Wedding menu for a banquet or buffet - the best menu ideas for a wedding

A wedding is a significant event in the life of two people who have decided to unite their destinies, therefore the organization of a celebration on such a significant day should be approached with special responsibility. The newlyweds' outfits, the wedding procession, the wedding ceremony - everything should be at its best.

Well, the culmination of the celebration is a festive banquet. Its organization is perhaps the most important matter. The decoration of the hall, wedding tables, banquet menu, size of dishes - all this will attract maximum attention of guests and will remain in the memory of the newlyweds for many years.

Buffet menu for a wedding

Buffets are becoming increasingly popular at weddings - newlyweds are abandoning the classic feast and choosing a more free format. A wedding buffet will allow guests to move around the room and communicate with each other, and not just with their neighbors at the table. This option is ideal for a youth wedding where guests want to move rather than sit still. This is also a great idea for a short wedding under 5 o'clock - at a long event it will be difficult for guests to spend a lot of time on their feet.

The buffet menu is best suited for a chamber wedding of 10-25 people - it will be attended by the closest people who will find something to talk about and do. If there are a lot of people, then the buffet threatens to turn into chaos, so for a large wedding it is better to choose a banquet option.

Some tips

Most often, a buffet is organized at summer or spring weddings, when you want lightness, and heavy fatty food looks unnecessary on the table. And a buffet is a great idea for outdoor registration.

If the wedding is planned for the whole day, in the morning after registration at the registry office, you can arrange a small welcome buffet, and in the evening invite everyone to a banquet in a cafe or restaurant.
Service is an important part of a wedding reception. Order catering and waiters so that everything goes smoothly - professionals with extensive experience will help you with the organization.

Buffet tables must be placed at a sufficient distance from each other so that both guests and waiters can move freely around the room.
Make sure there is a place in the room where guests can sit and relax (this could be a lounge area with ottomans or a bar counter).

A great idea is to invite guests to a two-level loft and order buffet catering. Then it will be possible to organize a buffet and dancing area on one of the floors, and a place for relaxation on the other. Cool two-level lofts can always be found on our website!

Example of a buffet menu for a wedding

The buffet menu includes a large number of snacks; finger food dishes look very stylish - miniature canapés, kebabs on skewers, burgers, croissants or desserts that are eaten directly with your hands, without knives and forks. Try to make a varied buffet with meat, poultry and fish dishes, as well as several vegetarian options.

A sample wedding table menu might look like this:

Snacks

Sandwich burgers with turkey, tomatoes and baked peppers, cheese mix, cherry tomato tapas with mozzarella, basil and pine nuts (veg.), sandwich in a baguette with ham and cheese, sandwich in a croissant with grilled vegetables (veg.), sandwich in a croissant with tuna, boiled egg, cucumber and iceberg lettuce.

Salads

Mixed salad with chicken liver and orange sauce, marinated octopus with sweet potato skewers, mixed salad with salmon gravlax and daikon radish, spinach salad with arugula, fresh pear and caramelized nuts (vegan).

Dessert

Belgian waffles, blackcurrant tart and chocolate brownie.

Additionally, you can order a wedding cake from the confectionery.

Beverages

Non-alcoholic: pear lemonade with sage, pea lemonade, freshly squeezed orange and grapefruit juice and berry juice, mineral water.

Light alcohol: champagne, white and rose wine. Strong alcohol is usually not ordered at a buffet table or is taken in minimal quantities.

These and many other dishes and non-alcoholic drinks for a wedding buffet can be ordered on the Progress Project website. You can choose dishes to suit your taste or trust the choice of specialists and order a ready-made buffet set. You can also order waiter services for your holiday here.

It is not difficult to calculate the amount of food for a buffet - usually they order at the rate of 1000-1200 grams of food per person. It is better to take extra drinks, especially in the hot season - 1 liter of soft drink and 0.7 liter of alcoholic drink, as well as 1 liter of regular water for each guest. Unopened bottles can be taken home after the event. When ordering catering from Progress Project, managers will definitely help you calculate the optimal amount of food and drinks.

Standard list of necessary products for the holiday

We found out how much food you need to order for each guest invited to your holiday. But how to calculate food for a banquet? This is the task of the cook or administrator. They know the exact calculation of dishes and all the ingredients included in them.

