“Let us agree to disagree… On food, love and marriage on this promise day.” A genuine quote which applies pretty much for any kind of wedding. Our Indian marriages are not just the union of two people but it is a celebration of two families coming together. Out of all the chaos and the excitement, one of the major things that is noticed and most spoken is the food which is equally important as the bride’s attire and makeup! While many of them in this modern era want to show off their deep pockets and have an extravagant wedding there are also a few folks who want to have a whale of time at their marriages with just their close family members and friends.
The best thing about a budget wedding is everything is in moderation and it can be planned by the highest importance to the family’s choices rather than the NRI mausi’s opinions! So, in this article there are some catering suggestions that can make your wedding planning a much relaxed one!
The ultimate list of food items
There are various options when it comes to cooking food for a small wedding. This is the time where you can show off that famous recipe of your grandmother and impress the lot or make that one dessert of yours which becomes the talk of the town every time it is prepared at home.
➢ For appetizers
Appetizers in a wedding mostly depend on the culture of the group and also on the part of the day. If you have a menu which has a heavy main course filled with a variety of dishes then you can go easy on the appetizers but that does not mean you have to make only a little amount because you will never know what an individual craves. It can be anything from a simple sandwich dhokha to the trending vodka golgappas or the classic tomato soup with mini sandwiches.
Try to go for light appetizers so people can have a taste of it all and at the same time do not get full till the main course is ready. You can always bring your creative touch in these starters. Take a note of the seasons if you want the ingredients in bulk, for easy access and it is cost effective.
➢ Main course
Most of the time the potluck seems to work out for many where people bring in their specialties cooked from their homes and serve it at parties and special gatherings. If you want to serve your guests with takeout food then make a confirmation with the venues to see if this sort of arrangement is possible. Plan, buy and make everything in advance like the marination of chicken. Breakfast is the best option if one wants to cut down
some costs. Other idea to note is that you can make rotis, rice or poori and surround them with a variety of side dishes to choose from.
Even if you have planned only a few dishes for the main course just remember that it is made freshly and try to incorporate more of vegetables in it to make it a more balanced meal.
➢ Desserts
Any meal is never ends without a dessert. The ones with the sweet tooth or the chocoholics are the ultimate winners as they get taste success in any wedding. Some of the golden desserts in an Indian cuisine and also those that can be easily made for intimate marriages are:
Millennial have come up with what is called the fusion deserts which is a fantastic choice. The non-traditional desserts also has huge fan following at many events.
➢ Cakes
Now, in many weddings having a cake cutting ceremony has become mandatory. If you have some bakers in your family now is the time to show their magic. Nothing can be more amazing than having your wedding cake baked at home without much hassle.
Catering types
Now that we have seen the food items that can turn an intimate marriage into an incredible one, there are many ways in which one can serve food to their guests. There is the well-known buffet system, platter style, family meal style, service from the counters style, etc. If you think the buffet style is the best suitable for a small wedding, then you are wrong. It actually costs more than any other way of serving food. The apt style for an intimate wedding is the family style which is a dining table scenario. Here the guests can interact with each other more comfortably and the best break-the-ice period. In this way, there is less need of servers.
Tips to remember
1. Have someone to taste all the food items then to avoid any kind of blunders.
2. Try to cut as many non vegetarian dishes from the menu to maintain the costs.
3. Do not rent but buy the utensils either from trusted online websites as they can be used for future parties or borrow them from the neighbors and make sure the budget does not take a hike at any point.
4. Have the ingredients in stock always and buy in bulk to get an overall discount.
5. Do not try to experiment and try only the famous and familiar ones from the family.
6. Have DIY food counters to serve better as it can eliminate jamming of people and can add that beautiful touch to your décor.
7. See if can hire limited staff to serve or even family members who are willing to serve can always help. 8. Everything and everyone must be sanitized every now and then.
9. Keep it as simple as possible because let’s face it no one is going to taste all the 30 dishes that you is
cooked at any wedding!
10. Never forget about the leftover food. You can either pack it and give it to your guests or contact those special organizations who can pass it on to people who need it. Even if you have no time to stay back and take care of it make sure a trusted friend finishes the job.
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Planning all the details for a wedding can be a huge task and when it comes to catering, it was and never will be a piece of cake. But it is all possible when there is advance planning and start to research months before getting hitched. The most important point is to have fun because that is the actual meaning of an intimate wedding. No matter who turns up for the wedding or the baraat waala are paid extra or not, it is all about you – the bride and the groom. So forget about the rest and dance the night away.
