What a better way to share and honor your heritage than serving ethnic foods at your wedding reception!

Serving international cuisine gives you the opportunity to share your past as you celebrate your future. Plus, most guests will appreciate the chance to try something new. If you each come from different cultural backgrounds, this may be a perfect opportunity to blend your heritages; the main dish may be Italian, while the salad may be Greek. When serving uncommon dishes, provide a menu on the table describing the entrees or have a family member explain each dish to your guests.

Not only can ethnic cuisine make your reception more personalized and unique, it may save some cash, too. Many ethnic foods are less expensive than the typical menu items. For example, Chinese dishes are often less because they contain a larger portion of vegetables than meat.

The entire menu can be ethnic, or just an item or two such as the hors d’oeuvres or dessert. If you are just serving one or two dishes, display the items on a special table decorated in the cultural theme. You may want to let your family know that you are honoring their traditions in advance; they will most certainly be touched. Aunt Mary may even enjoy bringing a dish to share, such as a batch of krumkake (a cone-shaped Norwegian cookie).

Finding a caterer who has experience preparing the particular foods you would like to serve may be easier said than done. Begin the quest for a caterer early in the planning process to ensure that you are able to find someone who can expertly prepare your special meal.

You don’t necessarily need to choose heritage that is your own. There are a number of ethnic foods to choose from: Chinese, Greek, Italian, Mexican, Moroccan, Norwegian and Indian, to name a few. Narrow down your choices; perhaps you went out for Chinese on your first date or maybe Italian is your favorite comfort food. Choose whatever cuisine appeals to you both.

An ethnicity may serve as the underlining theme for the entire event. The invitations, colors, decorations, music and other details may be inspired by this culture. Perhaps the children can even be entertained with a cultural game. No matter how far you take the theme, celebrating your cultural background is an ideal way to celebrate your union with your family and friends.

Filed under: Food