Typically, a restaurant or catering service purchases its own products. The client can bring his own fruits, cake, as well as alcohol, juices, and water. Of course, you can save money by putting homemade marinades or regular store-bought bread on the table, but each establishment sets its own rules that you have to take into account. The main thing when purchasing products is their quality, freshness and attractive appearance. Restaurateurs know reliable suppliers who supply quality products at wholesale prices.

What to buy for a banquet table:

meat and poultry;
fresh fish;
potato;
cereals for garnish;
sausages, boiled-smoked or dry-cured meat;
lightly salted, smoked fish;
pickles - tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, mushrooms, olives;
cheeses;
nuts;
eggs;
fresh vegetables;
fresh herbs;
fruits and berries;
bread;
ready-made confectionery products or ingredients for preparing signature desserts;
wine, vodka, cognac, champagne;
juice, table water with and without carbonation.

Banquet menu for a wedding

For a larger wedding in a classic style, it is better to organize a banquet.

When creating a wedding banquet menu, it is very important to prepare a varied table so that everyone can find dishes to their liking. There must be dishes made from meat, fish and poultry. Also keep in mind vegetarians and those who do not eat certain foods for religious reasons. Ask guests to inform you in advance if they are allergic to any foods - this will help avoid unpleasant situations.

If all the participants in the celebration have gathered at one large table, it is important that each guest can reach the appetizers - to do this, make several identical plates and place them in different parts of the table.

If you seat guests at separate tables of 6-7 people, then one plate of each common dish per table will be enough. During a wedding banquet you cannot do without waiters - in a restaurant their work is usually included in the rental of the premises (in any case, do not forget to discuss this point during the booking). Have you decided to celebrate your wedding outdoors or in a country house? Think about inviting waiters there in advance.

Wedding menu calculation for one person

For any wedding banquet table you need to calculate a menu for one person.

A wedding can last up to 8-10 hours, so there should be a lot of food; 1200 - 1500 grams per guest is considered optimal. The menu for a wedding banquet is usually designed so that salads, cold appetizers, a main course and dessert are in approximately equal proportions. For example, per adult: 300 grams of salad, 350 grams of appetizers, 400 grams of hot food, 200 grams of fruit and 200 grams of dessert. Low alcohol drinks (champagne and wine) are best taken at the rate of 0.7 liters per person, strong drinks - 0.25 liters per person. It is better to buy non-alcoholic drinks with a reserve, because after fiery dances and competitions, guests will certainly want to quench their thirst. They are usually calculated in the proportion of 2 liters per person. After all the calculations have been made, we advise you to buy a few more drinks from each position, so that in the midst of the celebration it doesn’t turn out that everything has already been drunk.

An example of a banquet menu for a wedding (grams are indicated per 1 guest)

Cold appetizers

Zucchini roll with avocado, asparagus and spinach – 60 g
Duck liver terrine with almond chips – 40 g
Chicken tapas with caramelized orange – 40 g
Marinated octopus with Jerusalem artichoke and basil – 40 g
Sliced raw smoked venison with baked pumpkin, goat cheese and mixed salad – 40 g
Salmon gravlax with rye bread toast, radishes and tomatoes – 60 g
Tomato carpaccio with mozzarella cheese and pesto sauce – 60 g

Salads

Mixed salad with caramelized quail, grapes and radishes – 60 g
Salad of spinach, grilled zucchini and halloumi cheese – 60 g
Olivier with crayfish tails – 60 g

Hot dishes

Mediterranean sea bass fillet with mixed salad, lime zest and ginger sauce - 30 g
Peking duck with plum sauce – 30 g
Roast beef with caramelized lingonberries – 30 g
Grilled vegetables (sweet peppers, carrots, eggplant, zucchini) - 90 gr

Dessert

Fresh berries and fruits (seasonal) – 40 g
Fresh berries with cheese cream in a waffle cone – 30 g

Beverages

Mineral water – 420 ml
Coffee – 45 ml
Tea – 60 ml
Lingonberry juice with lemongrass – 120 ml
Coca-Cola – 120 ml

The cost of such a menu for 25 guests will be 117,125 rubles, taking into account the rental of the necessary furniture and utensils, as well as the work of the staff.

