At some point in the wedding planning process, it’s pretty much guaranteed a bride will envision all the things that can go wrong. One scenario people tend to overlook is food allergies. According to Food Allergy Research and Education, an estimated 32 million Americans have food allergies, so the chances that someone attending your wedding has a food allergy aren’t far-fetched.
How do you go about planning your big day around food allergies? Here are some active steps you can take to ensure that no one has an allergic reaction at your wedding, and everyone can enjoy your big day.
The first thing you can do is briefly educate yourself on the various food allergies and sensitivities. You certainly don’t want anyone going hungry because of allergy restrictions. Most of the serious food allergy reactions are caused by 9 major allergens: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, sesame, and crustacean shellfish. Awareness is the first way you can avoid serious health scares at your wedding.
Include a space for food allergy information on your RSVPs. This is a great way to double-check any food restrictions. Your guests will be appreciative, and you’ll have the information you need to make sure no one is left out and no one gets sick. This is especially important if someone has a severe allergy to something and even having it in the air can cause a reaction. The information will help you decide what to serve or put out on tables for snacks and favors.
Having a seating chart is another great way to handle food allergies. You can plan tables according to allergies. Plus, name cards can have indicators as well. This will also help caterers and servers when it comes to serving the food. A seat chart removes some of the probability of human error. Servers can double-check check the right food is going to the correct guest.
Want to learn more about accommodating food allergies? Check out our Allergen Awareness course.
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