Food & Drink

British weddings have their own food conventions that trip up a lot of first-time planners - starting with the fact that the "wedding breakfast" isn't breakfast at all. This section covers what's actually expected, and where you can safely ignore convention.

• Alcohol and Bar Options: Open Bar vs. Cash Bar vs. Drinks Package

  How the main UK approaches to wedding drinks actually work, and how I'd think about choosing between them.

• Catering for Dietary and Allergen Needs

  How to actually collect and act on guests' dietary and allergen information, beyond a token box on the RSVP card.

• Drinks and Toasts: Who Says What, and When

  The traditional running order of UK wedding speeches and toasts, and where couples commonly reshape it.

• Evening Reception Food

  How to plan the second, more casual round of food that most UK weddings serve later in the evening.

• The Wedding Breakfast, Explained

  Why the main wedding meal is called 'breakfast' regardless of the time of day, and what's actually expected at each course.

• Wedding Cake Traditions in the UK

  The traditions behind the British wedding cake, and the practical decisions that actually matter when ordering one.