Weddings are a beautiful time to celebrate your union with your significant other, and each element of that celebration should be exactly what the two of you want it to be. In order to make that planning process easier, we have compiled this list of menu and bar-related tips to help you create the perfect Milwaukee-area wedding event.
Food Service Styles for Milwaukee Weddings
There are many styles of food service for wedding celebrations. The one that is “right” for you depends on what the two of you as a couple want for your Milwaukee wedding event. Here is a short list of potential wedding styles and explanations to help you choose the one that best fits your wedding reception.
- Passed hors d’oeuvres—wait staff circle the room with trays of delectable finger foods so that guests can mingle and enjoy simultaneously.
- Stationary hors d’oeuvres—tables are set up around the perimeter of the event space, each with specific small food items that guests can serve themselves.
- Buffet dinner service—wait staff set up a large table (or two) with temperature-appropriate serving dishes, utensils, plates, cutlery, etc. and guests are dismissed one table at a time to serve themselves from the serving dishes. Wait staff make sure to keep the serving dishes filled with fresh food.
- Plated dinner service—wait staff serve plates of food to guests who remain seated at the dinner tables. This is the most formal of the food service styles
Milwaukee Wedding Menu Ideas
When it comes to dinner at any wedding, the last thing that the bride and groom want to hear is that the food was “just okay.” Make your wedding menu a memorable one with these easy-to-follow tips.
- Choose menu items that mean something to both members of the couple. Select favorite food items, items with a significance to you both as a couple or items that you simply choose together.
- Choose menu items that match your wedding theme, such as a barbecue pork for a Hawaiian-themed wedding or Cornish hens for a winter wonderland wedding.
- Choose menu items that are locally-sourced, locally-crafted or can be made from anything local. Local menus are meaningful, support local economies and tend to be creative because the entire list is created from what is available or in season.
- Choose menu items that incorporate unique flavor or texture combinations, creating an experience that guests will never forget.
Bar Ideas for Milwaukee Wedding Receptions
When thinking about receptions for weddings, a bar is probably one of the first things that comes to mind (after colors and food, of course). Be sure to keep these types of things in mind when you set up the bar services for your Milwaukee wedding reception.
- Offer a variety of liquors, including vodka, rum, gin and whiskey.
- Provide several types of beer and wine.
- Be sure to have plenty of juices and soft drinks for mixers and for guests who do not (or cannot) consume alcohol.
- Lemonade and club soda are a must.
- Water is extremely important.
- Have a variety of garnishes, including lemon and lime wedges, cherries, etc.
