Once you dive into wedding planning, you’ll discover trends for just about anything you could want on your big day. You may find certain colour palettes that are more popular during different seasons of the year or dress styles that change every few months.
You’ll also learn all about how brides want different things from their wedding menu. Some prefer homestyle meals, while others dream of a five-course dinner. Others now opt for farm-to-table menus, which you may not have heard about before.
Here’s how to plan the perfect farm-to-table menu so you know if it’s right for your big day. You could discover ideas you would never have considered before, which might change your wedding vision.
1. Research the Area
Farm-to-table is a term that means sourcing local, organic products for your food. Whether you want things that weren’t grown with chemical sprays or you need something fresh from down the road, this trend is flexible for your dietary preferences.
The first thing you can do to explore the world of farm-to-table menus is to research the area around your venue. Smaller towns will have fewer options to choose from, whereas a site closer to a city or large farming region may provide more resources to check out. You won’t know which food is local if you don’t know what the surrounding area has to offer.
2. Taste-Test Nearby Restaurants
Another tip for any bride hoping for a farm-to-table menu is to prepare for lots of taste-testing. You could find restaurants close to your venue that share the same locally sourced product vision. Meet with managers and arrange tastings to see which regional meals you prefer or would fit with the theme of your wedding.
3. Design a Family Dining Area
Part of embracing local vibes is creating a family-centred dining area in your reception venue. That means providing lots of seating, decorating with greenery from nearby farms and making sure there’s plenty of space for kids to run around. Farm-to-table meals intend to bring families together, so make sure you create a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy.
4. Find Signature Drink Options
After your guests fill up their plates, they’ll need something to drink. Stick to your theme and find signature drink options like locally sourced craft beer or wine. As long as it comes from a business near your venue, it fits the farm-to-table idea driving your wedding reception choices.
5. Incorporate Regional Food
There can’t be enough emphasis on finding all your options for regional food at your wedding. That may mean buying from different farms or shops to get everything you need, but it’ll be worth it. You’ll support the local economy and only eat what’s true to the surrounding culture.
6. Meet With Farmers
Small farmers don’t get enough credit where it’s due, like avoiding chemical-based pesticides. While they decline to genetically alter their crops and change how they grow their food, they struggle to stay open for business because so much money goes to major brands.
Meet with farmers around your venue and discuss what you need for your wedding. They may have more to offer than meets the eye or know other farmers who could help you if they can’t. Another aspect of farm-to-table living is knowing your community, so bond with farmers and regional shop owners to find out how you can help each other.
Try All the Food
Once you’ve done your research, met with small business or farm owners, and decided on drink options, it’s time for plenty of taste-testing. Enjoy trying all the food you could want at your wedding, especially knowing that it’s all regionally sourced and supports the local economy.
