Take into account the distance guests are travelling to the wedding so they don't starve before the ceremony. Refreshments will put them in a pleasant mood and have a practical effect on the body if a toast is already being served in the morning. In the past, the wedding party usually gathered in the morning, followed by the ceremony and then the feast, but today this trend is slightly on the wane, and it is not uncommon for the wedding party to gather around two or three o'clock in the afternoon, be invited for a snack, followed by the ceremony, followed by an early dinner and then a late-night snack. I think the wedding party is driven to do this both by the need for a less formal arrangement and by the economics, as the cost of the wedding can be reduced considerably in this way.  

A steady supply of food needs to be thought about from the very beginning when guests arrive. Something small should be available to them for almost the entire celebration, so fruit or a snack of some sort is recommended even between lunch and dinner. Some of the most popular "in-between" places include a barbecue, stations with freshly prepared waffles, or perhaps a picnic basket dispenser with small snacks. If you're expecting the party to go on for a while, be sure to include nightly refreshments, which will pair well with the drinks offered at the bar. It's not uncommon to have soup ready for the morning, which will help everyone get through the sometimes rough moments the next day.  

Each company is a little different and we derive the total amount of food from the length of the wedding, but universally we can say that the amount of food should not fall below 1,000g per person for a shorter wedding.  

When if not now?  

Pre-ceremony receptions are very rare and not surprising as it makes the more organised part of the day even longer. Whereas with a post-ceremony reception you only have to direct guests to some extent to the ceremony itself and then the atmosphere becomes increasingly relaxed, otherwise the demands on their concentration become even more intense. Also, the fiancés have more peace and time to prepare for the ceremony, to concentrate only on themselves and to enjoy the merriment after the ceremony. Even so, it has been our experience that the fiancés don't eat much during the wedding day, and so far I haven't known many brides who have enjoyed a sirloin and dumpling and then run off to say yes - nerves really do work, and you have to allow for that, even if you are normally a quiet person.  

I would probably only recommend a pre-ceremony reception if the ceremony is to take place, for example, during the moonlight - then I can imagine a nice casual reception somewhere in the countryside with friends and family, with everyone going off together for the ceremony and then celebrating further afterwards. But to be honest, I haven't experienced such a wedding yet - hopefully it will come, because there is actually something symbolic in that too.  

Season and faith  

By the very nature of our philosophy, we always try to match the menu to the season, so that we can prepare dishes for our guests using ingredients that are at their best at that time of year. Nature has worked this out very well for us, offering fresh and easily digestible ingredients in the warmer months and more nutritious ones in the colder ones. It is also important to know the composition of the guests in terms of nationality, religion, age and gender. Each of these groups carries with it dietary specifics, and as weddings tend to be very varied, you really need to take the trouble to compose the menu so that everyone has a chance to find items that suit them, while at the same time making the menu feel welcoming and cohesive with the style of the wedding.  

Like shrimp?  

In the case of weddings, it's easy to prepare for diets and allergies, as it involves family and friends and the wedding party knows them personally; in this respect, a wedding reception is more legible than, say, a corporate party. There is definitely a need to think ahead for guests with any dietary restrictions, and we always ask about this. For example, we automatically include vegetarian dishes on the menu and try to make sure that these dietary exceptions are a natural part of the menu so that guests don't feel some sort of separation, but can naturally consume what they like and enjoy.  

Some of the most dangerous allergens are nuts or shellfish, and unless the fiancés expressly wish it, in these cases we prefer not to use them on the menu at all - better than having your uncle taken away in an ambulance.Strictly vegetarian weddings are no exception nowadays, and in our experience none of the guests have minded.  

Death by sugar  

About 70 percent of the guests will have a piece of wedding cake, but it is always good to have other desserts ready (e.g. sorbets, which will also please people with gluten and lactose allergies) and especially fresh fruit. Sweet bars are very popular nowadays, as they can be prepared in the same style as a wedding cake, while offering guests a wider range of flavours. Then the wedding cake can be smaller or just symbolic.  

And into the second leg!  

When it comes to alcohol, you certainly know your friends and family well and know how they can take credit for it. On average, however, alcohol consumption rarely exceeds a total of one litre of wine, one litre of beer and three cocktails or shots of hard liquor per person.  

What not to forget? Plenty of soft drinks, the right chill of still and sparkling wines, plenty of ice and glasses, which are needed at most of our weddings at more than 12 per guest, and good bartenders. There is nothing pleasant about waiting in line for a drink that is just a personal variation of someone who thinks anyone can make a mojito.  

I'd recommend including hard liquor in the afternoon, ideally around 6pm. If you're worried that your guests won't relax enough without alcohol, you can always come up with a few options. We find it most helpful to mix prosecco-based cocktails during the day or in the afternoon. They're light, have less alcohol and are perfect for the summer months in particular.  

We certainly don't want to stop anyone from sipping hard alcohol during the day, but we're probably all aware of the risks involved. In times when sparkling wines or ciders are so popular, alcoholic excesses and social awkwardness can be neatly avoided.  



Nothing is impossible  

A professional caterer should be able to cope with almost anything, and perhaps as in everything, the only limit is finances. We need electricity, and when there isn't enough, we rent generators. The real necessity is enough space, which we can create, for example, in mobile tents. We can't work efficiently enough in a limited space, and then comes the adjustment of the menu so that everything can run as we want it to and the food and service are in good shape.  

Scramble, move it!  

When it comes to table layout from a service point of view, it's not crucial whether the tables are set up as a single board or as solitaire, whether they are round or square. It's more of an aesthetic decision related to the fiancés' idea of a wedding. You just have to think about enough clearance for both the guests so they don't feel cramped and for the service. On the other hand, it is definitely happier to choose an option with fewer tables than to expose everyone to claustrophobic feelings.  

Minor missteps can happen in the social arena when seating guests and in the seating arrangements. Here it's a good idea to think carefully about seating guests together who will have something to say to each other, who have children for example, and to consider carefully who should sit closer to the newlyweds and who can be at a greater distance.  

When serving the menu, I would recommend not going for too many extravagances and tailoring it to the composition of the guests so that everyone feels comfortable and natural - from older family members to your friends. I would recommend a menu served family style, where guests place their dishes in the centre of the table and they share them together, helping to scoop them onto their plates, all creating a very natural and communicative atmosphere.  

Tips and tricks at the end  

• Always make sure your guests have enough food so they don't feel hungry, they usually don't have a chance to run off somewhere and are completely in your hands.  
• Maintain normal dining standards - if there are any major changes to the times lunch or dinner is served, most people don't feel comfortable.  
• Take into account the tastes of your guests, not just your own, and respect the eating habits of your guests - this doesn't mean that because of one vegan the entire menu has to be built this way, but they should be able to find appropriate items on the menu.  
• Don't plan too heavy dishes throughout the day, weddings are multi-hour celebrations and guests will feel heavy from these dishes.  
• A proper menu should be varied but not overcomplicated. 
• If you choose a quality catering partner, trust them, they want everything to go well and everyone to be happy as much as you do, and will give you good advice.
• Don't overcomplicate the schedule either, the wedding day is long and shouldn't feel like a marathon. After all, your guests include your loved ones who just want to be with you and celebrate your future and love.