Your wedding catering is one of the most important elements of your wedding day. Look at your wedding as the most important dinner party you will ever throw. Catering goes beyond a sit-down dinner, it can include platters between ceremony and reception, cocktails, food trucks, dessert,

canapes… There are so many options available and the catering can make or break your event.

The wonderful thing about wedding menus nowadays is that you have plenty of options to choose from. You can have anything from the traditional plated sit-down dinner to more casual solutions like a food truck. Selecting the right type of catering for weddings depends on your dream wedding venue theme and size and also on the location where you are tying the knot.

Here is what you should know when looking for the perfect food for weddings:

How to Pick your Wedding Food/ Catering Style

There are multiple factors involved in choosing a wedding food style that works for you:

Location

Based on where you are getting married, you will be conditioned by the services provided by local vendors. Coastal locations like Whitsundays wedding venue will be able to offer great seafood options; further inland tends to offer an abundance of incredible, quality meats. It’s also an idea to have your menu complement the location so if you’re getting married in a tropical climate be sure to include fresh fruits and plenty of colour.

Wedding Theme

If your wedding is the informal type, you will need to adapt your catering options accordingly. Casual styles lend themselves to food trucks, self-serve food stations and snack-style finger food. A formal

event, on the other hand, offer up a 3 course sit-down meal later in the evening with canapes served earlier on to satisfy those hungry guests.

Seasonality

Selecting a wedding menu that contains seasonal ingredients and foods is always a great option. There is more opportunity for food to be locally sourced, giving you fresher and more cost-effective wedding catering. The increased availability of some catering options depending on season also means you are less likely to run into problems where food sourcing is concerned.

What are your Options?

So, what are the most popular and practical options when it comes to catering for weddings?

Plated Meals

The traditional option for wedding catering is a sit-down, plated meal, which consists of an entrée, a main course, and a dessert. Plated meals are easier to customise these days, such as offering an alternative option for those with special dietary requirements or enabling guests to place their selections online well in advance via your wedding website.

Family Style Menu

This type of catering replicates a family dinner at home. Various sharing platters of food are placed down on the middle of the table. Each guest can help themselves to the exact foods they want to eat in the desired quantity. Another major advantage is family dinners feeling very homely and intimate due to sharing food. This option is perfect for smaller, more intimate and familiar wedding groups.

The Buffet

Just like with the previous option, the buffet involves guests helping themselves, but food is offered at a separate station in the reception space. This option provides more variety than the family style menu and is perfect for satisfying picky eaters. Standing in line however can cause annoyance and may not be suitable for guests who are older or suffer from a disability.

Cocktail Style

At this type of affair, food is usually offered by wait staff who work their way around the reception area with canapes. Guests are not seated and may get their food from a designated station. Guests like this option because it allows them to eat when they feel like it, in the desired portions. It also allows for a wide variety of food to be served giving a taste of various styles of cuisine.

Dealing with Dietary Issues

Most catering for wedding services adapt to various dietary requirements, such as pregnant, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, or religious reasons. Be sure to inquire about any dietary

requirements early on and double-check with the catering team that they have a suitable alternative.

Planning a Menu & Drinks to Go With

Wedding drinks have evolved a lot in the last years, with couples opting for unusual choices. Aside from the traditional champagne, weddings can feature the following drink options:

Signature Cocktails

Coconut Margaritas and Sparkling Summer Peach can take your ceremony to an entire new level. There may be a cocktail from your relationship that stands out – perhaps something you drank on your first date or when you said ‘yes’. There is plenty of inspiration for signature cocktails.

Comfy Drinks for Winter Weddings

If you are having a winter wedding, consider incorporating a hot beverage station. Irish whiskeys and hot chocolates are the perfect winter warmers for your wedding reception – especially paired with delicious desserts.

Wine is a Must-Have

You need to pick at least one red wine and one white wine for your wedding reception. There are plenty of first-rate, inexpensive wines to choose from, as Australia is renowned for its wineries and grape varieties. Don’t forget to have plenty of champagne on hand as well for those wedding toasts.

The Best Wedding Food for Destination Weddings

Villa Botanica is a luxurious and intimate wedding boutique in the Whitsundays where every detail is carefully crafted to reach the superlative. Our wedding catering is provided by Aquava Boutique Catering, who can create the perfect menu to suit you and your guests at your wedding.

The best catering for destination weddings uses local, fresh ingredients. Our exquisite foods are seasonal and sourced from Australia, which enables us to prepare fabulous dishes such as Coffin Bay Oyster with finger lime caviar or Local Emperor fillet with fresh tomato, lime and basil salsa.

Dishes inspired by international cuisine are available too – Indian spiced chicken with crème fraiche, fennel and cucumber ribbons or Crisp Italian meringue, lemon curd and strawberry gel shooter, creating a perfect blend between Australian food and famous recipes from all over the world. Villa Botanica is known for the amazing feeling that you could be anywhere in the world, and food is one of the elements we use to achieve that impression.

A Sneak Peek at the Menu

Here’s a glimpse at some of the irresistible wedding catering options at Villa Botanica:

A selection of pre-dinner canapes to enjoy with a sunset cocktail or champagne

Most popular options include:

• Sugar cured Salmon with avocado and baby herbs;
• Crisp potato and pancetta fritters with spiced tomato jam;
• Sweet corn and white truffle shooter.

Entrée Ideas

• Roasted butternut, sage and parmesan arancini
• Goat’s curd and flaked pastry tartlet with beetroot jam and micro herbs
• Sesame crusted beef with sweet soy, red chilli and coriander Main Course
• Charred chorizo with saffron potato and spiced tomato chutney
• Local Emperor fillet with fresh tomato, lime and basil salsa
• Sticky beef rib with celeriac crème and spring pea essence Desserts
• Crisp Italian meringue, lemon curd and strawberry gel shooter

• Passionfruit tart with vanilla bean mascarpone and lavender

• Coffee bean panna cotta with French sable and salted caramel

Grazing Menu

For a very intimate and informal wedding or a relaxed daytime event, consider menu selections delivered on a grazing table.

Grazing options include a variety of sandwiches and wraps, muffins, tropical fruit board, mini desserts, antipasto and artisan cheese selection, and local seafood.

Which type of wedding catering suits your reception best? Villa Botanica and Aquava Boutique Catering have the best and most creative options that are satisfying both for you and your guests, whether you want to bring people together at the table or give them freedom to help themselves with their favourite selections of food. Get in contact with the Villa Botanica team today and start crafting your dream wedding.