Wedding Menu Planning Example for 90 Guests

The best wedding menus do more than give guests something delicious to eat. They create breathing space between the ceremony and speeches, reflect the couple hosting the day, and keep every guest feeling cared for. This wedding menu planning example shows how a relaxed late-summer celebration for 90 guests might come together, with seasonal Sussex ingredients, thoughtful dietary choices and a service plan that feels polished rather than overly formal.

A wedding menu planning example: late summer in Sussex

Picture a barn wedding in August or early September. The ceremony is in the afternoon, drinks follow on the lawn, and dinner is served at tables before the evening party begins. The couple want food that feels generous and memorable, but not fussy. They also want to avoid a menu that leaves guests too full to enjoy the dance floor.

The key is balance. A light, flavourful welcome is followed by a three-course meal that has a sense of occasion, then a small late-evening bite for guests who have been celebrating for several hours.

Welcome drinks and canapés

Serve chilled English sparkling wine, elderflower presse and a carefully chosen local beer as guests arrive. Alongside the drinks, offer three canapés: smoked mackerel pâté on crisp crostini with pickled cucumber; whipped Sussex goat's cheese tartlets with roasted beetroot; and slow-cooked pulled pork on miniature brioche rolls with apple slaw.

This combination gives guests a choice of fish, vegetarian and meat options without turning the reception into a full meal. For a summer wedding, three canapés per person is often a comfortable starting point when dinner follows within an hour or so. If photographs, travel or speeches will extend the drinks reception, four or five may be more sensible.

Starter

For the seated meal, begin with heritage tomato salad, burrata, basil oil and toasted sourdough, finished with a little balsamic glaze. It is colourful, seasonal and naturally vegetarian, which removes the need for separate starter plates for many guests.

A shared starter such as this can also make the room feel more relaxed, particularly in a barn or countryside setting. However, individual plated starters are often the better choice where timings are tight, guests have complex dietary requirements or a more formal service is part of the vision.

Main course

A strong main-course choice is herb-roasted chicken supreme with wild mushroom sauce, dauphinoise potatoes, tenderstem broccoli and roasted seasonal carrots. It is elegant enough for a wedding breakfast while still familiar and comforting for a wide range of guests.

For vegetarian and vegan guests, serve a roasted squash and lentil Wellington with a rich tomato and herb sauce. This should be planned as a full dish in its own right, not simply the standard plate with the chicken removed. A considered alternative gives every guest the same sense of occasion and avoids last-minute compromises in the kitchen.

For couples who would rather create a more informal atmosphere, the same flavours could be adapted into a sharing-style feast: carved chicken, roasted squash, bowls of potatoes, seasonal vegetables and salads brought to the table. This can encourage conversation and works beautifully for a sociable crowd, though it needs enough table space and a service team confident in managing the pace.

Dessert and evening food

Finish with individual lemon possets, summer berries and a shortbread biscuit. The dessert is fresh after a richer main course, looks lovely on the table and can be prepared with consistent presentation for larger numbers.

Later in the evening, offer bacon and Sussex cheese baps, with a grilled vegetable and halloumi alternative. This is not just a welcome treat after dancing. It also helps sustain guests through the final part of the celebration, especially where the day began early or guests have travelled a distance.

Why this wedding menu plan works

A menu should be planned around the whole day, not chosen course by course in isolation. In this example, the canapés have enough substance to bridge the gap after the ceremony, but the starter remains light. The main course feels generous without being overly heavy, while dessert brings brightness and the evening food provides a practical second wind.

Seasonality matters, too. Ripe tomatoes, berries, herbs and locally grown vegetables have more flavour when they are at their best, and they lend the menu a genuine sense of place. Choosing ingredients that are in season can also be more reliable than building a menu around produce that has travelled long distances or may be difficult to source at short notice.

That said, a seasonal menu should still feel like you. If your favourite food is a slow-cooked winter dish, a refined version may suit a November wedding far better than a menu chosen simply because it is fashionable. The most successful wedding meal has a clear thread running through it: your tastes, the venue, the time of year and the style of hospitality you want to offer.

Planning portions, timings and dietary needs

For 90 guests, the menu itself is only one part of the planning. The schedule around it determines whether food arrives at its best and guests have time to enjoy it. A drinks reception that overruns by 45 minutes can put pressure on every course that follows, particularly where speeches, cake cutting and evening entertainment are all planned for the same space.

A realistic running order might allow 75 to 90 minutes for drinks and photographs, 30 minutes for guests to take their seats, and around two hours for a three-course wedding breakfast with speeches placed between courses or after dessert. There is no single correct format. Speeches before dinner can settle nerves, while speeches between courses break up the meal. The right choice depends on your venue, guest list and how formal you would like the day to feel.

Dietary requirements should be collected early, then checked again closer to the wedding. Ask guests to be specific about allergies, intolerances and lifestyle choices rather than relying on broad labels alone. Gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and nut-free meals need clear preparation and service processes, while serious allergies may require additional discussion about kitchen controls and cross-contact.

It is also worth considering children, elderly relatives and guests who may prefer a simpler dish. A bespoke caterer can often create suitable options without making those guests feel like an afterthought. At Marks Meals, menu planning is tied closely to the service plan, so dietary notes, table numbers, timings and presentation are considered together rather than treated as separate jobs.

How to adapt this example to your own wedding

Start with the feeling you want guests to take away. A formal country-house wedding may call for plated courses, refined presentation and paired wines. A laid-back barn wedding may suit sharing platters, seasonal salads and generous evening food. Neither approach is better. What matters is that the menu supports the occasion instead of fighting against it.

Then consider the practical details. A summer marquee can be warm, making delicate dishes or heavy sauces less appealing. A remote venue may have limited kitchen facilities, which affects what can be finished and served at its best. Large guest numbers need menus that can be prepared consistently, while a smaller wedding may allow for more intricate choices. Good catering is as much about calm organisation behind the scenes as it is about what appears on the plate.

Finally, give the menu one or two personal touches. That could be a family pudding updated for a wedding table, a favourite local cheese on the evening buffet, or a signature cocktail inspired by where you first met. Small details are often more memorable than trying to make every course elaborate.

Your wedding meal is one of the few moments when everyone you love is gathered in the same room, seated and sharing an experience. Plan for food that feels generous, well timed and unmistakably yours, then let the service take care of the rest.