How To: Allergy-Friendly Weddings

One thing we can all celebrate is love! Whether you got engaged over the holidays, are currently planning your wedding, or dreaming of the day you’ll say “I do,” planning a wedding with food allergies and celiac requires an extra box to check. We popped the questions: How to find a safe cake, a caterer that can handle your allergies as well as your guests, can weddings be free of allergen, honeymoon plans, and more— see our How-To Wedding Guide to see how the Spokin Community answered.

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Alyssa


Hi! I’m Alyssa and my fiancé Connor and I are planning our wedding and our reception will be at the Planterra Conservatory in West Bloomfield Township, MI. We are getting married in a greenhouse/conservatory and are so excited to see our venue visions come to life! For our honeymoon, we are planning a trip to Greece—my fiancé’s family is from there and I will be meeting some of them for the very first time. Spokin has so many reviews across the country which has made building our itinerary so much easier. I’m excited to share my tips and advice for planning a wedding while managing a peanut allergy! Follow me on the Spokin app @alyssabauder, where I’ve shared 537 reviews, and on Instagram @allthingsallergies!

Venue: Planterra Conservatory in West Bloomfield Township, MI
Will your wedding be free of your allergens?: Yes, our wedding will be completely free of peanuts. Our caterer is in-house—Planterra does an amazing job of accommodating dietary restrictions!
Any guests with allergies or dietary restrictions?: Yes, we had our guests identify their dietary restrictions when they RSVP’d on our wedding website. Planterra will have us create a seating chart identifying any allergies or intolerances and the waitstaff will serve the correct safe meals accordingly.
Cake or dessert table?: Cake! We picked a bakery that did not use peanuts in the kitchen! Sweet Heather Anne is also taking special effort to avoid cross-contamination with tree nuts so it is safe for our guests with allergies. They partner with a certified gluten-free bakery and are delivering safe macaroons for my aunt along with our cake!
Rehearsal dinner?: We’re having our rehearsal at Detroit Athletic Club.
Honeymoon: We are planning a trip to Greece! My fiancé’s family is from there and I will be meeting some of them for the very first time. Spokin has so many reviews across the country which has made building our itinerary so much easier.
Advice for managing engagement parties, wedding showers, or bachelorette parties?: My maid of honor is a fellow food allergic human, so she knew exactly what needed to be done when planning my bachelorette trip in Napa. My advice? Find yourself an Erin!
Best tip for planning a wedding with food allergies?: This is YOUR day! Do whatever makes you feel happy, comfortable, and supported ❤️

Photo credit: Sophia Osborne Photography

Lizzie

Hi! I’m Lizzie and my fiancé Ryan and I are planning our wedding and our reception will be at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. I’m looking forward to leaning into all the creativity that sparks from planning a wedding! My fiancé and I are incorporating so many personal touches, including ones through food, that speak to who we are as a couple. For our honeymoon, we are planning a trip to somewhere tropical. I’m excited to share my tips and advice for planning a wedding while managing a peanut allergy! Follow me on the Spokin app @lizziepic, where I’ve shared 95 reviews, and on Instagram @the.good.vibes.teacher!

Venue: International Spy Museum in Washington D.C.
Will your wedding be free of your allergens?: Yes, all of the catering companies we interviewed explained in detail their allergen protocols. Some included practices such as buying all new cookware or triple industrial cleanings of all cooking materials. The catering company we did choose really made sure to answer all of our questions in detail!
Any guests with allergies or dietary restrictions?: Yes, our RSVPs will have a special section for guests to indicate their allergies and restrictions, and I will personally follow up with each of them to ensure I communicate that information well to the caterer!
Cake or dessert table?: We are leaving this as a surprise so stay tuned!
Rehearsal dinner?: We will have one, but no location picked yet!
Food favors?: This will be a surprise too, stay tuned.
Honeymoon: Wherever we go, my requirements are a view of a gorgeous ocean and drinks and food on repeat!
Advice for managing engagement parties, wedding showers, or bachelorette parties?: I feel the most comfortable when I help take control of whatever I can. While the engagement party was hosted by my future in-laws, my fiancé and I picked the venue (Hotel Hive – 10/10!) together because it was our aesthetic and it could accommodate my allergies. My maids of honor and best friends all know that I wouldn’t really want to be surprised with food things at my bachelorette, so they run all the ideas by me. My mom, who was my very first allergy caretaker and teacher, is hosting the bridal so I completely trust her judgement. Coming from a place of care and concern while being direct with what you need is always best practice! Everyone wants to celebrate you and make you feel special, and you as the bride/groom don’t want to be pushing food on your plate pretending you’re eating it at YOUR event. Don’t be afraid to ask for not only what you want, but what you NEED!
Best tip for planning a wedding with food allergies?: No, you’re not being annoying. This is literally your wedding. You deserve a day, a week, a year, an ERA of enjoying what this time is about. Empower your fiancé to help navigate these conversations and concerns with you — after all, they’re locked into a lifetime of you!