Banquet menu for a wedding for 30-40 people

If you can arrange a buffet or set one large table for 10-20 guests, then for a celebration of 30 or more participants it will be more comfortable to seat guests at tables of 6-7 people. Think in advance which of your friends and relatives communicates better with each other, and seat them at one table, and those who have tense relationships should be seated at tables at different ends of the room.

Wedding menu for 50-60 people

Organizing a banquet for 50-60 people differs only in the number of dishes and tables. Please note that as the number of guests increases, the supply of drinks must also increase. If for a small wedding 2-3 spare bottles from each item will be enough, then when planning a wedding menu for 50-60 people, we advise you to plan 10 additional bottles of each drink.

Menu for a wedding for 60-100 people

Creating a menu for a wedding of 60-100 people is not only a pleasant task, but also a big expense. Here are some tips to help you create a more budget-friendly wedding menu. First of all, check whether you can bring your own alcohol to the venue you choose. Buying drinks in advance will be much more profitable than ordering them at a restaurant. The same can be done with cold appetizers. It is often more profitable to order cuts from a catering company than from a restaurant.

Finding a venue for such a number of people can also be difficult - think about organizing a wedding outside the city, in a park hotel or outdoor restaurant.

Also on our website you can choose a stylish loft that can comfortably accommodate up to 100 people.

Unusual wedding menu

If you want to choose not only a delicious, but also an unusual wedding menu, a great idea would be to organize a themed wedding. You can have a Hawaiian-style wedding, dress your guests in flower necklaces, serve poke (a traditional Hawaiian salad with rice, fish and various toppings) and drink rum. Other interesting options: Asian, Caucasian, Mexican or Russian wedding. Decorate the room in the chosen style and create a menu of national dishes of this country - you will have a bright and unusual celebration!

Menu for a Mexican wedding (grams are per person)

A bright and unusual menu that is ideal for a hot themed wedding might look like this:

Cold appetizers

Fresh vegetables with guacamole sauce (tomatoes, cauliflower, cucumbers) - 45 g
Corn salad with herbs and avocado – 45 g
Salad of cucumbers, peas and red beans, with chili pepper and lime - 75 g
Tacos with avocado and shrimp – 60 g
Dorado ceviche with fresh tomatoes, chili pepper and lime zest – 55 g
Pickled jalapeno peppers – 40 gr

Hot dishes

Quesadilla with beef tenderloin, cheese, sweet potatoes and avocado – 50 g
Quesadilla with chicken and sweet pepper – 50 g
Burrito with chicken and avocado – 62.5 g
Burrito with beef, greens and red beans – 62.5 g
Chili con carne – 40 gr
Fried bananas – 40 gr

Grill station

Grilled fried corn – 37.5 g
Baked pineapple – 37.5 g
Grilled chicken with lime and coriander – 37.5 g
Fajitas with beef, chili pepper and vegetables – 37.5 g

Dessert

Mexican chocolate cake with lime and tequila – 37.5 g
Churros with chocolate and chili pepper – 25 g

For a wedding of 25 people, the cost of such a menu (together with staff services, as well as rental of dishes and equipment) will be 120,125 rubles.

Don’t forget that your wedding is your holiday, and you should first of all like the chosen wedding menu.

Ideal wedding reception option for 2021

This is my personal opinion and conclusion, based on practice and adapted to the Russian mentality of the middle strata of the population. I advise everyone to give up breaking tables.

This is not eaten! Only 1/3 is used, 1/3 is taken away and 1/3 is thrown away!!! Just think about it, if you spent 100 rubles on a banquet, then you simply threw away 30,000 rubles. These are: half-eaten salads because you took two or more of them, cheese, fresh vegetables, mayonnaise products, cold cuts, second hot dishes.
Doesn't look aesthetically pleasing. You order decor for guest tables: central compositions for the table, runners or individual tablecloths, numbers for tables, etc. All the decor is lost among the food. Here you choose either the decor or the food, and so you wasted money on the decor, which merges with the plates of food, and on food, some of which is simply surplus!

