There are so many preparations made when scouting for the best wedding gown that will make you glow on your wedding day. Looking for the luxurious wedding venue is another item in your checklist that preoccupies you for days (or weeks, even). But have you given food tasting day the attention it so deserves? You might say it is just food tasting and nothing more. No preparation is needed.
There is no need to fret. But believe it or not, when you are unprepared, you might end up sorry for the choices you have made. You regret not giving food tasting much thought. While it is still weeks before the taste test, it is good to know what to do and what to expect. Here are three tips that will help brides go through it with ease.
1. Invite one or two
It is but natural to want to bring your closest friends during the food tasting. You value their opinion a lot because you trust them. But be aware that free food tasting is usually limited to two or three people. Beyond that number, you might be paying for any excess. Since there is usually a strict limit, be sure to choose well on who brings along. It is a given that your partner is coming with you. Deciding on the menu is a personal thing, and you want your partner to share the experience with you.
Also, he knows fully well the preferences of his side of the family, so you will want to hear what he has to say about the menu. As for the third food taster, it is wise that you bring along your wedding planner. He is not family nor a close friend, but the success of your wedding event largely rests on his shoulders. Planning and organizing a successful event for you is his prime task, so he will want to make sure everything is well-organized and go well as planned up to the minutest detail.
Bring him along so he can give you his most honest and valuable opinion about your food choices. Since he is handling your wedding music down to your event props, involve him in your food tasting. Do not feel bad if you can’t bring your closest friends, your mom, or a favorite aunt. While all of their comments are valuable to you, having too many falling on your lap, all in one day might confuse you and delay decision making.
2. Stick to your budget
You and your partner won’t compromise the quality of the food served at your wedding reception. From the entrée, the main dish, down to the dessert and drinks, you want to make sure that your guests enjoy every serving they get. But always stick to your budget. No matter how tempting it is to add more to the line of desserts, learn to restrain yourself.
During the food tasting, it is so hard to resist the tons of options laid before you. It is as if you want all of them served at your wedding reception. But for practical reasons, never go beyond what you and your partner have allocated for the food budget. Six varieties of desserts may be enough for that evening.
Remember that there are a host of other wedding expenses you will have to contend with whether you like it or not. Food, though one of the highlights of your wedding day, is not the only one on your list. You still have other wedding expenses to take care. These include your wedding music, entertainment, giveaways, to name a few. The trick is to know your limits and determine which among the many items form part of your top priorities. Don’t waver. Don’t get carried away. Be firm and learn to say no when your food budget is about to tip the scale.
3. Request for changes if you must
Some brides-to-be like you might feel it awkward to request changes during food tasting, especially when it involves luxury hotels. But remember, you are there to sample their menu for your wedding reception. It is your big day. And for their part, they want to serve you and your guests only the best that they can offer. Although their menus have been tried and tested, a few small tweaks won’t hurt.
They might even appreciate your being candid about what you think after the food tasting experience. For instance, if you happen to like an authentic Mexican dish but would like a less spicy version of it, ask if they can adjust it to your taste. If you had your palate set on a set menu but would like to replace one meat dish with one that uses white meat (from another set menu), go on and request for it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with expressing your thoughts about a specific dish. The hotel staff is prepared to hear you out. Just ask politely.
Who knows, maybe the hotel’s representative might find a way to accommodate your requests. It is better to ask now rather than to go home with a tinge of regret for not speaking your mind. The hotel will appreciate you more if you had expressed your comments and requests on that day, rather than many weeks after. Last-minute changes are troublesome even for the best caterers around. There may never be another food tasting day. Make the most of it by firing away all your polite questions.
Wedding guides are free. Use them to your advantage!
Krishan Jangir