{"id":50299,"date":"2018-02-24T07:06:38","date_gmt":"2018-02-24T07:06:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/withjoy.com\/blog\/?p=50299"},"modified":"2020-08-18T11:58:35","modified_gmt":"2020-08-18T18:58:35","slug":"guide-non-traditional-wedding-catering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/withjoy.com\/blog\/guide-non-traditional-wedding-catering\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Guide to Non-Traditional Wedding Catering"},"content":{"rendered":"

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You may know that traditional wedding catering isn\u2019t for you even before you find out how expensive it can be. Getting married without worrying about paying for full-service catering or booking a restaurant is understandably appealing for many couples. But of course that doesn\u2019t mean skipping food entirely, since caterers and restaurants are not the only options out there. While non-traditional wedding catering options can present certain logistical challenges, they can also be lots of fun and highly rewarding. From food trucks, to potlucks, to doing it yourself\u2014here\u2019s your guide to non-traditional wedding catering options.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Food trucks<\/h2>\n

Food truck weddings are becoming more and more popular, and they are an excellent, cheaper alternative to traditional catering. That is, if you\u2019re having the kind of wedding where food trucks make sense. Food trucks are a lot of fun\u2014you\u2019ll just need to consider a few things before deciding they are right for your wedding.<\/span><\/p>\n

First off, you\u2019ll need to check with your venue. Unfortunately, many venues won\u2019t allow food trucks, so it\u2019s important to know before you delve into the planning. If there\u2019s no rule against having food trucks, you\u2019ll still need to work out where they\u2019ll park. Be sure to check to make sure you have the proper permits and you\u2019re following local ordinances. Some food trucks may also require power generators, so they\u2019ll need to have space for those as well. And as with any outdoor affair, you\u2019ll want to weigh the risks of the weather not being ideal.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve decided the conditions for your wedding are right for food trucks, figure out how many you will need. Remember that your guests will be standing in line to get their food. You can avoid having a mob of hangry people by making sure you have at least one truck per 75 guests. This is also an opportunity to give your guest more options to suit different tastes. If there are food trucks in your area that sell tacos, Korean barbecue, or pizza, your wedding could have all three!<\/span><\/p>\n

Depending on how formal you want the occasion to be you may also want to account for rentals. At the very least, you\u2019ll probably have to rent tables and chairs. To get started, you can search <\/span>Yelp<\/span><\/a> to find food truck options and call them to inquire about catering. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Potluck<\/h2>\n

Potluck weddings are a great way to save money, of course, but they can also bring a sense of community to the meal. The first thing you should consider is if your guests will be into the idea. You should also be confident that a potluck is what you want, and you\u2019re willing to do the work to get everyone on board. If you aren\u2019t fully committed to the idea, your guests won\u2019t be either!<\/span><\/p>\n

Many of your guests may just not be able to provide a dish, so you should make it highly encouraged but optional. Guest who are traveling far for the wedding should be able to bring something store-bought, or nothing at all, for example. If the majority of your guests are traveling for the wedding, you may want to consider if you can provide most of the dishes yourself (see self-catering below).<\/span><\/p>\n

Even if your guests are local and totally on board with a potluck wedding, it\u2019s a good idea for you to supply at least one or two of the main dishes. To avoid having dozens of desserts and only a couple of entrees, you can have guests say what they are bringing in their RSVP and coordinate with them if need be. <\/span>Joy <\/span><\/a>lets you customize your RSVP questions and makes it easy to communicate with your guests so you can make it clear how important it is to bring a dish.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Self-catering<\/h2>\n

DIY catering can work out wonderfully. But make no mistake, it is a monumental task. Do you have experience cooking for lots of people? Are you willing to spend hours and hours preparing food in the days before your wedding? Do you have plenty of friends and family who can help with the preparation and clean up? Of course, the smaller you wedding, the easier it will be to handle all of this yourself. If you\u2019re relatively sure you can pull it off\u2014by all means, go for it!<\/span><\/p>\n

Self-catering tips<\/b>:<\/span><\/p>\n