Whether it’s a strict allergy, intolerance, lifestyle choice or personal preference, there is almost certainly going to be some form of dietary requirements to cater for on your wedding day. But you don’t need to sacrifice variety or quality to make your guests feel included, and with proper forethought these needs can be easily worked into your menu.

Crunch Time

As a general rule, adjusting your menu to accommodate all kinds of unique requests can be done without much fuss, and Wilkinson confirms this, stating that “most chefs will relish the opportunity to get creative”. But these changes will still require proper planning and notice so it’s best to elicit your guests’ needs well in advance.

“We also avoid the more common allergens where [we are] able and generally have a dietary alternative available that covers most usual dietary requirements regardless,” Wilkinson notes. “Where we are made aware of unique requirements, we design menus to cover clients’ needs. Our modus operandi for weddings is to create a unique menu for a unique event.”

Wilkinson also stresses the importance of informing your caterer of any dietary requirements upfront, as “last minute can be a bit hectic!” Whilst many familiar requirements are often catered for by default, it’s essential that guests with less common needs inform you in advance to ensure that they aren’t left out.

The Spice Of Life

A shared selection of dishes not only offers great variety to your guests, but also allows for a flexible menu that has plenty of options available for everyone. “Table banquets are a great way for us to offer a dish to suit dietary requirements,” Wilkinson says, “when we serve shared banquets, we often find that a dish designed to suit dietary needs is popular amongst the whole demographic.” Often those with unique food requirements find that they have limited choices available to them when eating out, and by offering a wide selection of meals your guests can have the chance to pick and choose their favourites. 

But be careful not to bite off more than you can chew, the more dishes you have on offer, the more planning and preparation is required. Your caterer is a wealth of menu planning knowledge, so seek their advice on how to create the perfect balance between variety and simplicity.

Let Them Eat Cake

For many guests who avoid ingredients commonly used in sweets (think dairy, gluten, sugar and fructose among others), a typical fare offers limited dessert options or sometimes no option at all. But this doesn’t need to be the case; with a bit of creativity, crafting scrumptious treats that everyone can enjoy without the use of allergens is largely hassle-free.

Wilkinson suggests opting for finger desserts, rather than a seated affair as “this means the formal part of the reception lasts a little longer [and] since weddings are often as much a party as a formal affair, finger desserts give the opportunity to get up and dancing earlier”. “We often recommend two or more finger desserts (often including the wedding cake) [as] this means we can easily factor in dietary requirement and let those affected know what is okay for them to consume,” Wilkinson adds.

Aside from keeping your loved ones refreshed throughout the night, drinks have an important social aspect to them. There’s no reason why your guests with restrictions on their diet must miss out on the fun and often these requirements can be easily planned around. For those who avoid alcohol, offering mocktails, and alcohol-free infusions and distillates is an excellent way to ensure they can still enjoy a luxurious beverage to toast to your special day.

Chalk And Cheese

Dietary needs and preferences can be incredibly diverse, and often people will have more than one food group that they need to avoid, but Wilkinson notes that “this needn’t limit the menu, multiple dietary requirements are easy when you’re designing individual menus”. And if you know you will need to cater for multiple unique requirements, he recommends sourcing