Crafting Wedding Invitations: Meal Selections, An Artful Guide

Planning a wedding menu can be stressful, especially when it comes to accommodating different dietary needs and preferences. It's essential to decide whether to include meal selections on your wedding invitations or RSVP cards. This decision impacts not only your guests' satisfaction but also cost and waste. Here's a guide to help you navigate this aspect of wedding planning.

Whether or not to include a menu on the invitation

Including a menu on your wedding invitations can be a great way to give your guests a sneak peek of what to expect at the reception, and it can also be a helpful way to gather meal preferences in advance. However, there are a few things to consider before finalising your decision.

Firstly, it is important to note that including a menu is not a necessity. If you are planning to offer a set menu for all guests, with the exception of those who have dietary restrictions, you may choose to omit the menu details from the invitation. This can help to maintain an element of surprise and excitement for your guests on the day of the wedding.

On the other hand, if you are offering multiple menu options for your guests to choose from, it is a good idea to include the menu details in the invitation. This allows guests to make an informed decision about their meal preference and can help you and your caterers prepare the appropriate quantities of each dish.

When including a menu on your wedding invitation, it is essential to keep the information clear and concise. Avoid overcrowding the card with too much information. Simply list the options, such as beef, chicken, or vegetarian, and consider adding a line for guests to initial their meal choice. You may also want to leave room for special requests or dietary restrictions, as your caterers will need this information to accommodate all your guests' needs.

The design of your wedding invitation can also influence your decision. Pocketfold or concertina-style invitations offer more space to include menu details and can hold additional cards with menu options and reply cards for guests to indicate their choices.

Ultimately, the decision to include a menu on your wedding invitation depends on the format of your wedding dinner and your personal preferences. Including a menu can be helpful for planning and giving guests a preview of the meal options, but it is not mandatory and may take away some of the surprises on the big day.

How to include pre-order menu options

If you're offering your wedding guests a choice of dishes, it's a good idea to ask them to pre-order their meal. This will help your caterer know how much of each dish to prepare and will save time during the dinner service.

The simplest way to do this is to include the full menu as part of the main invitation. Pocketfold or concertina-style invitations are perfect for this, as they can hold a number of loose cards. Include a separate reply card with space for your guests' names and tick boxes for each dish they have chosen. It's also a good idea to include a line for dietary requirements on the reply card.

Here's an example of how to word the food choice section on your reply card:

"Please initial a meal choice for each guest: Chicken __ Fish __ Beef __ Vegetarian __"

Alternatively, you could create a separate line for each invited guest, with space for their name, an attendance tick box, and a section for their meal choice. This makes it very clear which guest has chosen which dish. You could even include pictures of each menu option for a fun twist.

If you've already finalised the wedding menu, you might want to include a little more detail on each menu choice. For example, instead of just writing "beef", you could say "filet mignon". This will help your guests make their selection.

If you're using online RSVPs, you can create additional fields to request each guest's meal choice and any dietary requirements. This saves paper and makes it easy to collect everyone's food order.

Asking for dietary requirements

When asking for dietary requirements, it is a good idea to be as straightforward as possible. For example, you could include a line such as "please include any dietary requirements or allergies". Alternatively, you could ask guests to list any allergies with their RSVP, which will make it easy to see at a glance which guests have dietary restrictions and what they are.

If you are providing a seated meal, it is important to ensure that gluten-free, nut-free, vegan, etc. options are clearly marked on the menu. If you are offering a buffet, it is crucial to label all the food with names and say what diets it is suitable for, listing any potential allergens. This will help your guests find food options that work for them. It is also a good idea to include a few dishes that only contain fruit and vegetables, as this suits many different diets.

Once you know about your guests' requirements, contact your caterers and ask if they can provide different options to suit everyone. Tell them how many of each option you need and who to give this food to and where they are sitting. You could also ask for a full ingredients list for your chosen menu so that if guests have any worries, they can speak to you directly.

Including children's menus

Firstly, it's essential to determine if including a children's menu is necessary. If you have many families with young children attending your wedding, it may be worth considering. However, if only a few children are invited, you can choose to sort out their meals privately without mentioning it on the invitation. This approach can be more straightforward, especially if you want to avoid confusion or additional costs associated with providing a separate children's menu.

Wording and Presentation:

If you decide to include a children's menu, here are some suggestions for wording and presentation:

• Use a Separate Card: Consider adding a small separate enclosure card specifically for families with children. This card can inform them about the children's meal options and provide a separate way for them to respond. It could be their own reply card, returned with the adult responses, or it could direct them to a phone number or email address to submit their meal preferences.
• Offer Choices: Instead of assuming all children will want a typical children's meal, consider giving parents the option to choose between an adult or child's meal for their kids. Some parents may prefer healthier or more varied options for their children. You can word it as "A children's meal of [option 1] and [option 2] is available upon request."
• Provide Details: If possible, provide some details about the children's meal options. For example, you could say, "Chicken fingers and fries will be provided for the children." This gives parents an idea of what to expect and helps them make an informed decision.
• Online RSVP: If you're using an online RSVP system as part of your wedding website, you can include a section for guests to specify their meal preferences, including children's meals. This approach can be more interactive and user-friendly.
• Contact Families Directly: If you have a small number of families with children attending, consider reaching out to them directly. You can ask about any dietary restrictions and meal preferences for both the adults and children, ensuring that everyone's needs are met without complicating the invitation process.

Other Considerations:

• Dietary Restrictions: Regardless of age, always ask your guests about any dietary restrictions or allergies. This information is crucial for your caterer and can be collected on the RSVP card or through direct communication.
• Cost and Portion Size: Keep in mind that children's meals are typically less expensive and have smaller portions than adult meals. If parents insist on their children having adult meals, be prepared to incur additional costs.
• Number of Children: Consider the number of children attending when making your decision. If you have a large number of children, providing a separate children's menu may be more feasible than accommodating individual preferences for each child.
• Age of Children: The age of the children attending can also impact your decision. Older children may prefer adult meals, while younger children are more likely to enjoy a specific children's menu.

In summary, including children's menus in your wedding invitations can be done thoughtfully and efficiently. Consider the number of children attending, offer choices or reach out directly to parents, and always be mindful of dietary restrictions. By providing clear and concise information, you can ensure that both the young and adult guests at your wedding have a pleasant dining experience.

RSVP card wording

If you're creating printed wedding invitations, you can add a food choice section to the response card itself, or include a separate enclosure card within your invitation suite. Here are some suggestions for how to word your RSVP cards to include meal selections:

• "Please initial a meal choice for each guest: Chicken __ Fish __ Beef __ Vegetarian __"
• "Please advise of any food allergies: __________________________"
• "Please initial a meal selection for each guest"
• "Dietary requests ______________"

If you've already finalised the wedding menu, you might want to include a little more detail on each menu choice. For example, instead of simply writing "beef", you could specify "filet mignon". This can help your guests make their choices more easily.

It's also worth noting that you should always ask for dietary requirements, even if you're not offering a choice of meals. A simple line on the RSVP card, such as "RSVP by 18th August to 'your wedding email' (please include dietary requirements)", will suffice.

Frequently asked questions