Why You Need To Serve Italian Food At Your Wedding Reception

By Editor1SYS | February 19, 2020 0 Comments

A wedding is a celebration of life. It is a reminder to everybody how beautiful life is when you have the right partner and are surrounded by family.

Who knows how to celebrate better than the Italians? When planning your wedding, look no further than Italy when trying to decide on a menu. Everybody loves traditional Italian food. 

The best part is not only how tasty Italian food is, but it is also healthy. You don’t have to pause your healthy eating routine when you have Italian food on the menu.

Whether you are trying to decide on a venue, or are using event catering, have an Italian themed dinner and wow your guests.

The antipasto

Antipasto for many Americans means appetizer. What it literally translates to is “Before the meal”. Anti equals before and pasto means meal.

It could be some local cheeses with bread, sliced cured meats, grilled or marinated vegetables or all of the above.

The best way to serve this for a wedding would be to have an antipasto table. Set it up like a buffet with things like fresh mozzarella with tomatoes and basil aka Caprese salad. Then have trays of sliced prosciutto, salami and mortadella. 

Marinated vegetables are hugely popular in Italy and are usually eggplant that has been grilled and then preserved with oil and vinegar, artichokes hearts and of course olives. 

The Primo

The primo is literally the first course. This is how Italians eat even when at home. It isn’t just a special occasion for them to eat multiple courses. 

When you see pasta on a menu it is always under the primo section as it is always a first course and people don’t eat it as an entree. Lasagna would be an excellent first pasta course as it is usually eaten on holidays.

Soups are also served as a primo. Minestrone is probably the most famous Italian soup and is extremely healthy. It is chock full of fresh vegetables like zucchini, tomatoes, celery and carrots. The broth is hearty and very satisfying. It is a great way to celebrate the season and use fresh and local vegetables.

The secondo

Secondo means second and is the dish that comes after the pasta or soup. The entree. It is usually meat or fish, or even a vegetable dish for vegetarians.

The key is to keep it simple and let the ingredients shine through. If you use good meat, they shouldn’t be drowned in sauce. Unless you are making a Neapolitan ragu, which is chunks of meat and sausages cooked for hours in a tomato sauce. This is a rustic dish that many Italian Americans would eat at their grandma’s house on Sunday and would love to eat at a wedding.

Roasted meats are usually served, too. Veal or roasted duck are popular, as well. 

Conclusion

Italian food is never a bad idea. It can be rustic comfort food that won’t seem out of place at a wedding. Or it can be elegant and updated versions of Italian classics. Either way, it will be a meal that the guests will remember.