Wording Food Preferences On Wedding Invites: A Guide

When it comes to wedding planning, there are many details to consider, and one of the most important is ensuring that your guests are well-fed and happy. Including food preferences on wedding invites can be a tricky task, but it is possible to do so in a tasteful and organised manner. Whether you're offering a set menu or multiple options, it's essential to gather dietary requirements to accommodate allergies and restrictions. This can be done through RSVP cards, emails, or a simple line on the invitation itself. The key is to provide clear instructions and plenty of notice for your guests and caterers.

Asking for dietary requirements vs. preferences

When it comes to wedding invites, it's essential to strike a balance between gathering the necessary information and keeping the process straightforward for your guests. Here are some insights on asking for dietary requirements versus preferences:

Asking for Dietary Requirements:

• It is essential to inquire about dietary requirements to accommodate allergies, intolerances, or restrictions. This ensures that all your guests can enjoy the meal safely. A simple way to do this is by including a line on the RSVP card, such as "Please list any dietary requirements or allergies."
• If you're offering a set menu for everyone, asking only about dietary requirements is sufficient. This approach ensures that guests with specific needs are catered to while maintaining an element of surprise for the rest of the guests.
• For a more detailed approach, you can provide a list of common dietary restrictions, such as "vegetarian," "vegan," "gluten-free," or "nut-free," and ask guests to select the applicable options. This helps your caterer prepare accordingly.

Asking for Food Preferences:

• Asking for food preferences is generally not necessary, especially if you're serving a set menu. It's more important to cater to dietary requirements and ensure there are options for guests with allergies or restrictions.
• However, if you're offering multiple menu options, it can be helpful to include these choices on the invitation or RSVP card. This approach allows guests to pre-order their preferred meal. You can use tick boxes or a similar format to gather this information.
• When providing menu options, consider the feasibility of accommodating a large number of preferences. If you have a small wedding and a flexible caterer, it may be easier to manage. For larger weddings, a set menu or limited choices might be more practical.
• If you're concerned about preferences but don't want to offer multiple choices, you can provide a general description of the meal, such as "chicken dish," "fish dish," or "vegetarian option," and guests can select their preferred category.

In conclusion, when it comes to wedding invites, focus on gathering dietary requirements to ensure the safety and comfort of your guests. Asking for food preferences is optional and depends on the level of customisation you want to offer. Remember to keep the process straightforward for your guests while gathering the information you need for a memorable wedding celebration.

Including a children's menu

If you choose to include the children's menu in your invitations, it's best to only add them to the invites that are going to families with children. This way, you can avoid confusing guests who may not need this information. Pocketfold or concertina-style invitations are ideal for including menu options, as they offer plenty of room for multiple cards. The reply card can be printed with spaces for names, tick boxes for menu choices, and any dietary requirements.

Here's an example of what the RSVP line could look like:

"RSVP by [date] to [email/phone number] (please include dietary requirements)."

Remember, it's not necessary to include a menu in your wedding invites unless you need your guests to pre-order from specific options. If you're planning a set menu with options for different dietary needs, you can simply mention the style of food and assure guests that vegetarian/vegan options will be available.

Wording for RSVP cards

When it comes to the wording for RSVP cards, there are a few key things to keep in mind. Firstly, it's important to keep the cards simple and not overload them with too much information. This will help your guests understand what they need to do and prevent overcrowding on the card. Here are some suggestions for the wording:

Names and Attendance

Include a blank line for guests to write their names, with an "M" at the start to indicate their preferred honorific (Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss). This will guarantee that you know who is attending and how to spell their names correctly for the seating chart. You can also include a line for the number of guests and their names, such as:

> ___ number of guests

> Please indicate meal choices with guest initials (or guest names)

Accept or Decline

The primary purpose of an RSVP card is to confirm attendance, so include an attendance line where guests can accept or decline the invitation. This could be in the form of checkboxes, circling, or fill-in-the-blank lines, such as:

> ____ will attend

> ____ regrets

Meal Choices

If you're offering meal choices, list them clearly and simply, such as beef, chicken, or vegetarian. You can also include a line for guests to initial their meal choice, such as:

