One of the hardest parts of planning a wedding menu is ensuring that people with different dietary restrictions all have something delicious to eat. If you and your partner are vegans or want to have a vegan wedding, congratulations—you’ve just simplified the process.

Planning a vegan wedding menu is easier than you think. Not only do you have parameters to work within (forget those meat, fish, or veg RSVP requests), but you can also get super creative with your food choices.

Here are some ideas on how to curate a delicious vegan wedding menu.

What It Means to Be Vegan

Photo Credit // Kiernan Michelle Photography

If you’re a vegan, skip down to cocktail hour ideas. If not, read on to learn about what veganism entails.

Simply put, vegans don’t eat any animal products. A vegan diet consists of grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, and other plant-based foods. It excludes meat, dairy, eggs, and any other animal-derived ingredients (such as honey). It’s also important to remember that some alcohol is not vegan-friendly, so be sure to consider that when planning a vegan wedding menu, too.

Cocktail Hour and Vegan Appetizers

The key to a successful cocktail hour—no matter what type of food you serve—is offering guests easy, bite-sized foods. Cocktail hour is a time to socialize and enjoy a drink or two before a larger meal, so you want to make sure that you offer enough food to tide loved ones over without filling them up. They need to save room for dinner and dessert.

Many non-vegan appetizers and hors d'oeuvres can be modified to be vegan with a few easy swaps. Anything with cheese, for example, can be recreated with dairy-free vegan cheese. Make sure that your caterer has experience substituting non-vegan ingredients for vegan ones, however, as plant-based ingredients sometimes have different textures and require different preparation.

Here are some delicious vegan cocktail hour appetizer ideas for your wedding:

• Chickpea falafels with hummus or beetroot dip
• Cauliflower buffalo bites
• Vegan “mozzarella” sticks
• Veggie sticks with bean dip
• “Grazing boards” filled with nuts, dried fruit, flatbreads, vegan cheeses, and seeds (think charcuterie boards, but without the meat and dairy)
• Vegetable rolls in rice paper
• Risotto balls
• Sweet potato fries

Dinner Vegan Wedding Menu Ideas

When curating your wedding menu, try to see what foods are in season. Seasonal ingredients—especially summer—are rich in flavor and color. Some couples are open with guests that their entire wedding menu will be vegan, while others like to pleasantly surprise family and friends.

Here are some vegan dinner ideas:

First course:

• Massaged kale salad with avocado and lime dressing
• Heirloom tomato salad
• Gazpacho
• Lentil soup (ideal for cold-weather weddings)
• Thai coconut soup

Entrée:

• Zucchini noodle pasta and lentil-mushroom “meatballs”
• Stuffed peppers with quinoa, vegetables, vegan cheese, and spices
• Eggplant parmesan (with nut-based cheese)
• Grilled portobello mushroom steak with a side, such as quinoa or wild rice
• Stuffed acorn squash with cranberry sauce (great for fall or winter weddings)
• Grilled veggie tacos with avocado, salsa, and vegan queso
• Mushroom-quinoa burger with sweet potato fries
• Ratatouille with rice

Desserts for a Vegan Wedding

Photo Credit // Limelight Photography

Caterers can often do entire wedding meals, but you might want to opt for a vegan bakery or another company that specializes in the dessert. If you’re going the traditional wedding cake route, vegan cake recipes have come a long way and are incredibly delicious. We bet your guests won’t be able to tell the difference.

Here are some other vegan wedding dessert ideas:

• Coconut yogurt cheesecake
• Peanut butter fudge
• Dairy-free chocolate layered oat bars
• Strawberry tiramisu
• Avocado chocolate mousse

Vegan Wedding Catering Sources

Not all wedding caterers are created equal—especially when it comes to an all-vegan menu. If you want the tastiest foods, it’s best to source a local caterer that specializes in vegetarian or vegan food. If you live in a big city such as New York or LA, many businesses specialize in plant-based meals. Do your research and don’t be shy about trying out different options before settling on one.

If you have a favorite local vegan restaurant or eatery, you can always ask and see if they do catering for events—some do. If they don’t, they may be able to point you in the right direction of a recommended vegan caterer.

When you’re meeting with a caterer for the first time, you must ask them the right questions and sample their creations. Ask to see photos of their work, and see if you can taste some of their past wedding menu items. If you have a vision for the type of food that you want on your wedding menu, work with the caterer to make it come to life. While all guests should be thrilled that they’re trying out your fave foods, if you want to see how a non-vegan feels about your wedding menu, bring them to a tasting. That way, you can get honest feedback from someone who isn’t accustomed to your diet.

Planning a vegan wedding menu doesn’t have to be more complicated than any other wedding menu. With the right caterer, careful thought into the food, and a few tastings, your vegan meal will impress all your guests.