Theatre style set up in State Dining Room at Knowsley Hall with large presentation screen on a stage at front of room

Planning your wedding breakfast

Planning a wedding breakfast and wondering where on earth to start? Check out our top tips…

Your wedding breakfast is not only your first meal as a married couple, but a huge celebration for your friends and family, so it’s only natural that you want it to be as perfect, relaxed, and delicious as possible!

Planning a wedding breakfast and wondering where on earth to start? Check out our top tips…

Don’ts

  • Don’t try to run a pop-up restaurant – focus on one high quality menu for all. Catering for certain dietary requirements (veggie, gluten-free, dairy-free) is important but other than that try to focus on quality, not quantity. Sitting down with your chef before the big day can help you create a menu that will impress everyone.
  • Don’t get as far as finalising your guest list until you’ve decided on your wedding venue. The size of your venue will dictate the number of wedding guests – typically, everyone who attends the ceremony attends the wedding breakfast, too.
  • Don’t forget your budget. If you’re worried that catering costs could spiral out of control, re-think venue options, take a fresh look at your guest list for the ceremony and consider pulling it back. Read our guide on who to invite to your wedding for more tips.
  • Don’t over-complicate things! The wedding breakfast can feel like a massive piece of planning – yes, there are lots of things to think about, from table decorations and centrepieces to favours, the table plan and place cards – so break it down into manageable chunks and let the venue take the strain where you can.
  • Don’t forget to count heads before you confirm final numbers with the venue. Get a solid number of RSVPs and menu choices so that you don’t miscalculate supply.
  • Don’t let your wedding photographer hijack you beyond the time you’ve ringfenced to capture your special day between the ceremony and the wedding breakfast. If they’re still snapping away an hour after the meal was due to be served, you’ll have some very hungry, tipsy guests waiting – not to mention cold food!

Do’s

  • Do work out your budget before you make any plans. The catering costs will entirely depend on your chef, what kind of meal you’re serving your guests and, of course, how many guests you have!
  • Do get some guidance from your venue on the table plans that’ll work best in the space you’re considering before you start shuffling sticky notes about on a board to decide who should sit where.
  • Do think about how you want your guests to be served – do you want formal silver service or a more relaxed buffet style? And if you do opt for a buffet style, how can you make sure there’s no congestion or crowding around one part of the room?
  • Do make sure your guests are aware of what time your wedding breakfast starts and how to get there so you don’t lose anyone between the ceremony and the meal!
  • Do consider adding a reminder of the meal courses on the table, people always forget what the food is and on mixed family tables chatting about the menu can be an ice-breaker!
  • Do email the venue ahead with any last-minute dietary requirements or allergies.
  • Do think about welcome drinks and canapes for your guests when they arrive at your venue, this will buy you some extra time with your photographer, giving everyone a chance to relax and mingle – win-win!
  • Do tell your guests if they’ll need to meet any additional costs involved with the breakfast, such as any extra drinks they order from the bar during or after the meal.
  • Do make a checklist to ensure you’ve got everything covered before your big day. You can use our venue checklist for a little inspiration!

knowsleyhallvenue.co.uk