[Happy MOB]

Hi. My daughter would like to ask her guests if:

a) they would prefer a vegetarian or vegan meal

:) they have allergies

c) they have other sensitivities to foods (i.e. lactose intolerance, etc)

I suggested that we ask the guests to return an insert card when they RSVP, that will tell us what foods they cannot eat. We would tell them that "We will do our best to alert you to any dish that contains the above foods" on this card. Then we were going to ask the banquet hall to provide us with a list of ingredients for all the dishes being served that night, so we could tell the guests about them. The idea is that they will know in advance not to consume a particular dish (this is a sit-down dinner with several courses and a midnight buffet).

We cannot offer alternate meals to those with allergies.

Is this the best way to handle this issue, or do you have any other suggestions?

Thank you very much.

[Etiquette Now]

Dear Happy MOB,

All of this could be mentioned on an enclosure. The menu could be included with all of the ingredients listed, but it could be quite lengthy with all of the courses. Perhaps it would just be best to have vegan choices available and an allergy warning for foods that are common allergy problems at the reception.

Best wishes,

[Nancy Tucker]

You could also provide a line for food exceptions where the guest can list any food allergies or vegan preference. And yes you should always be prepared with a vegetarian selection for noted requests.