A Vegetarian Wedding Menu that anyone would love

Your wedding day should be about celebrating what you and your future spouse love most, not what you think your guests will love. So, if the chicken or steak option just will not do and planning a meat-less reception is an important to-do, this is the Food-tastic blog for you!

Start by thinking about what your favorite foods are, and if those are items you would like to see on your reception menu. Have a secret love for peanut butter and jelly sammies? Or you just can’t get enough grilled tofu? Be sure to incorporate your faves into your selections for the big day, and personalize the menu descriptions to get your guests excited about getting to experience it too.

Doing your research and selecting a caterer who is knowledgeable about and supportive of your meat-less menu will eliminate the stress that comes with planning any reception menu. They will know what items to offer as crowd pleasers, and which items to avoid due to cost. Save yourself the hassle, and make hiring a skilled caterer a top priority.

Make your guests forget there isn’t any meat by setting up some grazing stations. Gourmet fruit platters and tiered cheese trays, varieties of veggie plates and of course something sweet; you and your guests will leave with full bellies and happy hearts.

Why not a nontraditional wedding menu?

It’s common belief that every reception needs to involve dinner. This is not true! You can celebrate during your reception however you want! We have some great ideas outside of serving a traditional dinner that you can explore if you want to celebrate at your reception outside the norm. These also can be a great money saver if you are sticking to a strict budget!

Brunch. Have an early ceremony and serve your guests brunch with mimosas. There are so many different ways you can take this idea; you can offer an omelet, waffle, or French toast station to be prepared on site, or you can serve a plated, sit down meal. The great thing about brunch is that there are easy and delicious food options such as scones, muffins and fruit that are easy to prepare, clean up and tend to be less expensive.

Appetizers/dessert bar. If you are having a late ceremony and you’re afraid that serving dinner might come too late, think of scaling down to offering only appetizers and the desserts of your choosing via dessert bar. Snacks are a great idea to have available alongside a dessert bar and keep guests happy if they have something to nibble on in between dancing and visiting that is more substantial to offset the sugary treats. Make sure to make a note of this on the invitation so guests know to eat dinner before they attend the wedding if they need to.

                       The most incredible appetizers by the Four Seasons Maui at Wailea.                           Photos by Scott Drexler Photography.

Late Lunch. Serve a late lunch instead of full dinner meal. If you are having an afternoon ceremony and are not looking to party into the night, keep it light with an easy sit down lunch taking place late afternoon. This is great for smaller groups because you will actually have the capacity to visit with others while they casually munch on lunch items like sandwiches and salads.

Desserts only. This option is only amenable if you are having a late-night ceremony with no desire to have a large reception with dancing, etc. This is also an option that should be limited only to weddings that aren’t serving alcohol to guests. It’s always a better idea to serve snacks if alcohol is being served so guests aren’t drinking on an empty stomach.

Dessert Bar by Better Than a Boyfriend Bakery. Photo by Van Wyhe Photography

Remember to think about what you really want the day of your nuptials. You don’t have to stick to one common idea because it seems to be a theme amongst traditional weddings. There are a few different ways to serve food at your reception if you don’t want to serve dinner, and they can be delicious, easy to prepare, clean up and also save you some money. Happy planning! 

A Look Back | Upscale Backyard Wedding | Gig Harbor, WA.

Photographer: Brooks Scribner Photography | Wedding Planner: Elegant Affairs | Caterer: Dickey's BBQ | Cake: Susanne's Bakery | DJ: Stephen Morton | Rentals: Cort Party Rental and American Party Place | Photobooth: Emerald City Photobooth | Officiant: Austin Braaten, Bride's Brother | Transportation: Kitsap Airporter

For this bride, she based her wedding dates around her favorite flower, the gorgeous peonies thus found that June 6, 2015 was the perfect date to marry her best friend at her grandparent’s house turned rental house.

Bailey and Matthew were such a joy to work with. I loved how involved Bailey's parents were in the planning process and attended all of our meetings. 

Choosing Elegant Affairs to be part of their special day 8 months before their big day was perfect because we got to assist in selecting all of their vendors and really give this couple their dream wedding.

When it came to the wedding day, we couldn't have asked for better weather, maybe a few degrees cooler but hey who are we to complain right? Besides a beautiful ceremony, officiated by the bride's older bride to Sadie, the couple's flower-puppy, our favorite part of this ceremony was the confetti explosion as the couple walked back down the aisle as husband and wife and Photographer Brooks Scribner expertly captured this moment.

This DIY family (her father included) really thought about every single detail when it came to the perfect wedding. From the invitations to the favors to the gorgeous floral box centerpieces handcrafted by dad along with the arbor, Bailey wanted to have a hand in every detail to make sure everything was perfect.

As for the details when it came to the centerpieces, Bailey and her mom found an unbelievable peonies vendor at Pike Place Market and scored an amazing deal. I remember walking into their garage the day before the wedding and saw their floral find and I about fainted. They were the most luscious flowers I had ever seen and I couldn't wait to get my hands on the flowers to create floral magic. Rachel served as my assistant on the wedding day and she really had a vision for those stunning floral wood boxes and with the help of three assistants, they were able to bring to life 15 centerpieces. The best part was showing Bailey and she was so happy that it was a highlight of our day seeing her face.

Due to the heat of that day and how the sun hit the venue, we had to wait to set out the amazing dessert table of delicious candy, cookies (which of course the bride made), and cake until the sun had moved. but it was a nice surprise for guests as we started setting out everything.

Guests danced the night away to the sounds of DJ Stephen Morton and enjoyed the photo booth and didn't want to leave at the end of the night which is always a sign of a successful wedding.