Catering by Seasons is nationally-recognized for pioneering farm-to-table weddings and events. The Seeds to Celebrations program allows couples to plan their weddings from the ground up. We bring together innovative chefs, event planners and farmers to work with you planning the perfect meal to match your sustainable lifestyle.
In order to help you along the way, we’ve come up with some tips for planning the perfect farm-to-table menu.
1. Pick your season
We integrate farm-to-table food into catered meals year-round, so don’t get caught thinking you have to have a summer wedding in order to make it farm-to-table. It all depends on what you like and what season you want to get married.
Spring brings forth tender greens such as spinach, kale and chard, a variety of potatoes, as well as radishes, kohlrabi and other tasty veggies. Summer features an abundance of colorful produce, and even local flowers! A fall harvest will bring you hearty greens, squash, and even some late tomatoes and peppers. If you’re looking to have a winter wedding, you can still feature farm-to-table selections such as our root vegetable skewers, warm sweet potato chili, or even a display of local cheeses and meats.
Throughout the year, there are all sorts of possibilities with farm-to-table produce, meat, eggs and dairy products. You just have to decide what to pick!
2. How green do you want to go?
Maybe you and your spouse want an entirely locally-sourced wedding, down to the cake ingredients and party favors. We love these completely grown-to-order celebrations!
However, many couples opt to craft a menu of dishes they really love, then pick a few ingredients that can be sourced locally and organically. We cover the entire spectrum of sustainable events, letting you decide exactly how green you want to go with it.
3. Have a backup plan
With sustainable organic farming, the harvest can change from day to day. It is good to have a backup plan for your produce selections. We can either work with you to source as much as possible locally, filling in the gaps with store-bought produce. Or, if you are determined to have a wedding meal fresh from the fields, we may work with you to substitute some produce for others. For instance, if there is a drought or blight that destroys many of the tomatoes right before your big day, we want you to know that it is not the end of the world! If you’re set on having tomatoes, we can work with other farms in the area to determine what is available.
The best thing to do when planning your farm-to-table wedding is to look at all of the produce that may be available during your season, then come up with first, second and third options. Having a variety of farm-to-table produce will make it easier if something does happen.
4. Enjoy the process!
You are going above and beyond by having a farm-to-table wedding. It is a great idea to document the process, and maybe even brag a little on the way. You can plan your engagement photographs in the wedding garden, bring your family to see how things are growing, or start a blog about the process. This is a wonderful way to create lasting memories, make new friends, learn a lot about local growing, and maybe even help others planning a sustainable wedding down the road.
Growing a wedding is an experience that can be enjoyed long before and after the day-of celebrations. Relish the experience and don’t let it stress you out!
Our Event Managers are here with you every step of the way, from the inception of your farm-to-table dream, to the actual wedding day and beyond. We work to make the wedding planning process easy and fun. Contact us today to start planning your farm-to-table event!
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