Wedding Invitations & Paper

RSVP card but only one food option

My fiance and I decided that we only want to have one food option- a meat plate. We figured there are many perks to having only one: we don't have to include a special line on the RSVP cards with the headache of keeping track of everyone's meal selection and there's a $3 per guest surcharge for additional options at our venue. We know that a few guests may have a preference to vegetarian meals, which we know the venue will accommodate. (We didn't want a buffet specifically because a lot of our family members are older and we would really not have them up and moving around handling the food. We believe this is a valid concern.)

This leads to my ultimate question: what do we say on the invites? I've seen invites that have no indication of what the food selection will be, which we all assume will then be a buffet. Then vegetarians or special meals (gluten free, etc) would at least have some other main dish items to choose from which would give them no reason to contact us in advanced. So, again, how do we indicate that there's only one meal choice and it'll be a meat? My fiance thinks it'll be tacky to write something on the RSVP, such as "If you have dietary restrictions, please let us know in advanced." He also thinks that the kitchen could whip up something on the fly for the few people that might need it. I think that would be inconsiderate to our guests and to the venue employees. Any suggestions?

Re: RSVP card but only one food option

  • No need to say anything. As long as your venue can prepare vegetarian meals on request, you should be fine. If anyone has some other unusual need, I imagine you already know about or they'll let you know.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_rsvp-card-but-only-one-food-option?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:68be3ec5-b9a9-4491-b5ea-9fc33790312dPost:2561dc6c-3e2a-4146-9b28-bf7d5184f2a4">RSVP card but only one food option</a>:
    [QUOTE]My fiance thinks it'll be tacky to write something on the RSVP, such as "If you have dietary restrictions, please let us know in advance." He also thinks that the kitchen could whip up something on the fly for the few people that might need it. I think that would be inconsiderate to our guests and to the venue employees. Any suggestions?
    Posted by spraschak[/QUOTE]

    Find out for sure if the venue can just "whip something up" on the fly. I'd think they'd need to be prepared (with ingredients!) for anything other than your main dish. Serving food "family style" might be helpful too -- all the food is placed on the tables in serving bowls and platters and people help themselves to it. It's like a mini-buffet. No walking around with plates full of food.

    Adding  your line about dietary restrictions is not tacky. It's especially helpful for your venue. Some people might be vegetarian, others might be allergic to certain foods.
    9.17.2010
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  • The last couple of RSVP cards I have received have had the line about dietary restrictions.  I don't think it's tacky.
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  • **had duplicate posts; my computer went nuts and I thought it didn't post.
    9.17.2010
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  • I think you either need to include the dietary restrictions, or have a spot to indicate a request for a vegetarian entree.
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_rsvp-card-but-only-one-food-option?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:68be3ec5-b9a9-4491-b5ea-9fc33790312dPost:bca8d0d5-a5d5-424d-9d82-82dd22786451">Re: RSVP card but only one food option</a>:
    [QUOTE]I would include the note about dietary restrictions. Also, not that it matters here at all, but having food choices on the rsvp =/= a buffet. We had tableside ordering, so we didn't say anything about it on the rsvp.
    Posted by kristinanddan[/QUOTE]

    Definitely, but when there's not meal option on the RSVP, I always assume there will be multiple choices - cocktail reception, buffet, tableside ordering.

    OP, I think it's nice to put that line. That way you can take care of special meals without your guests having to track someone down and have a special plate made after everyone else is served. Also, double check with your venue about the feasibility of some people needing special meals last-minute.
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  • tenofcups, how on earth could asking your guests if they need a special meal be tacky?  I can see finding it tacky if oyu couldn't at the reception, the guest hadn't asked ahead of time, and the guest threw a fit.  That would be tacky.  But letting my guests know I'm happy to accommodate any special requests they require in no way equates to me being rude to my guests.
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  • How is it "entitlement" if you are on a gluten-free diet, allergic to shellfish, or a vegetarian?

    "I hate sweet potatoes!" is not a dietary restriction.
    9.17.2010
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