Dietary requirements...

Nothing unexpected but we have quite a few vegetarians, two people with gluten allergies and a child who is lactose intolerant! My advice would be to keep the food simple and ask your venue for advice. They can usually make some sauces without flour or you could go for a veggie option that all the other people with intolerances could eat too so you don' t have to worry about having extra choices.

Good luck!

Personally, depending on what you want anyway, I would tell the person who wants no red meat that they can have the vegetarian option. Also, being a nut allergy sufferer myself, let me let you into a secret... Although as an allergy its very very serious, we can actually eat most things. With nut allergy, it's more a case of asking your venue for a guaranteed nut free dessert. If they can't do it, explain that to the guest, and hopefully they'd be okay with that. Its not an unusual thing to miss out on dessert when you have a nut allergy.

Also, depending on your cake, you may have to notify relevant people that its not safe for them to eat. For example, I imagine the gluten would be problematic there, as well as the marzipan for the nut allergy sufferer.

Good luck on your menu, and try not to stress too much about it - they're guests, its free, they can't expect a range of choices especially for them, and most of all, its your wedding! There's no point ending up with a menu that you don't like... That's my approach anyway... ?

Our venue caters for special diet at no extra charge. Which is a good job because so far I've had back less than 1/4 RSVPs and have: 3 veggies (one is me!) a soya allergy (me again!), MSG intolerance (again, me!), 2 nut allergies, 2 ceiliacs, one of which is also lactose intolerant and a diabetic!!!

Our venue are well aware of the whole allergy/intolerance thing, and as long as they know about them in advance, they're fine. I'm allergic and intolerant to pretty much everything, so if they can cater for me, everyone else will be no problem!
We've already agreed on it being a totally nut free zone, as well as having gluten and lactose free foods. And the veggie alternative (risotto) (which the non red meat eaters will also be having)......oh, as is the only veggie that is coming, who i've been informed doesn't like rice......... Humph!

Added to the list we have allergies to strawberries, mushrooms (me), blue cheese (me, and OH), citrus fruits (me), yoghurt (me), alcohol (!).....the list goes on!

I think if you try to plan your menu around special diets you'll have trouble. Get what YOU want and the venue can do different things for people who don't eat that. We've got a fish starter and a chicken main with veggie options for both. I've got two veggies (one's me) who are having the veggie option, two non-chicken who are having the fish starter and the veggie main, one non-fish who is having the veggie starter and the meat main, and a couple of nut allergies where the venue is doing the normal menu but without nuts.

You pay the venue enough money, so the least they can do is accomodate your guests without you having to worry about it!

I was expecting a couple of vegetarians but I didnt get any, just got one from my friend saying No gluten, wheat, potatoes and something else (cant remember what). So basically she cant have the starter (leek & potato soup) or dessert (apple pie) and for main which is a roast with all the trimmings she can only have beef & veg without gravy. Gross! So she is my problem!