Caterer for a Tamil wedding: how to choose your menu?

The meal is one of the most important moments of a Tamil wedding.

After several hours of ceremony and festivities, guests gather around a meal that often reflects the tastes, origins and traditions of both families.

But which menu should you choose? Should you offer only vegetarian dishes? How do you manage several hundred guests? And above all, how do you choose a caterer capable of handling a Tamil wedding?

Here are the main elements to plan.

Which menu for a Tamil wedding?

There is no single menu for all Tamil weddings.

The choice depends in particular on:

• family traditions;
• the origins of the couple;
• the type of ceremony;
• the number of guests;
• the budget;
• dietary preferences.

A Sri Lankan Tamil wedding and a wedding organized according to certain traditions of the Tamil Nadu may, for example, offer quite different meals.

The most important thing is therefore to build a menu that truly corresponds to the families and the guests.

Vegetarian menu or non-vegetarian?

This is one of the first questions to define with the families.

Some religious ceremonies are accompanied by a completely vegetarian meal.

Other weddings then offer dishes with meat or fish during the reception.

It is also possible to provide several options.

For example:

Vegetarian menu

• vegetarian starter;
• rice;
• vegetable curry;
• dhal;
• side dishes;
• dessert.

Menu with meat or fish

Depending on family habits, the caterer can add:

• chicken;
• mutton;
• fish;
• seafood;
• various curries.

The menu should be defined according to the traditions and preferences of the couple rather than according to a list considered mandatory.

Sri Lankan Tamil cuisine or Tamil Nadu cuisine?

Tamil cuisine has many variations.

Some couples want to rediscover the flavors of their childhood and their family.

For a Sri Lankan Tamil wedding, the menu may be different from a meal more inspired by the cuisine of Tamil Nadu.

Before contacting a caterer, therefore clearly specify the style of cuisine you are looking for.

You can for example indicate:

“We are looking for a caterer specialized in Sri Lankan Tamil cuisine for around 300 people.”

or:

“We are looking for a South Indian vegetarian menu for a Tamil Hindu ceremony.”

This will allow you to obtain much more relevant proposals.

Which dishes to propose?

The final choice must be made with the caterer.

To compose a balanced meal, you can think in several categories.

Starters

Plan one or more starters.

For example:

• vegetarian preparations;
• vadai;
• samosa;
• hot bites;
• chicken-based starters depending on the chosen menu.

Main dishes

The meal can include several preparations:

• rice;
• biryani;
• curries;
• dhal;
• vegetables;
• side dishes;
• meat or fish dishes if planned.

Accompaniments

Also think about the different accompaniments served with the dishes.

Desserts

The dessert can remain traditional or be complemented by a wedding cake.

You can plan:

• traditional desserts;
• pastries;
• fruit;
• ice cream;
• wedding cake.

Drinks

Do not neglect:

• water;
• soft drinks;
• hot drinks;
• possible traditional drinks.

Serving the meal on banana leaf

Some families wish to preserve a traditional service on banana leaf.

This presentation can bring a particularly traditional dimension to the meal.

But it also requires real organization.

Before choosing this solution, ask the caterer:

• ☐ Does he provide the leaves?
• ☐ How will they be transported?
• ☐ Who installs them?
• ☐ Does the staff know the service?
• ☐ How many servers are necessary?
• ☐ Does the venue accept this type of service?
• ☐ How will clearing be organized?

For several hundred guests, these details become very important.

Buffet or table service?

Both solutions are possible.

The buffet

The buffet allows guests to choose their dishes more freely.

However, you must anticipate queues.

For 300 or 400 people, a single buffet can quickly become insufficient.

It may be preferable to install several service points.

Table service

Table service brings a different organization and can be particularly suited to certain traditional meals.

However, it requires enough staff.

Ask the caterer how many servers are planned in his quote.

How to manage 300 or 400 guests?

A wedding with several hundred people requires a different organization than an event for 50 guests.

Before booking your caterer, ask if they have already managed events of a similar size.

