photo by michelle beckwith

BASICS

Wedding reception menus are usually pretty straightforward. They exist to let guests know what dishes they will be enjoying at your reception. We have a few tips and tricks to keep in mind to ensure your wedding menus are beautiful AND full of the details you didn’t think to include, but want to have.

GUEST NAMES - Menus can have a dual function and also act as place cards, personalized with each guest name to indicate which seat each person should sit at while minimizing the amount of paper goods at each place setting for a cleaner look. The menu at left is an example of a menu calligraphed with each guest name.

COURSES - Menus should note each course and the name of the corresponding dish. We recommending including the main ingredients, so guests with food allergies or restrictions are aware of what they will be eating and can proceed accordingly.

Dessert courses are optional on menus. Some couples opt to include the wedding cake and flavors for each tier on the main menu, while others choose to have a small sign or mini tented cards on their dessert table instead. There is no right option, choose what feels most natural for your celebration!

WINE - If you are pairing wine with your courses, we recommend noting the wine selection on the menu, either by course or as a separate listing at the end, after the dessert course. This isn’t a mandatory rule, but it is a nice way to let guests know what they will be enjoying during the evening, not unlike a program for the wedding ceremony.

VEGETARIAN ALTERNATIVES - If you will be providing an alternative vegetarian entrée for guests who do not eat meat, always list the dish under the entrée course, so those guests feel included and just as important as the meat eaters!