Is it just us or do wedding menu tastings not get the full credit they deserve? When it comes to wedding planning, we tend to obsess over dress shopping and focus on nailing every single amazing design detail possible. But so often, lost in the mix, is the importance (and fun) of tasting your wedding menu before the big day!

Food is a huge part of a wedding day experience for you and your guests. There are so many factors to consider when putting together your menu and optimizing every aspect of your tasting. From knowing your exact budget and your guest's dietary restrictions to understanding how seasonal ingredients affect your menu, there’s much more than meets the eye when it comes to your tasting!

We’re going over some of the best ways to get the most out of your tasting so you can serve up an unforgettable wedding day menu. Here are 7 of our best tips to organize & optimize your catering tasting!

Get Your Hands Dirty

No, seriously! If appetizers are part of your tasting, skip the utensils and eat them with your hands. Your guests will be standing during your cocktail hour. Plan to experience the hors d’oeuvres at your tasting inthe same way your guests will on your wedding day. Eating with your hands will give you a feel for the portion size of the hors d’oeuvres.

Are they big and awkward? an you easily eat them with a drink in the other hand? Are the crumbles falling on your dress?

Along with the portion size, you’ll also need an idea of the potential messiness that your hors d’oeuvres might create. Nobody wants to shy away from the camera because they have a big drop stain down the front of their formal attire!

photos by Cory Ryan Photography

2. Ask About Cocktails & Wine Pairings

You’ll need to ask in advance if your tasting will include road-testing alcohol. Your caterer is a pro who will handle your drink-related questions with ease. It’s ultra important to go over drinks during your tasting if your caterer is the one who will be keeping the bar fully stocked at your wedding.

So what’s the importance of having the drinks present when you arrive at your tasting? Tasting alcohol will be key for any selection of wine pairings to accommodate your dinner service and for putting together the right elements to create your signature drink(s)! Think of it as a great opportunity to taste a variety of signature drink options, responsibly of course, so you can narrow down the best drink pairings to complement and up-level your dinner service!

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photos by Rob August

3. Plated Portions, Garnish & Ingredients

We covered portion sizes for hors d’oeuvres, but equally as important during your tasting is asking about the portion sizes of the rest of your menu.

Are the portions served to you during the tasting a true representation of what your guests will be served?
What about the garnish?
Will your guests' plates look exactly the same on the night of your wedding?
Will the presentation hinge on the availability of fresh seasonal ingredients? If so, what are other possible variations you can expect?
If your guests have questions about the garnish or ingredients in the dish, will the servers be able to answer them knowledgeably and efficiently

These are all very valid questions to go over with your caterer during your tasting!

4. Presentation is Part of The Experience

The platters & dishes that your food is being served on, are all part of the overall dining experience! If it seems silly, think about a cheeseburger served to you in a paper wrapper versus one served at a sit-down restaurant with all the toppings on full display. Of course, the dinner service at your wedding is nothing like grabbing a drive-thru burger. But hey, if you want to serve those for late-night bites, we love that for you! Our point is, that your wedding day is an experience and the serving platters and dishes used to display the food absolutely matter!

Typically, plates and platters are provided by your venue, or your off-site catering team, and the aesthetics of the platter are just as important as the food on top of them. If you are serving a family-style dinner at your wedding, are the platters big and heavy? Or do they carry enough food for the entire table while being easily passed around by guests of all ages?

Additionally, if you are serving your dinner family-style, the platters will be present on the table for the entire dinner service. Are they an eye sore or do they seamlessly blend in with the detailed decor of your day?

Photos by Cory Ryan Photography

5. GF, DF, VGN, VG

ALL.THE.ABBREVIATIONS! We know food allergies, sensitivities, and dietary restrictions exist, and that you want to be mindful of your guest's needs. However, that doesn’t mean you need to go overboard worrying about super-specific individual needs. An easy way to get around this while still making sure your guests are taken care of is to work with your caterer during your tasting to offer your guests a variety of options to choose from. Additionally, a great caterer will prepare, in advance, for a handful of last-minute allergy issues. They’ll also be ready with a vegan or vegetarian option for those who ask. But don’t be afraid to bring it up your concerns during the tasting!

6. Flow of Dinner Service

Another key point to bring up during your tasting is the flow of your dinner service! Have you ever been to a wedding where there was not a glass of water in sight, and it seemed like you were never going to eat? Not fun! Ask your caterer about the expectation for dinner service on the day of your wedding. Will water be set out on the tables for guests in advance? What about wine? Will the wine pairing you selected be offered table-side throughout dinner?

If you’re planning a buffet, will your guest's plates be at the table or at the buffet station? What about food stations? Will guests clearly be able to find their way from one station to the next so they don’t miss out on the fabulous modern-fusion menu you planned? Don’t be afraid to dig into all the details of the flow of dinner service during your tasting!

7. Honesty is Key

So far, the theme of this conversation has been about asking all the key questions. But with that, it’s important to be honest with your responses to their questions. How does the food actually taste? Be honest! If you know that your family likes things a bit more spicy, or even bland, that's fine! But it’s important to be honest in communicating that to your caterer. Be as clear with your expectations as you have been with your questions. Your caterer is a pro, they’ve done this hundreds of times and you are not hurting their feelings by communicating your needs and expectations. They want to make sure your day is special and that you & your guests never stop raving about the amazing food that was served at your wedding!