What About the Vegans?

The Wedding Guru Judy Lewis fields this week’s wedding questions. Today: What About the Vegans?

As the bride, you’ll be the primary hostess at your wedding. Keep in mind that a successful party of any kind keeps the guests as the main focus. It’s important for you to make every effort to serve your guests by paying attention to their needs. Whether it’s a guest with a disability that needs a certain seat assignment, or those who have special dietary requirements, it’s up to you to plan, in advance, to make every guest feel like you really want them to be at your celebration and that you have kept that focus throughout planning your wedding. That’s the best way to make your wedding truly memorable and stand out from the rest.Sam asks:“Some of my guests are vegetarians and one is a vegan. Can you tell me the difference?”Dear Sam: A vegetarian is one who doesn’t eat meat, fish, shellfish, or poultry. Some vegetarians catagorize what they will not eat as “anything that has a face.” A vegan is someone who won’t eat anything at all containing an animal product — including products that have nothing to do with causing an animal’s death to obtain it. Vegans eat neither eggs nor dairy products. Many vegans also avoid honey and refined (white) sugar.Wanda asks:“It seems that more and more people, including many of my family members and friends, are allergic to various food ingredients. Some of them have seafood allergies, some are lactose intolerant, and some must have gluten-free food. There are also several guests I’ve invited to my wedding who are vegans and vegetarians. How do I respect their issues and meet their requirements? I want everyone to be able to eat at my reception, and don’t want people with special needs to feel they have to avoid the food that’s being served. How can I deal with this issue?”Dear Wanda: Your first step is to try to figure out the exact number of people in each of the special groups. Then meet with your caterer and see what can be prepared to meet their needs. Once you’ve made sure that there will be alternative selections for those guests, you’ll have to deal with getting the message across to your guests that you are trying to accommodate them. Do this by including the choice in your RSVP card (i.e., “vegan alternative,” “vegetarian alternative,” and so on). There’s no doubt that your guests will be very grateful for your going the extra mile!To submit your own question to “The Wedding Guru,” add your comment to the box below or send an email to judy@hvmag.com.

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