Gravy rant... Possible bridezilla alert?!

Hi,

I think gravy is more of a 'thing' than you might think. My OH likes it really thick and gloopy while others like it watery and thin, brother won't eat it, sister won't eat a roast without, etc etc etc. IMO have what you want, how you want it! Its not like its a dietary requirement, ie if they eat gravy they will have a reaction and swell up!!!

If the menu hasn't been mentioned I would pretend you don't know and if they make a fuss at your do they will seem very petty. And if they don't eat it they will be hungry.

Only other suggestion is that some venues can put the gravy on the side of each plate in individual mini jug things that means the diner puts their own gravy on or not and avoids the issue of messy 'communal' gravy boats.

Hope this helps, even if only a little.

Rach

Etiquette is to serve gravy in a boat, it shouldn't be compulsory with a meal. I wouldn't expect guests to remember to say you don't like gravy as very few people would presume it is going to come on the plate. I think you are over thinking this! It is fine to have a boat, there are plenty of other things from the meal that may get on the cloth and any venue worth their sort would change the table linen if was soiled anyway for the evening.

Hmm...both of our main meals choices (we are only telling them to pick between chicken and lamb - as well as giving a space to list dietary requirements, but no further info on the meal) have gravy and it is on the plates on both of them..however it will be on the menu which will be on the tables on the day so I am presuming if anyone passionately hates gravy they will tell the waiter before it is brought out to them perhaps? (During starter or before etc).

I hadnt really thought about that really but to be honest I would leave your meal exactly as it is and just let people do what they want to do! I'm not going to stress about it - I cant imagine anyone I know having their whole meal ruined by gravy being on the plate!?

EDIT - there will also be a veg option, in case anyone thinks I meant the only choices are chicken/lamb!!

Oooh. I do like the idea of mini individual jugs, or someone serving just gravy - maybe thats better!

I will say, I know its sooo trivial, but I think it got to me as it was getting to OH and theres very little he stresses about, so I'm kind of taking on that extra stress, with my little tidyness issues. Just gravy spills takes me back to many christmas dinners of icky splodges of gravy everywhere. Drinks I really dont mind though, the odd stain, as that to mean doesnt really leave thick splodges - it just soaks automatically. Gravy doesnt. And to me, food is more unhigenic to be left on tables than drinks are? Not sure how, but I just feel that it is ?

You'll probably have to speak to your venue - I'd be surprised if they have enough gravy jugs to supply one per person.

Wouldn't communal jugs be on a gravy boat plate?

I wouldn't stress about this to be honest

Hi, as a person who doesn't like gravy the individual gravy boats sound like a good idea ?

I wouldn't worry about the whole gravy thing TBH let these people sort themselves out on the day. They can just ask the waiter if they can have one without gravy and the waiter can fetch one from the kitchen, the chefs will not have plated all meals in one hit so this shouldn't be a problem. (unless your having a dish where the meat is braised in the gravy)

As for gravy boats I doubt they will make any more mess then what x number of people eating at a table will anyway.

Personally, I would just have gravy boats, surely if they spill anything it doesn't matter because you aren't cleaning it up! If it gets dirty, wouldn't the staff change it? Maybe I've got the wrong end of the stick as to whether you're supplying the linen. If gravy boats are out, just let the guests request no gravy if they're that particular about it, either way I definitely wouldn't change the meal itself. One thing to remember is whatever you serve, there's always going to be someone who doesn't like a particular thing, let them deal with it, you won't ever be able to please every single guest!

Someone will probably spill gravy on the table cloths even if its served on the plate. Gravy is messy.

It's just gravy, it's just a little spillage. If you're paying for people to eat then you want them to enjoy it.

Boats on plates is the way forward I reckon

Only a guestzilla would complain to a bride on her wedding day because there was gravy on their meal.

Haha I think Tiny Tiggs just summed it up perfectly!

THIS

This! As much as i dont like gravy i would never say anything as its just plain rude.

You and my sister should meet. ?

I will never understand the rudeness of people when they are getting a free meal! I'd just put up and shut up. This is exactly the sort of issue I anticipate from OH's family, who have been known to whinge about food that someone else is paying for. My manners ensure I would never do this!

Personally, I think this is a non-issue. You are not going to notice gravy spills on all your individual tables and even if there were no gravy, things will still be spilt and dropped everywhere - wine, mashed potatoes, cream, etc etc. Even if there is spillage, no-one is going to judge you on that (if they do, that is mental). I think you're over thinking this far too much, to be honest. It's definitely not worth changing the main course over.

Just a thought, and no idea if it would work or not. But if a messy linen really is a pet peeve what about ordering a few extra so any ones that are really messy could be quickly changed? Or even have an overlay that could be replaced?

Myself, I would never complain about a meal, but I cant eat spicy food and when I was at a friends wedding about 95% was too spicy for me. I just ate what I could and then filled up on dessert. However its nice to have a choice so gravy either in boats, or someone walking around pouring it, seems like a meet in the middle kind of solution without the stress