Printed menu or surprise? ?

I'm currently struggling with this one. We are giving our guests a choice of mains (they are choosing which pie filling they would like with their mash) but starters and desserts are going to be the same for everyone. I was planning on printing one menu and putting it in the middle of each table in a photo frame. I do like the idea of them having a surprise for starters and desserts, but on the same hand just thinking about practicalities. If someone were to read the menu and notice that they had an allergy or for some reason couldn't eat what we had chosen (even though we have already asked for their dietary requirements!) then at least they are prepared and could speak to someone before if was put in front of them....

Not sure on this one so interested to see what others think x

I asked my OH over message when I read this and he said he would want to know first so he can go and speak to someone. He doesn't like a lot of food, and some foods then he sees them or smells them make him vomit, actually vomit, it has happened a few times when I have been with him. If there was no leeway on it then he would make his excuses rather than sit and not eat anything. Hopefully people will have noted this though when you sent out the invitations etc.

I would want to know also and I am not a fussy eater whatsoever, I hated not knowing or having a choice at two weddings we went to so a bit of notice would have been better.

In the invitations we've only mentioned the main courses and it's a meat or veg situation. We are having a sweet table as our 'favours' so on the table we are putting a "thank you" note with the menu printed on the back, which will also serve as a name card. We've asked for dietary requirements and will make sure the venue is aware so they can adjust the start and dessert accordingly.

I don't think a lot of people would be too thrilled about a surprise dinner, to be honest, but I might be proven wrong!

It's food, guys. People are going to be putting it into their bodies. So that's not really appropriate surprise territory even if they don't have a choice.

There is no choice for the guests (apart from meat vs veggie) at our wedding, and we will be putting the menu on the back of the table number. That way it isn't taking up additional space and the guests can see what they are having.

We don't have a choice but we do have quite a few guests with different dietary requirements that will all be catered for. A few close family members and friends know what the menu is but we've tried not to mention it to anyone else to prevent any moaning before the day. We've gone for quite safe choices for each course but you're never going to please everyone. The menu will be printed on the place cards on the tables though. I'm not a fussy eater at all but I think everyone likes to see the menu before the food arrives.

We can either have what is included in our package or if there is something we would like instead we can let the venue know and they will do that for us. Our venue are providing menus table plan table names and place cards so we will have the menus on the table. There will be a note put in with the invites asking if anyone is veggie and if there was any specific dietary requirements xx

Wow I am genuinely surprised by some of the responses! I was thinking of a surprise being a nice thing! Like if I was at a wedding and waiting for the food to arrive I'd be like "oooh what's it going to be"! But then again I'm not a fussy eater so I guess others wouldn't feel the same.

we've gone for fairly safe bets too but like you say you can't please everyone. And of course we asked people in the invites whether they have any dietary requirements or allergies!

if the venue were able to offer a choice of menu we would have gone for that but they don't, so we've just got one course for the meat eaters and one for the veggies/pescatarians.

think I'll be adding a menu now though!

I wouldn't be fussed either way to be honest but then I am not a fussy eater! I guess it would be handy rather than the serving staff putting plates in front of guests and them asking, "what is it?" We went to a wedding where there was the choice of a main course (steak or sea bass) and the whole menu was on a chalk board for everyone to see. That was a nice idea.

We are giving people the choice of all three courses as OH's mum keeps telling me that "so and so won't eat pork belly" etc grr and his dad being one of the fussiest eaters that I have ever met. I didn't want to have to eat something that was "safe" at my own wedding breakfast so we decided just to pay extra to give everyone a choice. That being said, we will put people's menu choices on the back of their name places so that they are reminded of what they have chosen. This makes invitations a nightmare though as we will have to have them designed with enough space for everyone's choices to be written down! X

If it's no extra faff for you, I'd put it on the place names or on the back of the table numbers. I think we're going to do the former, especially as we're having a hot buffet with three main course options.

I advised the menu beforehand. X

We told a few people what the food was going to be, otherwise left it as a surprise.

Some guests asked and subsequently changed their mains (from roast beef to the vegetarian option) but we had no bad feedback and it looked like most people finished their plates.

Personally, I don't mind if I know or not. All of the weddings I've been to have been a surprise and it didn't faze me.

I've only been to one Wedding where there was a set menu, but there were a couple of menus on the table.

Not that it helped - it was all Indian food and we had no idea what a lot of it was! It was all delicious though and we had great fun trying to work out what was what!

I'm a really fussy eater too, so it was nice to know what was coming