My wedding – how do I organize it?

So you have bought the gifts and attires of the bride and groom as well as of the other family members. Jewellery designs have been delivered to the jewellery house after taking consent of both families. The wedding card is almost going to be shortlisted in a day or two. What else is left? Are you missing out something important? Yes, you are, almost. The food.

Here comes the big fat question, what to choose for the wedding menu and how to choose the best dishes without burning your pocket. Consider following these easy steps and you will be soon done with this apparently brainstorming task.

Count up the guest-list: The first and foremost step is to calculating the heads. Of course, some of them may not end up making it to the day, but you have to estimate an approximate number of your guests. It’s always wise to add 50-100 heads more to that approximate number. You have to be ready to offer packed meals to some of your guests and their absent families. So it’s better to be ready than to say an embarrassed “pardon me.”

Consider your budget: Now, as you have counted the heads up, it’s time for considering your budget. Always remember, the menu should suit your budget and not the other way around. If you have to wrap everything up in a limited budget then write it down before talking to the caterers.

Theme: Is it going to be a themed wedding? Like Maharaja Style or Italian Beach style? If there’s a theme then the wedding menu has to go by it. Otherwise, you can choose the dishes according to your preferences.

Regional preference: Where you are going to conduct that ceremony can have a say on the wedding menu. Say, you are from West Bengal, but the wedding is going to be in Delhi and most of the invitees will be Delhiites. In such cases, it will be better to go for typical North Indian dishes instead of making it a complete traditional Bengali menu.

Veg or non-veg or both: Another important point. These days, most of the weddings have both the arrangements. You can have some common dishes like rice or parantha.

Buffet or table service: There is a common rule for it. If it’s a buffet, include dishes like kebabs etc., which do not need much attention. But if you are planning a complete table service then you go for elaborate items.

Starters or appetizers: Finger foods make absolutely perfect starters and appetizers as well. Go for kebabs, pakodas, crackers along with drinks and cocktails to satisfy your guests throughout the evening. But make sure you know the price and on which basis it will be charged.

Main course: Depending on the buffet or table and veg or non-veg options, you need to sort out the main course dishes. For any Indian wedding, rice and rotis are must. For side dishes, you can go for 3-4 gravy options including mutton, chicken, fishes, paneer etc. Remember, you cannot mix Italian with Indian or Mughlai with South Indian.