Formal Wedding Dinner Alternatives

If you’re like me, every time you get a wedding invitation in the mail, your mind jumps immediately to two things; add buy wedding gift to to-do list and the dreaded chicken or beef check mark. We’ve all been there, formal sit down dinner complete with roasted chicken, or braised beef with carrots, potatoes and a bun. If you’re lucky enough, there might be some complimentary wine thrown in to help dull the memories of this all to traditional wedding dinner option.

In North America the classic formal dinner following the ceremony and cocktails is generally thought of as the expected course for your average wedding event. In some sense, I suppose this makes sense especially for larger scale weddings as there would be so much preparation work necessary even on the big day, that you’d need all of those preceding hours to accomplish these tasks. However, if you’re the type of bride/groom who likes to throw curve balls, or is just tired of the same old same old, consider having a brunch, afternoon cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, or even a light evening buffet.

The brunch option would be especially useful for the couple who are early risers, have small children they wish to include in their ceremony, are inviting just immediate family members, or want to avoid the consumption of alcohol by guests. The early risers will likely have no trouble getting up extra early to prepare for the big event, though this is a consideration needed for your guests. If you’re including small children in your ceremony, most parents would agree that working with children before late afternoon/evening provides the best results, especially when it comes to the wedding pictures. For weddings where just the immediate family members are the guests a brunch is the perfect intimate gathering following the ceremony. Lastly, for those couples whose family members or guests might chance overdoing things at the bar, a brunch pretty much avoids the situation all together, as most folks aren’t keen to guzzle back a beer at 11 o’clock in the morning.

Afternoon cocktails and hors d’oeuvres provides the opportunity for guests to partake in an early day ceremony, complemented by a casual afternoon gathering, allowing for guests to mix and mingle and still get to bed at a decent time. This option is also quite viable for ceremonies involving small children. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are a fantastic alternative to a formal dinner, and recently on the rise as the chic thing to do. Imagine yourself on a lawn, under a canopy at a majestic outdoor locale, or in the fanciest function room at your dream hotel, sipping champagne and munching on chocolate covered strawberries as you mingle with your guests. This option should be a consideration if budget is a concern, as you might be able to afford your dream venue if you don’t have to include a lavish meal.

An evening buffet is another classic option, but can easily be given a new twist to mix things up. If this is something you and your special someone are thinking of considering, try making food choices that are a little less traditional. Avoid the roasted baby potatoes and instead opt for Tabouli, a wheat, tomato and parsley salad. Instead of a deli tray assortment why not try a introducing your guests to Tapas? Your options may be dependant on your caterer, but it never hurts to ask.

A popular misconception is that your guests are all going to be starving when they arrive at the gathering following the ceremony. It’s important to provide guests with something to eat and drink, as any good host/hostess does when they invite company over. However that does not mean that you must serve a 4 course meal to make guests feel appreciated for sharing in your special day. Being creative, innovative and smart is a fantastic way to treat guests to something out of the ordinary and an opportunity to either save money, or simply redirect savings to other event details. The most important detail in planning your formal dinner alternative is clearly outlining what guests should expect in your communication, ie Black Tie Dinner, Cocktails and Hors D’oeuvres, or a Light Buffet.