Check in particular:

• ☐ Ability to prepare the requested number of meals
• ☐ Number of cooks
• ☐ Number of servers
• ☐ Equipment to keep food warm
• ☐ Organization of the buffet
• ☐ Installation time
• ☐ Estimated service time
• ☐ Clearing management
• ☐ Cleaning

An attractive price is not enough if the provider does not have the necessary logistical capacity.

Plan a tasting

When possible, a tasting before the wedding is strongly recommended.

It allows you to check:

• taste;
• spice level;
• portions;
• presentation;
• quality of the products;
• different menu options.

Take the opportunity to come with the people who are actually involved in the decision.

This avoids completely changing the menu a few days before the wedding.

Watch the spice level

Not all guests have the same tolerance for spicy dishes.

Discuss this with the caterer.

It is possible to keep the flavors of the menu while adapting some dishes so that they remain accessible to the greatest number.

You can also offer several sauces or accompaniments.

Plan for children and special diets

Ask guests to report in good time:

• allergies;
• vegetarian diet;
• vegan diet;
• other dietary restrictions.

For children, a simpler dish can also be provided if necessary.

The caterer must be informed before the final confirmation of the number of meals.

When to book your caterer?

The caterer is one of the providers you should look for fairly early.

For a large wedding, start your research several months before the date.

Before requesting a quote, prepare the following information:

• ☐ Wedding date
• ☐ City
• ☐ Venue
• ☐ Estimated number of guests
• ☐ Type of cuisine sought
• ☐ Vegetarian or non-vegetarian
• ☐ Buffet or table service
• ☐ Lunch or dinner
• ☐ Need for service staff
• ☐ Need for crockery
• ☐ Need for drinks

You will thus receive much more precise quotes.

What should the caterer's quote include?

Do not look only at the price per person.

To place this item in your overall budget: How much does a Tamil wedding cost in France? Budget and expenses to plan

Ask for a detailed quote clearly indicating:

• the dishes included;
• the number of people;
• the starters;
• the desserts;
• the drinks;
• the staff;
• the crockery;
• the equipment;
• transport;
• installation;
• service;
• cleaning;
• any extra charges.

You will thus be able to really compare several providers.

Check the venue constraints

Before booking the caterer, also contact your venue.

Some venues have:

• their own kitchen;
• a caterer area;
• specific equipment;
• access hours;
• certain rules regarding external providers.

The caterer must know these constraints before the wedding.

To choose a venue suited to the caterer: Which venue to choose for a Tamil wedding of 200, 300 or 400 guests?

At what time should the meal be served?

The meal time must be coordinated with the ceremony.

In a Tamil Hindu wedding, religious timings can have an important influence on the schedule.

If a Muhurtham is planned in the morning, the meal must for example be organized accordingly.

To learn more: Muhurtham in a Tamil wedding: how to choose the date and time of the ceremony?

Checklist for choosing your caterer

Before signing:

• ☐ Menu defined
• ☐ Estimated number of guests
• ☐ Price per person confirmed
• ☐ Tasting carried out if possible
• ☐ Staff included in the quote
• ☐ Transport included
• ☐ Installation included
• ☐ Crockery confirmed
• ☐ Buffet or service defined
• ☐ Desserts confirmed
• ☐ Drinks confirmed
• ☐ Service time defined
• ☐ Venue conditions checked
• ☐ Allergies and special diets planned
• ☐ Payment terms checked
• ☐ Cancellation conditions checked

Prepare the rest of your Tamil wedding

The caterer must be coordinated with the venue and the overall wedding schedule.

Also consult:

• Prepare a Tamil wedding: the complete checklist
• Tamil Hindu wedding: traditions and proceedings
• Tamil wedding decoration: Mandap, flowers and inspirations

Finding a caterer for your wedding

The right caterer must be able to offer a menu that matches your tastes, but also to properly manage the expected number of guests.

On DreamWeds, discover caterers and request services adapted to your wedding.