Vegetarianismand veganism are still quite niche. According to Gallup, as of 2023,about 4% of Americansidentify as vegetarians. As for the global percentage of vegetarians, a recent survey claims that18% of the populationare vegetarians. So, it’s understandable some people might question a strictly vegetarian wedding.
This couple decided they wanted to serve vegetarian-only meals at their wedding. Because the bride’s parents were paying for it, they started to raise some concerns, saying it was discriminatory. So, the bride decidedto checkwith the Internet: would it be unreasonable to haveno meat at a wedding?
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A wedding menu caused some drama between this vegetarian couple and their parents
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The bride and groom wanted to serve only vegetarian meals, but the parents thought it would be ‘disrespectful’ to the guests
Image credits:Wavebreakmedia / envato (not the actual photo)
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A strictly vegetarian wedding menu might subvert the expectation that a meat menu is the default
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The dilemma in this story is pretty tricky. Thecoupledoesn’t want to force anyone to submit to their lifestyle, but on the other hand, they also don’t want to compromise their beliefs. What’s more, the bride’s parents are paying for the catering, so they feel entitled to have a say in what’s going to be on the plates.
If the theme of the wedding is sustainability and the vegetarian lifestyle, an only vegetarian menu would be very on-brand. Roquette Catering claims that every menu should echo the overall theme of a wedding. “For instance, a beach wedding might call for lighter, seafood-centric dishes, while a rustic barn wedding could lean towards hearty, farm-to-table fare,” theywrite.
However, weddings are also about accommodating the guests. Althoughwantingto eat meat doesn’t necessarily constitute a dietary restriction, it is still a preference. “Remember to prioritise the guest experience alongside your personal preferences,” Roquette Catering writes.
“The ultimate goal of your wedding menu is to contribute to a fantastic guest experience. This means considering the needs of all attendees, including children, the elderly, or those with special dietary needs.”
A meat-free wedding menu can be sustainable, inclusive, and, above all, tasty
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Did you know that even weddings have a carbon footprint? Eco-wedding website Mindfully Wed has awedding footprint calculator. It’s where couples can check how environmentally friendly their wedding is.
She also says that vegan caterers are more willing to customize menus. “Working within smaller parameters makes them more creative. Or maybe because they personally understand what it’s like to not be catered for. This means that they can also easily cater for your gluten free guests and those with other allergies like nuts and soy as well.”
Recipe developer for Bon Appetit Sarah Jampelwritesthat long gone are the days when the only entree option for vegetarians was a veggie stack. The answer, according to her, is family-style meals. A vegetarian entree, for example, can be made out of several smaller dishes.
In the end, Jampel writes, most guests didn’t even remember what they ate on herwedding day. “Your friends and fam are ultimately there for you, not the food (meaning that you’re more worried about it than they are).”
Some people defended the couple’s decision; in the end, it’s their Big Day
Others sided with the parents, claiming the couple needed to concede since they were not paying for it themselves
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