If you're a plant based, vegan, or vegetarian couple then you may be wondering how you can throw a wedding with that in mind that your guests will love. Most of you know that I'm a vegetarian and I've had a few couples who have thrown a plant based wedding so I wanted to make a blog post with a few tips. Plant based weddings are easier than you think and all of your guests will still love them and enjoy the food! Below are a few things to keep in mind.
Find A Great Caterer
The first thing that you will want to do is a find a great caterer who understands vegetarianism/veganism and who regularly makes some great plant based dishes. It will be easier for you to put together a great tasting menu that everyone will love if you find a caterer who knows what they are doing vs a caterer who will just try to figure out how to make things plant based.
If you're in Indiana and need a few suggestions of veggie friendly caterers, here are a few!
Vegesaurus
Mama P's
Choose Foods With Your Guests In Mind
Maybe you want to have a meat option on your menu or maybe you want to have a 100% plant based menu, whatever you decide you will want to keep your guests in mind. If a vast majority of your guests are plant based, then you can be a bit more adventurous with your menu but if you have a lot of meat eating guests, you may want to have a staple veggie dish that you know they will love. Satisfying your meat eating friends and family won't be hard, just think how many folks love tomato or veggie soup, spring rolls, and other foods that are usually vegan! They will find something they love at your wedding! If you are really concerned about pleasing your meat eating friends, bring a few along for a tasting with your caterer. They can provide some great feedback to help you narrow down your menu.
Remember The Alcohol
Not all drinks are plant based, either by what is put into the drink or how it is filtered. Let your bar staff know what spirits to avoid or what you would like left out of your bar service. Luckily, sooooooo many drinks are plant based that your guests won't even realize things are missing! You can also make up a few plant based signature cocktails as well!
Find A Great Cake Baker
Just like your caterer, you will want to find a cake baker who is familiar with making vegan cakes. There is a skill involved in making vegan cakes that not all bakers will have. There are extra steps that your baker will need to take to make sure the cake is supportive and will not cave in or fall in the middle. Luckily, taste wise, vegan cakes taste pretty much identical to the real thing so you won't have any complaints from your guests here!
Remember Your Hair/Makeup
Not all cosmetics are cruelty free so you will want to let your makeup and hair folks know so they can bring along items that will work for you. If they don't have cruelty free products in their kits, see if you are able to supply your own products for them to use.
Opt For Real Flowers
Real florals are gorgeous and are, obviously, plant based! Some fake flowers are made with silk so you will want to keep that in mind if you would rather go with faux flowers. Also, let your florist know that you would rather they not use silk ribbon for your bouquets.
Remember Your Decorations
If you are planning to use candles, soy candles will be the way to go so you can steer clear of beeswax and animal fat. Decorating with greenery and more natural decorations can help you avoid using animal products and waste. Also, you will want to make sure you consider your dinnerware as well and make sure you steer clear of items make with china which is usually made with animal bones.
Don't Forget Your Outfits and Accessories
Avoiding silk, leather, and other animal based materials will make sure that your look is plant based as well. There are a lot of great options out there so you will still be able to find the wedding outfit of your dreams!
Let Your Guests Know
You don't necessarily need to let your guests know that you will be having a plant based wedding, there will be lots of things that they can eat and enjoy, however, it may be nice to let them know especially if anyone has any allergies to soy, nuts, or any other product that is used in plant based diets. You will, however, want to let your guests know that you are living a plant based lifestyle. This will help them when it comes to purchasing wedding gifts so they can avoid items that you would not use.
