Both Lee Ann Reiners and Christy Harding Smith suggest that there is a
lot of competition among halls and restaurants for business and that
should make it "a bit" easier to get restaurants to serve a veggie
wedding. They also believe that it is "high time" to start educating
restuarants that iceberg lettuce and tomato slices are not what
vegetarians eat twenty four hours a day.
I'd certainly agree. It IS time to start educating restaurants. When we
had our wedding I was still eating "modified" SAD, so it didn't come up.
Also, there is a complication regarding the fact that most people still
eat SAD in the U.S. and that guests might find this unsuspected change
in their lunch or dinner a huge surprise, and not necessarily welcome.
We didn't serve any alcohol (I NEVER pay for anybodys' use of alcohol).
Nobody seemed to mind, but we had some guests over last week (one is a
vegetarian) who was surprised that we didn't serve any. She had also
been to Amy's wedding. At the time we were talking about huge weddings
and Bar Mitzvahs that take place back east, and that the bar bills are
horrendously expensive. I still think that if you want to save money,
the best place to save it is by not serving alcohol.
Of course there is a difference when you are going to spend hundreds or
even thousands of dollars at a hall or restaurant for many guests,
compared to just "eating out." Restaurants might be more willing to cook
your special requested items. However, most restaurants or large halls
(excluding large hotels) are just not set up for special menus, unless
their chef is really professionally trained--say at a culinary arts
college. You may have to look to a large, really professional hotel to
do it.
Even if you do find one, that will not change the surprise that "uncle
Jack, your bride's meat and potatoes man" finds when he can't get his
prime rib there. I'm sure that he will remember your wedding as the one
that served "meadow grass" instead of real food. I don't know many
veggies like myself who have families that eat the same way. Now if you
don't care, that's fine.
We felt that it was the best time to get our families together for a
time that will (hopefully) never be repeated. I still think that's the
purpose of a wedding: To try to give the couple an opportunity to have
their families' meet in as stress-free party environment as one can
generate. Weddings can be stressful enough. Even though I follow a very
strict veggie diet, I can't really force it on everyone who comes to our
parties or wedding. I think that's a mistake. But that doesn't mean that
an extensive "veggie" portion can't be made available to fellow VLF
veggies. We certainly did that.
Just some thoughts. Thanks for your comments.
Mike Rosenblatt
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