When you’re working with brides to plan weddings, you’ll find that when it comes to planning the menus, you’ll hear requests for special meals to meet dietary restrictions. Don’t worry, caterers today are ready to meet your brides’ demands. They have seen requests for special meals double over the last ten years. The good news is that many caterers don’t even charge extra for them.
Here are the top 3 special meal requests:
1) Gluten free – diet free of gluten which is found in wheat, barley, and rye
2) Vegetarian – a diet free of meat
3) Vegan – a diet free of animals and food that come from animals, such as dairy products, eggs and honey
Other requests are for nut-free, dairy-free, low sodium meals and for menus that follow kosher rules.
When you prepare your brides to meet with their caterers, even if they don’t say anything, be sure you ask them about any special dietary requests they and/or their guests may have. Many brides do not remember to mention food issues until the day of the event, forcing their caterers to scramble to create something suitable. As the wedding planner, you can make sure this doesn’t happen by asking the question in advance.
Learn more about what caterers are doing to handle special requests in a series of articles in Special Events magazine.
