The Experience of Food at Weddings

There few things more unifying than gathering around a shared meal. Food brings people together. I’m deeply curious about the histories, traditions, rituals, preparation, rules, myths, and possibilities which surround food culture. It’s a weighty topic, inextricably linked to culture and identity, emotion, and experience. But it also provides a rich opportunity for pleasure and connection.

You can’t have a wedding without food, yet so often the food is merely an uninspired afterthought. Of course there are concerns about having to feed a large number of people with vastly different appetites, dietary restrictions, and personal tastes. But so often we try to play it safe, choosing the most palatable and affordable options: “chicken or fish?”

Instead we should start by asking ourselves: where does this food come from? What story does it tell? Does the meal we serve satisfy the greater purpose of our wedding? Is it relevant to us personally, culturally, or locally? Will people remember this meal? Is it special?

What to serve is only part of the role of food at a wedding. There is also a lot of opportunity in how food is served and presented. There’s the obvious choices…