Spring has sprung and in Aiken, South Carolina, that means wedding season has arrived. The thing about spring and summer is that the weather can be mild, but typically it is hot. When nature turns on the heat, the last thing that most people want to do is stuff themselves with a heavy meal. If you want to keep it light, while still filling people up, we have some tips that will also save you money on your overall catering costs from our professional catering in Aiken company!
Go Seasonal
It is almost as if nature just knows that spring and summertime are not times when people need dark and starchy foods. Seasonally, fresh vegetables and fruits are in abundance, especially with local growers. It is always less expensive to go with foods that are sourced locally, and it is also a great way to promote local farmers. When possible, we take from the best of the area to provide your guests with the freshest produce possible.
Opt for Appetizers Instead of a Plated Dinner
When it is hot and steamy outside, eating small meals is usually preferable to sitting down and feasting on an entire entree and meal. It is totally acceptable to hold a wedding ceremony that provides enough appetizers to feed the crowd and skip the plated dinner. That also allows people to be up and moving instead of sitting stagnant. Allowing your guests to mingle and catch up is one of the best parts of holding wedding gatherings.
Choose Buffet Rather Than Plated Meals
Another way to allow people to eat what they want, and when they want it, is to choose a buffet-style meal rather than a sit-down plated one. When you do it buffet-style people can eat when they want, and as much or as little as they want. When you put a full plate in front of someone on a hot summer day, most of it will tend to sit. That not only is a cost that you don’t need to pay; no one wants to sit with a full plate in front of them when they aren’t hungry, to begin with.
Include Fresh Seafood
Seafood is good any time of the year, but it is especially attractive during the spring and summer months. Salmon, shrimp, and white fish are all less filling and no less elegant than beef or chicken. When mixed with fresh greens or seasonal fruit, it is just enough to fill your guests up without filling them uncomfortably in the heat.
Themed Food Bars are a Hit!
Another way to please a spring and summer crowd is by offering food-themed bars like fish tacos or an oyster bar. Giving people small plates and letting them get as creative as they want to be by mixing and mingling different food tastes is an excellent way to feed the masses, without overfeeding anyone. If you choose a themed food table, you will quickly see that it all comes together and you can please everyone in the crowd with variety, instead of just a select few.
As the spring and summer heat up, we’re heading fast into wedding season. Although Aiken’s weather can be fickle, most likely your special day might be especially warm. Make sure to choose food that won’t overstuff your guests, and several tastes that provide variety, along with various options so that your guests can eat as little as they want or as much as they need to fill up. At Catering by the Deft Chef, we design menus according to our experience and your desires. In the end, we guarantee your guests will leave full and happy. Contact our professional catering in Aiken company today and reserve your special date!