Perfect option.

Boarding 17:00. Portioned serving of salads to the table. One type of salad for each guest. If there are vegetarians or other guests with non-standard gastronomic needs, find out in advance and order a separate meal. In order to eat a salad, 15-20 minutes is enough, taking into account toast and the activity of the presenter. That is, set the hot serve at 17:20. No need to do it in an hour

The guests did not eat, they were preparing for the wedding, and it is now important to feed them well in order to avoid rapid alcohol intoxication. Give them a break of two hours and offer a second main course, but in a restaurant order it for 2/3 of the guests. Not everyone will be hungry. If you are worried that guests need snacks to accompany their alcohol, give them a separate table with snacks

Let it be several varieties: a cheese plate (for 50 guests, one is enough - only a few eat cheese), cold cuts (grams should be calculated based on the characteristics of the event: the number of people drinking strong alcohol and the composition of the main dishes), a fruit slide (only a few people eat this too) Carefully consider the composition of the dish, do not order quickly oxidizing foods: apple, banana, pear. Tangerines, seasonal berries, pineapple, strawberries, grapes), pickles (one serving is enough for 50 guests), bruschetta and tartlets (they are convenient to snack on) are suitable. .

Now representatives of restaurants will probably write and take care of your guests, convince you and scold me

Don't listen to anyone!!!! It is important for them to make a check at the banquet. Every restaurant has a minimum food requirement.

When I make a menu for couples, I can never get enough dishes for them, and when the admin at a restaurant counts, the check always exceeds the minimum wage. It is better to take expensive food in moderation than cheap food, but a lot.

Summer wedding menu

When creating a wedding menu, it is important not to forget about the time of year. The wedding menu in summer, spring and early autumn should be quite light, without fatty dishes, with an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits. From non-alcoholic drinks, it is better to choose natural lemonades and fruit drinks. Make sure all wine and champagne is served well chilled. Seafood appetizers are perfect for a summer wedding: shrimp, squid, mussels and salted fish sprinkled with lemon juice. You can order smoked tuna gravlax tartare with avocado and ceviche sauce; salmon gravlax with orange bread toast, cream cheese and pickled radishes; Far Eastern scallop baked with peach.

For hot dishes, it is better to choose fish or poultry, and for sauces, use something light, avoiding mayonnaise. Grilled salmon fillet in mustard sauce; grilled teriyaki chicken; Glazed shrimp with paprika are great options for a summer feast.

Reader

As for alcohol, it is usually advised to stock up on it at the rate of 1 bottle for 1-2 people. Svetlana Reznik

On average, a wedding feast lasts 6-8 hours, and during this time one guest usually eats about 1-1.2 kg of food. This amount is divided into all stages of the banquet, that is, on average 100 g for each salad, 200 g for each cold and hot appetizer, about 350 g for the main course and 150-200 g for dessert.

Particular attention is paid to desserts. The highlight of the evening will be the wedding cake, but in addition to it, you can treat your friends and family to other sweets or fruits. They are either placed on a separate table (candy bar), or laid out in portions after the main course. This move is relevant if the rest of the menu is not too high in calories.

Interesting! About

Winter wedding menu

In cold weather, the body requires more energy and calories - a great idea would be to include fattier foods in the winter wedding menu: fried pork, duck, pot dishes and julienne. When choosing snacks, pay attention to cold cuts, warm mushrooms and cheese, you can add pickles. Dishes that are perfect for a winter wedding table: dried venison with cherry cheese and herbs; veal tartare with quail egg and gherkin, on spelled toast; roast beef with caramelized pear and berry sauce.

Instead of the usual Caesar and Olivier, offer your guests warm salads (for example, sliced raw smoked venison with baked pumpkin, mixed salad and goat cheese). If desired, the menu can include creamy soups to help guests warm up after a walk through the snowy streets. Most likely, strong alcohol will be in great demand at a winter wedding, so take it with a reserve. Mulled wine is also a good alcohol option for a winter wedding: it will warm you up and give you the atmosphere of a winter fairy tale.

