Wedding dietary requirements and meal choice tally

Get your catering numbers right before you book food. Ask every guest to reply with their meal choice and any dietary needs. This includes allergies, intolerances, religious diets and personal choices like vegetarian or vegan.

Once replies come in, count each meal type. Then list every dietary requirement so nothing is missed. Send this summary to your caterer with enough time for them to plan. Many caterers need final numbers a few weeks before the big day. Check your contract for the exact deadline.

• Ask guests to reply early so you have time to follow up.
• Double check any replies that look unclear before sending them on.
• Keep a copy of the final tally for your own records.

Timing matters when you share dietary requirements and meal choices. Most caterers ask for final numbers several weeks before the wedding. Some need them even earlier if you have a large guest list or complex menus.

Share your tally as soon as you have most replies. If a few guests are still undecided, tell your caterer this clearly. Ask whether they can hold back on a small number of meals until the last minute.

• Confirm the deadline with your caterer before you start counting.
• Send the full summary in one clear message.
• Flag any last-minute changes straight away.

Be thorough when collecting dietary information. Guests may not realise that a mild allergy needs the same attention as a serious one. Ask about cross-contamination if someone has a severe allergy.

Group your summary by meal type and by requirement. This makes it easy for the kitchen to see who needs what. Include contact details for any guest with a serious allergy so the caterer can ask questions.

• Use clear labels like 'peanut allergy' rather than just 'allergy'.
• Ask about hidden ingredients in sauces, dressings and desserts.
• Confirm with your caterer that they can meet every requirement on your list.