The food at wedding receptions can often get a bad review. Your wedding reception CAN be different. Here’s how:

Schedule A Tasting


You should ALWAYS have a tasting of your reception food. This is a standard practice at most country clubs and hotels as well as with most off-premise catering companies. It’s your opportunity to taste the items that will be served at your reception and approve it or suggest changes. Talk to your catering provider about their tasting policies. Are tastings complimentary? How many people can attend tastings? Will you need to pay for tasting participants other than you and your future spouse? If you change your mind about a dish, can you have a tasting for its replacement?

Talk About Fruit, Cheese, Veggies & Bread

As a wedding planner, I prefer to not be surprised by the chef’s idea of “seasonal fruit” or “seasonal vegetable” on the day of the event. Chat with your caterer about what specific fruits will be on your fruit display. Not a fan of honeydew melon? Ask them to replace it with something else. Concerned your guests won’t be a fan of kiwi? Suggest something  you think your guests will enjoy. The same goes for the cheese display. Ask what kind of cheeses will be presented and make changes if you like. Also, you need to know if your vegetable side that you strongly dislike. Hate broccoli? Ask them to replace it with something your prefer. Will bread be on the table at your event? If so, what kind? White? Wheat? Sourdough? Will the bread be served warm? Will butter on the table be in those tacky little foil packets or can you get butter shaped like your monogram? Make sure that you are part of the decision-making process. Get the details!!

Steak Temperature 

If you’re serving steak at your event, PLEASE discuss the temperature of the steaks with your caterer or facility. Many facilities automatically serve beef medium rare. Make sure you know what you’re getting before your mom is shocked by her blood-red fillet at your reception. You don’t want to have 30 or 40 guests sending their steaks back