How to prepare sweets for a family holiday? Fashionable chak-chak and traditional kurnik

A sweet table at a wedding is an integral part of the banquet. Hot non-alcoholic drinks (tea, coffee) and the pearl of confectionery art at a wedding - cake. Here there is simply limitless scope for imagination. It can be classically decorated or multi-tiered, with figurines of the bride and groom, with photographs on pastille, rings, swans and even fresh flowers.

Wedding cake is the main dessert of the celebration

Also gaining popularity at weddings in addition to the sweet table chak-chak. What is this mysterious dish? This delicacy came to us from the cuisine of the Turkic peoples. Chak-chak is made from a soft dough made from flour and eggs. Thin short sticks or balls the size of a pine nut are formed from it. They are deep-fried, formed (often in the form of a slide) and filled with a honey-based mass (sometimes with dried fruits). Ready to use after hardening. This delicious and simple treat is easy to prepare yourself.

For the test:

flour – 300 g,
milk – 4 tbsp. l.,
eggs – 2 pcs.,
butter – 1 tbsp. l.,
sugar – 1 tsp,
salt – 1 tsp.

For syrup:

sugar – 100 g,
honey - 1 tbsp. l.,
water – 2 tbsp. l.

Add milk, eggs, salt and sugar to the sifted flour. Mix until smooth. Mash into a flat cake and grease with heated butter. Cut into thin strips no more than 3 cm long. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes until golden brown. Mix all the ingredients for the syrup and bring to a boil over low heat. Pour the prepared syrup over the baked sticks. Let it harden and cut into pieces.

Chuck-chuck for guests at a fun wedding

Also a traditional treat at a Russian wedding is kurnik (wedding or holiday pie). There are no clear canons on what the filling should be. A distinctive feature is the pancakes that separate the filling. Here is the recipe for a sweet wedding cake.

Ingredients:

flour – 500 g,
butter – 100 g,
eggs – 3 pcs.,
cottage cheese – 150 g,
apples – 3 pcs.,
walnuts (shelled) – 70 g,
raisins – 150 g,
dried apricots – 100 g,
milk – 50 ml,
sour cream – 100 g,
water – 125 ml,
vegetable oil – 50 ml,
soda – 5 g,
vinegar – 10 ml,
salt – 10 g.

Traditional holiday pie is the highlight of Russian weddings.
First, prepare the filling. For the first filling, grate the peeled apples. For the second, mix cottage cheese with egg and sugar. For thirds, grind the nuts, soak and drain the raisins, finely chop the dried apricots and mix everything. Prepare thin pancakes to sandwich between the filling. For the dough, mix butter with flour. Separately mix milk, sour cream, eggs. Add baking soda slaked with vinegar. Mix with flour and butter and roll into a layer.

Kurnik is the king among pies

Line the pan with parchment and place the dough so that the edges hang over the side. Place a layer of the first filling and cover with a pancake. Then add the second filling and fold it over with a pancake again. Add the third filling. Fold the edges up and make a small hole there. Use the remaining dough to decorate the birthday cake. Bake at 220 degrees for 40–45 minutes. Then pour the broth into the hole and place in the oven for another 10 minutes. Sprinkle the finished chicken with sweet water and cover with a towel.

Menu for the second wedding day

The second day of the wedding is a continuation of the celebration, where the closest friends are invited to extend the celebration. Usually the menu for the second day of the wedding is simpler. It is more difficult to guess with the number of dishes, because not all invited guests will be allowed to stay for the continuation of the celebration, so try to find out in advance how many people will be on the second day. One of the most popular ideas for celebrating the second day is a country house or an outdoor recreation center. If you decide to opt for this option, then it would be great to have a barbecue with grilled dishes and fresh vegetables. If you chose a more budget option and invited those closest to you at home, then you can limit yourself to ordering pizza, rolls or other dishes from one of the many delivery services or directly from your favorite restaurant.

We wish you to celebrate an unforgettable wedding and enjoy an exquisite buffet or banquet!

Summary

It is not difficult to choose a wedding menu for 20 people, since most of them are close and dear people, whose tastes are well known to the future newlyweds. You need to try to find universal solutions that will appeal to all friends and relatives, so as not to prepare alternative dishes for vegetarians or allergy sufferers. If this succeeds, then everyone will leave the banquet full and satisfied.