, I myself won't be able to get through the day without several coffees, I hadn't considered that. Making a note of it!