family friendly events everywhere

Your wedding reception's meal is going to be a snap, right? You'll get a caterer or find a venue that has a kitchen for wedding meals, and everyone will have a great time, you know? Well, not quite. Serving food at a wedding is actually rife with issues. Obviously it can be done, but it has to be done with care so that the food remains safe for everyone to eat. Without safeguards in place, you could end up giving your guests more than they bargained for.

Kitchens and Catering

Some wedding venues have kitchens and staff onsite to prepare meals as part of a wedding package. However, other venues lack facilities, and caterers must bring food in that's either already prepared or that can be prepared in a mobile kitchen. You must be sure that any onsite kitchens have top grades or ratings per your city's health department; caterers need to be sure that food that is precooked is kept at safe temperatures during transport to the venue. Both crews also need to know how to time food presentation so that the foods are brought out when needed and not left to languish on a table while guests still arrive. You want those dishes to remain as safe as possible for as long as possible.

Buffets and Sneeze Guards

Buffets are rather popular for meals, especially at brunch or lunch receptions, but if you have everyone passing over all the dishes as they work their way down the line, there's a risk someone will sneeze or cough on one of the dishes. This is the reason salad bars at restaurants have sneeze guards. Ask the caterer or kitchen team if they can set up sneeze guards at any buffets they create for your wedding.

No Leftovers

Because perishable foods can sit out for only so long without refrigeration, it's not a good idea to let anyone take home leftovers. In fact, caterers are not allowed, generally, to let guests take leftovers because that could lead to the food being out for more than two hours. That could make the food unsafe and open the caterer up to a lawsuit. So, warn your guests that no leftovers are going home.

Your wedding should be a time when people have fun and make good memories -- not have food poisoning and make a trip to a doctor. Keep the food at the correct temperatures, do not exceed safe numbers of hours out on a table, and do not let people take home perishable leftovers, and you'll find your reception and guests are a lot happier. To learn more, talk to wedding venues like Rainbow Gardens about the safeguards they take to keep food fresh.