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Veganism is a way of living that avoids all animal foods and animal-derived materials such as clothing and other products that test on animals. People may adopt a vegan lifestyle and plant-based diet because they don’t agree with farming animals and animal exploitation whilst others due to their rising environmental concerns brought on by the current global climate crisis. There are so many more vegan-friendly products on the market than there used to be so there’s no reason why your wedding day can’t reflect your values as a vegan. We’ve put together a complete guide to planning the ultimate vegan wedding from our favourite vegan wedding menu ideas to vegan wedding gifts to get your vegan wedding planning well underway.
Opting for entirely vegan catering at your wedding is an excellent idea for couples wanting to share their vegan lifestyle with friends and family. It is the perfect opportunity to enjoy hearty food that is not only conscious of the environment but also the protection of animal lives with the people who matter to you the most. Although it might be a unique experience for your non-vegan guests, it is a chance to prove that plant-based diets aren’t just boring salads and tasteless green juices. Handpicking your vegan wedding food items and creating your wedding menu are some of the most personal and creative tasks you will complete during your wedding preparation. So have fun with it!
Some of the best vegan products and recipes for your vegan wedding menus will incorporate locally sourced food from farmers and businesses local to your wedding venue. It’s great if you can support small local businesses, particularly in rural areas like the Lake District. From seasonal British grown vegetables and vegan weddings cakes from a local wedding food caterer to vegan beer and vegan spirits from a local company to stock your bar up with, there are endless ways to support and source local foods and drinks for your wedding. This will ensure that you keep your carbon miles down on the day whilst providing your guests with fresh, seasonal and organic vegan produce.
Choosing your wedding menu is one of the most important and exciting steps of planning your big day, especially for a foodie. Vegan food and living have increased in popularity in the UK and it’s no wonder why! There are plenty of tasty vegan friendly alternatives available on the market and most vegan wedding caterers will go above and beyond to accommodate your vegan dietary requirements and other preferences.
First things first, do your research. Have a look at local wedding caterers’ websites, social media accounts and menus before creating a shortlist of your favourite vegan friendly caterers and their vegan wedding food options. You should then enquire and book a food sampling session where you will discuss everything from vegan finger food to vegan wedding food trucks. Your chosen wedding food caterer will be more than happy to make suggestions for your wedding food menu, but it is ultimately up to you what you want to serve your guests and what food and drink will compliment your wedding style best.
Top tip: we suggest bringing along a non-vegan to any vegan wedding food tasting sessions to approve your vegan wedding menu ideas.
Wedding canapés are a timeless wedding food tradition. These elegant bites of bliss are perfect for guests to enjoy with a glass of champagne as they mingle in the period between the ceremony and seated dinner service. Vegan canapés are the perfect excuse to play around with exciting flavours and textures. Why not incorporate vibrant bursts of colour to your vegan finger food recipes with some seasonal vegetables to create extra WOW-factor?
Some of the yummy vegan canapés on our menus include:
What is a vegan cake? To put it simply, a vegan cake does not have any animal products in it, meaning they do not contain dairy or eggs. Vegan cakes swap out these ingredients for plant-based substitutes such as flaxseed, mashed banana, apple sauce and coconut oil to list a few vegan alternatives. Every wedding cake is unique and should be a reflection of you and your partners and your vegan lifestyle. The rumours that vegan cakes don’t taste good as the real thing are just wrong! Experienced bakers have perfected their ultimate vegan wedding cake recipes to make sure vegans are just as satisfied with their wedding cake, so your guests most likely won’t even tell the difference. Not only this, but vegan wedding cakes also look impressive and are a guaranteed showstopper at any vegan wedding.
Stocking your wedding bar up with totally vegan drinks is a must for your vegan wedding and evening reception. Beer, wine and cider can be non-vegan friendly due to agents used in the filtration process including isinglass, gelatine and casein. Also, some cocktail recipes use milk products, eggs and other non-vegan flavouring additives. Fortunately, there are many more vegan beers, vegan wines and vegan spirits available to buy in shops today as there were a decade ago. So you can still enjoy a refreshing vegan lager or fruity vegan cocktail as you dance your wedding night away. However, we suggest that you do some research as alcohol bottles aren’t always labelled as vegan products.
At Karen Rhodes Wedding & Event Catering we understand that veganism is so much more than a dietary preference which is why we have pulled together a list of other vegan friendly wedding ideas for you to consider adopting for your big day. With our ultimate guide to planning a vegan wedding you can rest assured your wedding day will harmoniously reflect your vegan food and living lifestyle.
You may know from experience that buying wedding gifts can be a difficult task on its own, let alone gadgets and gifts for vegans. But fear not, there are plenty of ethically sourced, cruelty free toiletries vegan gift baskets and vegan sweet hampers you can get hold of easily online. If your guests are not all avid vegans themselves, why not prompt your guests with a few suggestions of your favourite vegan shops? Or if traditional wedding gifts aren’t your thing, you could ask you guests to donate to a charity of your choice that aligns with your beliefs as a vegan.
Another way to tie your vegan wedding together is by embracing eco-friendly and ethical vegan clothing. Some of the more obvious ways to do this are by avoiding non-cruelty-free products like leather shoes and instead opting for vegan shoes such as those made from synthetic or man-made materials. You can also opt for a vegan shirt or choose from a number of sustainable vegan clothes brands that sell vegan dresses. Fortunately, the options for vegan clothing have improved over recent years and there are many vegan stores selling high quality, stylish garments perfect for a wedding.
Although not essential, small wedding favours are often given to guests by the newly wed couple as a gesture of gratitude for attending their special day. Vegan sweets and vegan chocolate bars make great wedding favour gifts as they are completely customisable and will add a lovely touch to your vegan wedding theme. Why not dish out small parcels of your favourite vegan sweets or customise the wrapper of your partners favourite vegan chocolate bar as your unique vegan wedding favour?