> Please initial a meal selection for each guest

> _____ Beef

> _____ Chicken

> _____ Vegetarian

Dietary Restrictions and Allergies

It's important to ask about dietary restrictions and allergies, especially if you're not offering specific meal choices. Include a line for guests to detail any dietary restrictions, such as:

> Dietary restrictions/allergies: ______________

RSVP Deadline

Be sure to set an RSVP deadline, usually about four weeks before the wedding date, and feature it prominently on the card. You can use wording such as:

> Kindly reply by [insert date]

> Please respond by [insert date]

Special Requests

You can also include a special request line on the RSVP cards, such as song requests, drink preferences, or a favourite memory of the couple. This adds a fun element to the RSVP process.

How to indicate meal choices

There are a few ways to indicate meal choices on your wedding invites. Here are some options:

Option 1: Full Menu and Tick Boxes

Concertina-style or pocketfold invitations work well if you want to include the full menu and give guests the option to tick their choices. This style of invitation has plenty of room for a menu card and a double-sided reply card with tick boxes for guests' selections. You can also include dietary requirements on the reply card.

Option 2: Number of Meals Needed

If you don't want to include the full menu, you can simply ask guests to indicate the number of meals needed for each option. For example, "Spring Roll (v) & Risotto (v) x ___ named guests" and "Ravioli & Chicken x ___ named guests". This way, guests can write the number of meals needed for each option, and you can get an idea of the quantities for each dish without having to know exactly who has chosen what.

Option 3: Letters for Each Dish

Another option is to assign a letter to each dish and ask guests to note their choices by writing the corresponding letters. For example, "Soup – A, Chicken – B, Mousse – C" and so on. This method allows guests to indicate their preferences without having to include the full menu on the invitation.

Option 4: Separate Menu Cards

If you prefer a more interactive approach, you can include separate menu cards with tick boxes for each guest. This method works well if you want to know exactly who has chosen each dish. It also helps the venue to organise and serve the food efficiently, as they can simply match the guest's name with their food choice.

Option 5: Online Options

If you're using a wedding website, you can direct guests there to indicate their meal choices. This can be as simple as including a line on your RSVP card, such as "Please include any dietary requirements and meal choices on our wedding website." This method reduces the amount of information on the invitation itself and gives guests a digital option for indicating their preferences.

Remember, it's essential to ask about dietary restrictions and allergies, even if you don't include a full menu or meal choices on your invitations. A simple line on the RSVP card, such as "Please include any dietary requirements," will suffice.

When to send invites and ask for food preferences

It is recommended to send out wedding invitations 6 to 8 weeks before the wedding. This is the standard timeline to ensure that your guests have enough time to plan and RSVP. However, if you are hosting a destination wedding or getting married during a holiday weekend, it is advisable to mail your invitations earlier, around the three-month mark. This will allow your guests to make the necessary travel arrangements.

Now, onto food preferences. When it comes to asking your guests about their dietary needs, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, you don't need to include a full menu in your wedding invites unless your guests need to pre-order their meals. In this case, it is a good idea to include the menu details along with a reply card that has tick boxes for their selections. This ensures that you know who has ordered what, which is essential for seating arrangements and catering.

If you are serving a set menu for everyone, with the exception of those who have dietary restrictions, there is no need to include the menu in the invite. Instead, simply ask your guests to inform you of any allergies or dietary requirements they may have. This can be done via their reply card, with a simple line such as "RSVP by [date] to [email/address] (please include dietary requirements)".

If you are offering your guests different menu options to choose from, it is a good idea to include the full menu as part of the main invitation detail. This can be done elegantly through pocketfold or concertina-style invitations, which provide ample space for all the necessary information. You can then encourage your guests to reply with their menu choices and any dietary restrictions.

It is worth noting that some venues may recommend a menu tasting a few months before the wedding, which can help finalize the menu options. In this case, sending out your invitations and asking for food preferences earlier may be beneficial.

Lastly, don't forget to include children's meal options! If there are only a few children attending, you can sort their menus privately without mentioning it in the invite. However, if you have a significant number of young guests, it is a good idea to include a separate card with kiddie options and a dedicated response method.

Frequently asked questions