Kendra

Hi! I’m Kendra and my fiancé Imerio and I are planning our wedding and our reception at Relais-Chateau property, Il Falconiere in Cortona, Italy. We are so excited to have our wedding at one of our favorite hotels in Cortona, Italy. As a chef the food is, of course, very important to me and the hotel’s kitchen has received a Michelin star for the past 22 years. We are beyond thrilled! For our honeymoon, we are planning a trip to London and then for our one year anniversary a safari. I’m excited to share my tips and advice for planning a wedding while managing a gluten intolerance! Follow me on the Spokin app @drizzlekitchen, where I’ve shared 88 reviews, and on Instagram @drizzlekitchen!

Venue: Relais-Chateau property, Il Falconiere in Cortona, Italy
Will your wedding be free of your allergens?: While the wedding won’t be entirely gluten-free, Italy is extraordinary with gluten-free cuisine. Every time we dine at Il Falconiere they have everything gluten-free for me, not just substitutes that are lackluster. Homemade gluten-free bread, crackers, pastas, cookies—it’s incredible. Italy as a country takes gluten intolerances and celiac very seriously!
Any guests with allergies or dietary restrictions?: Yes, the kitchen at the property is exceptional at dealing with allergies. It is no problem for them to accommodate.
Cake or dessert table?: Our cake will be a very traditional Italian cake, as my fiancé is Italian I wanted him to have that and I will just skip eating the cake. The dessert table will be gluten-free, which will be my heaven!
Rehearsal dinner?: We are having a welcome party in lieu of a rehearsal dinner at the villa where I am staying. We are having a pizza cart, gelato cart and spritz cart. Our caterers will have a dedicated gluten-free pizza oven for gluten-free pizzas!
Food favors?: We will be putting together welcome kits with some of our favorite Italian treats such as little chocolates, sparkling water, travel espresso. Everything will be gluten-free.
Honeymoon: We are planning a mini moon in London and then for our one year anniversary a safari!
Advice for managing engagement parties, wedding showers, or bachelorette parties?: Our engagement parties are planned in coordination with myself, my hostesses ran all the menu past me and they were hosted at restaurants where I can safely eat.
Best tip for planning a wedding with food allergies?: Find a caterer or restaurant that is extremely comfortable cooking within allergies. Even if they’re the most recommended caterer- if they aren’t used to cooking with allergies your wedding is NOT the time to introduce them to it! We knew right away that our hotel would be perfect because of how incredible my gluten-free meal was before we even booked them. You should feel 100% comfortable with them. It’s your wedding day! You don’t want any mistakes or to feel any question about what you are eating!

Taylor

Hi! I’m Taylor and my husband Zach and I had our wedding at Flanagan Farm in Buxton, Maine. Aside from being able to celebrate with all our family and friends, my two favorite parts about the wedding were the florals and the fried dough stand at the end of the night! For our honeymoon, we went to the Maldives, where we celebrated our engagement a year prior!  I’m excited to share my tips and advice for planning a wedding while managing peanut, tree nut, coconut, and dairy allergies! Follow me on the Spokin app @Tpgordon, where I’ve shared 232 reviews, and on Instagram @Taylorgordonnn!

