3 Tips to Simplify Your Wedding Catering Plans

After you book your caterer, you should feel a big weight come off of your shoulders, you have checked one huge box off your to-do list!  While you should feel better about locking in such a crucial component to your wedding, the work really isn’t over quite yet.  As your wedding approaches, you will need to confirm the final guest count, menu, rentals, and event hours with your caterer. Sounds easy enough, but as you start to work on the final details, you will find there to be much more involved than you expected!  Here are a few ways to ease your stress and simplify your wedding catering plans.

1. Buffet Menu
Not only can a buffet be a little more budget friendly, it is also less stress for you. With a buffet menu, all you need is a final headcount. Unless you have opted for children’s meals for the little ones who may not eat the regular buffet, everyone will be enjoying the same thing, which means you don’t have to worry about anything more than gathering the final number of mouths to feed! This also allows a more relaxed seating arrangement if you are not too keen on assigned seating.  Just be sure to allow extra time and extra seats, as people may take longer to pick a seat and you could end up with a lot of tables with one open seat, which would force the last bundle of guests to separate from their date/party.

2. Plated with One Entrée Choice
If you hate the idea of your guests standing in a buffet line, plated is still an option! Instead of offering two different entrée choices, offer just one. This eliminates you having to mark all the escort cards with meal choices.  I still recommend including the ‘vegetarian’ box on your RSVP cards in order to make sure your non-meat loving guests are taken care of.  It’s a lot less sticker placing on escort cards too since vegetarians meals tend to be less commonly requested than the main entrée.

3. Online RSVP
Technology has come very far in every aspect of the sense, including weddings! Popular wedding sites, such as The Knot, offer free wedding websites that include guest lists and the ability to RSVP.  Instead of sending RSVP cards with your invites, just include a little note on an insert, or even the invite itself, that directs your guests to your wedding website to RSVP. The wonderful thing about the online RSVPS is you also have the ability to limit the number of guests so you don’t get any unexpected plus ones. The site calculates the number of yes’s and no’s for you, as well as entrees if you offer more than one option, which saves you some time.

Wedding planning is very time-consuming so why not simplify it wherever you can.  Your guests will be happy to celebrate your special day with you no matter what menu options they are given, so don’t think you need to try and please everyone with their favorite foods.  In the end, this day is all about you and your loved one so focus on making choices that fit your budget and you are both happy with.  I hope these tips have been helpful in saving you some time and stress.  Happy wedding planning!

 

5 Kitchen Items Every Wedding Registry Should Splurge On

Your wedding is a great time to get things you would want that you normally would not buy for yourself. Most of your guests will want to buy you something nice – so why not point them in the right direction! While it is fun to ask for a quirky waffle iron or countertop soda machine, make sure you ask for a few higher quality kitchen essentials. The items used daily are often times the most overlooked when building a registry because they aren’t fancy or super exciting, but let’s face it – you need them! These essential items are the last thing you want to skimp on as far as quality is concerned. It can be a little overwhelming wandering through the aisles and deciding the must-haves, so here are a few to help.

1. Knives/Knife Set
   You will always appreciate an amazing knife set. They are a crucial tool no matter how large or small the meal. The last thing you want is to dread chopping potatoes or meat because you know it’s going to be a workout. Quality knives will allow you to slice and dice your way through dinner prep without any temptation to throw in the towel and order takeout.
2. Pots and Pans
   Finer quality cookware doesn’t just end at the stove – they help shorten your time at the sink. Over time, the lesser quality items begin to rust and break. Before registering, do a little research. Think about what types of meals you typically cook, read reviews on different types and brands of cookware, and price out the different options. Some people prefer copper cookware while others prefer Teflon. No matter your preference, you want to ask for quality items that will save yourself from the short and long term headaches.
3. Silverware
   Similar to pots and pans, silverware can last a while, or not so much. Quality silverware will be at your table for years to come – going a lesser route will result in rusted and bent cutlery. Choosing a nicer set of silverware can simplify things as well. If you choose a cleaner, simpler style, it can work with every day casual meals as well as grander holiday dinners without seeming out of place.
4. Everyday China
   Your everyday meals deserve more than a paper plate. If you do not yet have durable, dishwasher friendly china, you should consider it. The fine china sets are beautiful additions to any formal table setting, however if you do not have the daily basics, build that first. Quality casual china will be more resistant to chips, fading and staining, and if you choose a more traditional, basic style, you will not have to worry about replacing out of date looks.
5. Crockpot
   It might sound like a silly must have, but as you start your new life together, you will find more use for it than expected. Life will only get busier, and it will be your biggest ally at dinner time. There’s nothing better than coming home after a long work day to a delicious dinner waiting for you, and crockpots always make that a possibility. There are countless recipes online, as well as, cookbooks to give ideas. You want to make sure to invest in a good brand to avoid coming home to a burnt meal… or worse, a burned kitchen.

So there you have it, 5 items you should be sure to add to your wedding registry!  Don’t overlook the common, most-used items for all of the fancy gadgets that may seem amazing while registering but months later end up in the back of the cabinet never to be used again. Start with the basics and then go from there.  Happy wedding planning!