Wedding Food

Whether you're considering a casual brunch buffet or a formal table service dinner, the meal you serve at your wedding can set the tone for your reception festivities, but the prices your caterer presents can sure be daunting! Before you give your guest list the axe, follow our 10 tips on how to trim the fat from your wedding food budget.

• Think outside of the plate. A meat-and-starch may be the traditional wedding meal route, but if you think about your and your partner's personalities, you might be able to come up with a more creative — and cheaper — alternative. If you're movie buffs, what about pizza? If together you've tried every burger west of the Mississippi, assemble a choose-your-own toppings burger bar. If you throw the best cocktail parties in town, combine cocktail hour with dinner and serve a heavy hors d'oeuvres buffet.
• Truck it in. These days, you can find just about any food in the form of a food truck. Most are available to rent for private events, so call up your favorite taco or crepe truck to check out their prices which are usually much lower than the per-head cost of a catered meal.
• Serve yourself. A sit-down dinner may seem like the only option for an elegant evening, but a buffet can still be formal. Buffets cut down on the amount of staff needed to serve dishes, and your caterer can add fun frills like made-to-order omelettes and meat slicing.

For seven more tips, just keep reading.

After the royal wedding, 650 lucky guests were invited to attend a lunchtime reception. The palace prepared a luxurious and extensive spread of appetizers and canapes. Curious what all was served? Read on!

• Cornish crab salad on lemon blini
• Pressed duck terrine with fruit chutney
• Roulade of goat's cheese with caramelized walnuts
• Assortment of palmiers and cheese straws
• Scottish smoked salmon rose on beetroot blini
• Miniature watercress and asparagus tart
• Poached asparagus spears with hollandaise sauce
• Quail eggs with celery salt
• Scottish langoustines with lemon mayonnaise
• Pressed confit of pork belly with crayfish and crackling
• Wild mushroom and celeriac chausson

For more appetizers, the dessert menu, and more photos of the spread, keep reading!

Editor's note: The following is a guest post written by Colin Cowie, wedding planner and lifestyle guru. This week, Colin shares his dos and don'ts when it comes to wedding food.

Food is like theater, and I try to catch every show in town. What happens in the first few minutes sets the tone for what's to come, and I know right away if I’m staying past intermission. It's easy to get caught up in an elaborate production that in the end quite possibly goes nowhere rather than a simple production that leaves you wanting more.

To get the Colin's tips, keep reading.

If you are planning a bridal shower, don't overlook brunch. It's a great time for a laid-back, female-oriented affair that's sure to be enjoyed by all ages. Last weekend, I attended a friend's bridal brunch and I was so impressed with the menu that I snapped photos to share with you. The three hostesses served an assortment of breakfast and lunch foods buffet-style. They combined homemade dishes with store-bought food. Then they threw in wine and lush floral arrangements to create an elegant, welcoming atmosphere.

To take a look at the spread, which can easily be re-created in your home, keep reading.

Hold the Brie, cut some of the charcuterie, and table the tuna tartare! Even sans the champagne, the wedding feast is a decadent meal, but expectant mamas may want to take a few precautions when it comes to planning their menu. Being with child means that women have to be mindful of foods that can cause Listeria. According to WebMD, Listeriosis is food poisoning caused by eating contaminated foods. It's dangerous for pregnant women because it can lead to premature babies, newborn infections, and stillbirth. The bacteria is found in soil and water:

• Vegetables can become contaminated from the soil or from manure used as fertilizer.
• Animals can carry the bacteria and can contaminate meats and dairy products.
• Processed foods, such as soft cheeses and cold cuts, can be contaminated after processing.
• Unpasteurized (raw) milk or foods made from unpasteurized milk can be contaminated.

Foods that can cause listeria include unpasteurized dairy products and raw or undercooked proteins. For the full list of items pregnant brides should consider not consuming, check out this list.