Bring More Than Your Appetite - Tips For Taste Tests

Phew! Just over 200 more days until our wedding! Being a wedding planner, I wasted no time diving into planning right after Brad and I got engaged in September. We crossed the big to-do’s off the list fairly quickly.. The venue was locked down within a few weeks of planning, I said YES to the dress, then it was on to the food and cake tastings! Which you have to admit is the best part!

Brad and I are excited to be working with Design Cuisine and DC Rental for our big day! Their staff and service has been impeccable thus far. The attention and care they give their clients is top notch and the day of our tasting was no exception. Brad and I had talked about and finalized a preliminary menu prior to the tasting, so we were very excited to taste the items we had decided on. Below are my top eight tips for you to get the most out of your taste test!

1. Have an idea of what you want. As I mentioned, Brad and I had narrowed down a menu we loved from a list of options given to us by the caterer. This helps makes the most of everyone’s time when at the tasting.

2. Bring a few people with you. Both my mom, Brad’s mom, Lorinda, and my aunt and uncle were at our tasting with us. It was nice to know we had a variety of tastes and opinions when seeing and tasting the food. You may really like something, but find out that no one else does. Although it’s your wedding, you want your guests’ to enjoy the meal too!

3. Ask to see what your plate will look like. At the tasting, we sampled everything in small portions, so it helped to see what a final plate and presentation would look like.

4. Take pictures of your menu items. Lorinda graciously took photos for me at the tasting. She was excellent at getting a variety of shots for us of all of the menu items. This helps when referring back to the contract, making menu cards, remembering what the presentation looks like and choosing dish ware.

5. If you have questions – speak up! The first menu that Design Cuisine sent me was totally different than the one that we eventually tried at the tasting. I wasn’t a huge fan of the initial veggie option that they suggested so I asked if we could have something else, like asparagus or broccoli, and they happily agreed.

6. Be mindful of ingredients. Allergies, Gluten…etc. When we sat down to make the guest list, Brad and I didn’t really think about any guests with allergies or food aversions. But, at the tasting, we did ask what they could do if there ended up being guests with dietary restrictions.

7. Ask about wine pairings and alcohol quantity recommendations. A lot of venues allow you to bring in your own alcohol. If you have no idea where to start as far as how much of it you will need, ask your caterer. They are the experts!

8. If need be, schedule a second tasting. Didn’t like the salad you selected to serve your guests? Was the sauce on the chicken too spicy? Most of the time caterers are very accommodating and aim to please the client. Give them your feedback and opinions about the menu options and see if you can work something out.

What was your favorite item from your taste test? Mine has to be the butternut squash and goat cheese risotto we selected for our first course! Yum!