Potential Menu Ideas

As someone who can't eat cheese (and isn't veggie), vegetarian only always makes me a bit nervous, so I'll weigh in!

Curry - great potential option but I'd be wary of it including tofu, lots of non-veggies (and some veggies that I know) are immediately put off by tofu, I'd also make sure there's a liberal amount of low risk sides like plain or garlic naan, basmati or pilau rice, bombay potatoes so that people can fill up on these if they really don't like it.

Mushroom wellington sounds like a great shout - wellington is something that meat eaters would be familiar with, you know you get good roast dinner style sides that again meat eaters would eat with a meat roast, and mushroom is fairly safe (unlike nut roast) and quite different to the curry. I'd avoid things like the parcels and the lasagnas as they are a bit hard to pick apart if you don't like part of it or are like me and can't have the cheese (will also help any vegans). So if you want something Italian, I'd go for a cheeseless mushroom risotto or something like an arabiata pasta (basically tomato and garlic) that are nice and safe, with bowls of cheese on the side for people to add if they please, and other sides like garlic bread and maybe some chilli powder or something like that for if people wanted to add a bit more kick and flavour.

Hope that helps

You have some great ideas. I'd personally go for the mushroom Wellington or risotto.


I'd definitely avoid the nut roast. For starters people are often allergic to nuts, but it's also a bit like tofu - it can come across as an off-putting meat substitute.

I would be nervous about being served a vegetarian meal at a wedding as a committed meat eater but I would suggest you go for a risotto and maybe have peas or other green summer vegetables. I personally love mushrooms but my now husband can’t stand them and he eats literally everything. Also agree with cheese on the side and garlic bread options for people to fill up.

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Oooh peas are my worst nightmare haha!

I’d avoid risotto, the idea of mass catering it makes me really worried and it’s also that very tired standard vegetarian option. I think your suggestions work quite well, I like the idea of:

- mushroom and chestnut wellington with gravy/veg
- pie (everyone likes pie!) filling can vary depending on the season - something like aubergine parmigiana or a vegetarian lasagne (still can be nice and refined on a plate)
If you’re doing a summer wedding you could also go down a quiche/various salad/potato picnic type vibe.
A mezze plate (think falafel/hummus/tzatziki/tabbouleh/vegetable skewers/flat breads etc) is also generally a people pleaser.
Note I don’t eat meat anymore but am thinking about what my fussy mum wouldn’t mind. People eat vegetarian/vegan food all the time without noticing so try not to overthink it too much.

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Be wary of nuts as lots of people have allergies or intolerances to nuts!

But mezze plate is a GREAT shout!! This is definitely one to consider OP, especially if you're having a summer wedding

We offered guests a meat option (chicken) or a veggie Wellington and quite a few meat eaters went for the veggie choice! It was a chestnut, pumpkin and mushroom Wellington and went down really well. We had lots of veg sides as well to go with both options as well as bread and potatoes etc.
You won’t please all the people but I don’t think you can do that whatever you choose! I’d say go for two dishes you like that are different enough from each other to give people a choice and other than than, all you can do is cater for dietary requirements.

A variation on a roast dinner with something pastry/pie based and a nice curry would be great options - they should cover most bases, be familiar to elderly/more traditional guests, easily adaptable for any dietary needs - and there should at least be some elements of both dishes that everyone will eat so no one goes hungry. If you get any grumbles once you've made your choices try to stick to your guns. The last vegetarian wedding I went to our uncle who is in his eighties and quite the 'character' smuggled in a pork pie in his blazer pocket to whip out at dinner time - hopefully your guests will be better behaved!

View quoted message Yes thanks these are some really helpful comments! My first instinct was to go for a wellington or pie with veggies, potatoes and gravy, as like others have said it’s fairly safe and even if someone doesn’t like the mushroom filling for example they can still fill up on the veggies and potatoes. So sounding like this will be the best alternative option to the curry!

View quoted message Yes Mezze plate is a good idea. It’s in July so if temperatures are anything like it’s been this year I was worried it would be too hot and stuffy to be eating a full blow roast dinner. Although still think the mushroom wellington is probably safer, like you said in your previous post it’s something meat eaters are familiar with and can pick apart if they don’t like the filling.


But now that’s given me another idea to have maybe a Mezze platter served as the evening buffet!

View quoted message That’s so funny! We’ve only got immediate family and a couple friends coming to the meal (30 guests) so most of them are used to being served vegetarian meals when they’ve come to our house for dinner so hopefully it won’t be too much of a shock for them 😂