Choosing a wedding menu feels harder when your guests eat in different ways, and many couples tell us that worry very early. We are a family owned venue in New Paltz, NY, close to Poughkeepsie. This guide explains how our chefs and our team plan food that works for everyone.
Novellas handles wedding guests’ dietary needs by creating custom menus with couples and accommodating all dietary requirements. Guests can choose plated dinners or buffets with vegetarian options, while cocktail hour includes vegetarian and vegan hors d'oeuvres. Couples should share allergies and food restrictions early so the chefs and coordinator can plan accordingly.
How We Plan Menus Around Your Guests
Every guest list includes people who eat differently, so we plan for that from the start. Our chefs trained at the Culinary Institute of America, and they design each menu together with you instead of using a fixed list. We accommodate all dietary needs, and we say so up front.
Our menus are custom curated around what your guests need, and we cook with fresh ingredients and creative flavors. Tell us who is attending, and we will shape the menu with you. Some guests follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, and we plan for them just as carefully as for everyone else. We host only one wedding per day, so our team can give your menu questions full attention. At Novellas, our executive chef is a Culinary Institute of America mentor and educator, and that experience shapes how our kitchen approaches every menu.
Plated Dinner and Top Tier Buffet Options
Your service style shapes how guests experience dinner, so we explain both clearly. You can choose a plated dinner or a top tier buffet, and each one gives guests several categories to choose from. Both styles include vegetarian options, so those guests can enjoy a full meal like everyone else.
With a plated dinner, guests choose one option from each category, including salad, chicken, fish, and beef or pork. Salad choices include Mixed Green, Spinach, Farm, Arugula, and Aviator, so lighter eaters have plenty to choose from. We also offer a seasonal vegan or vegetarian entrée for guests who skip meat. Because that entrée is seasonal, ask us what is currently on the menu while you plan your wedding.
The buffet works differently, because guests build their own plates across several categories. Vegetarian choices include Eggplant Parmesan, Stuffed Portabella, and Vegetable Lasagna, and the buffet includes artisanal bread and seasonal vegetables. Guests can mix and match, which suits families with varied tastes. Salads are the same on both the plated dinner and the buffet, so every guest can start with the same options.
Your package also includes a wedding cake from The Pastry Garden. If you have questions about a guest's needs, contact us before your event.
Vegetarian and Vegan Options at Cocktail Hour
Good food should start well before dinner, which is why our cocktail hour includes stationary and passed hors d'oeuvres. Vegetarian and vegan options are available, so guests with different diets can enjoy something right away while they mingle with family and friends and wait for the reception to officially begin.
We also offer optional cocktail stations as enhancements, such as the Pasta Station, the Mediterranean Display, and the Hudson Valley Station, which uses local ingredients. Stations add variety to the hour, and you can ask us which ones fit your guest list best. We would rather help you choose well than leave you guessing. Our passed hors d'oeuvres include a choice of six, with examples such as Vegetable Spring Rolls and Bacon Wrapped Medjool Dates.
Sharing Dietary Details With Our Team
Our team can only plan for what we know, so we ask couples to share allergies and restrictions as early as they can. Our chefs and your day coordinator can plan better when they have those details, and a short conversation during planning gives everyone time to prepare properly.
For serious allergies, please speak with us directly so we can discuss your guest's exact situation together. We do not want anyone guessing about something this important. You can reach our team by phone or email, and we will work through your questions with you. At Novellas, a clear list of guest names and needs makes that conversation quick and simple.
Conclusion
Food worries should never make a wedding menu stressful for anyone. Our chefs design menus with you, we offer a seasonal vegan or vegetarian entrée, and we accommodate all dietary needs. If you want a wedding near Poughkeepsie where every guest eats well, contact Novellas and book a tour today.
FAQs
We collected the questions couples ask us most often about food and guest diets, and we answer them below. If your guest list includes a situation we did not cover, call or email our team and we will talk it through with you before you make any final menu decisions.
Do you offer vegan or vegetarian entrées?
Yes. Our plated dinner includes a seasonal vegan or vegetarian entrée, and our buffet offers vegetarian choices such as Eggplant Parmesan.
Can guests with different diets share a table?
Yes. Plated dinner guests choose from each category, and buffet guests build their own plates, so mixed diets can share any table.
Does cocktail hour include vegetarian options?
Yes. Our hors d'oeuvres include vegetarian and vegan options.
Does the buffet include bread and vegetables?
Yes. The buffet includes artisanal bread and seasonal vegetables.
Who should we contact with a food question?
Call (845) 249-6029 or email sales@novellasny.com, and our team will help.
Where are you located?
We are at 2 Terwilliger Lane, New Paltz, NY 12561, close to Poughkeepsie.