Venue: Flanagan Farm in Buxton, Maine
Was your wedding free of your allergens?: Our wedding was completely nut-free, but was not 100% dairy-free. We had a few items that had dairy since we did not want to use dairy alternatives like cheese etc., but aside from that, everything was safe for my allergies. Since I picked the menu with help from my mom and husband, I knew what items were safe for me. We had a lot of guests with dietary restrictions including gluten, so we also made sure to have gluten-free options as well. Our caterer was aware of my allergies as well as our guests allergies and so I knew that meal was completely safe.
Any guests with allergies or dietary restrictions?: Yes, we asked on our RSVPs if anyone had any dietary restrictions.
Cake or dessert table?: We ordered all of our desserts from Hanami Cake Designs. She specializes in allergy friendly baked goods and allowed us to fully customize our menu and cake to fit our exact vision. We were also able to taste everything ahead of time which was such a special experience as everything, with the exception of one dessert, was safe for my allergies. On our dessert table, we had an array of desserts from cookies to heart-shaped whoopie pies to mini hand pies.
Rehearsal dinner?: Our rehearsal was at Oxbow Blending & Bottling. We had BBQ from Noble BBQ and then a donut wall from Lovebirds. All our food was nut-free and most was dairy-free with the exception of two sides. The donuts were nut-free and vegan.
Honeymoon: We went back to the Maldives on our honeymoon, which is also where we celebrated our engagement a year prior! You can see my full Honeymoon Guide on Spokin here!
Advice for managing engagement parties, wedding showers, or bachelorette parties?: I planned both my engagement party as well as my bachelorette as I had a very specific vision in mind and preferred to be in control. By planning both of these events myself, I was able to make sure that all my dietary restrictions were taken care of. I had a full service wedding planner for my actual wedding weekend and worked alongside her and my vendor team to execute my vision!
Best tip for planning a wedding with food allergies?: Don’t compromise on having safe food at your own wedding! A few people gave me a hard time about having majority of the items be dairy-free, since most of our guests were not dairy-free, and you couldn’t even tell. It’s your special day so you should be able to enjoy it without having to worry!

Photo credit: @blancorazon_wedding

Lindsay

Hi! I’m Lindsay and my husband Daniel and I got married at a courthouse in the United States and then eloped in Spain. The highlight of my wedding was the private vow ceremony at the Plaza de España because it was intimate, personal, and provided a meaningful moment to reflect on our relationship and the future we were about to build together. For our honeymoon, we went to Seville, Spain and Valletta, Malta for the perfect blend of our elopement and honeymoon! I’m excited to share my tips and advice for planning a wedding while managing a tree nut allergy and gluten intolerance! Follow me on the Spokin app @Lfrost5, where I’ve shared 243 reviews, and on Instagram @Linds_Frost!

Venue: We chose a different path for our wedding, opting for a formal courthouse ceremony in the States with just our immediate circle of family. It was a simple, intimate occasion that allowed us to focus on the meaning of the day, and afterward, we celebrated with a dinner at Charlie’s in Bay Head New Jersey, who catered to my allergies and others who also had restrictions!
Was your wedding free of your allergens?: No, since we were at a restaurant, I was able to talk directly with the staff about my allergies. Having eaten there before, I knew they were excellent about handling dietary restrictions. My family ordered appetizers, and I was able to easily identify which ones I could enjoy and which I needed to avoid. I also felt confident ordering a main dish I knew would be safe for me.
Any guests with allergies or dietary restrictions?: Yes, since we were celebrating with a small circle, I was familiar with everyone’s dietary restrictions. My brother has very similar allergies to mine, so I knew he’d be safe with everything we were having!
Cake or dessert table?: I usually can’t order dessert at restaurants due to my allergies, so the day before, I picked up some safe desserts from No Whey Bake Shop, a dedicated bake shop free of the top 9 allergens. It was such a treat to finally enjoy something sweet after dinner, making the celebration feel even more complete. While in Seville, my husband and I found a safe restaurant, Postigo 10, that I felt comfortable enough to have dessert so we went there for cheesecake at night to celebrate!
Honeymoon: We did a private vow ceremony in Seville, Spain, where we spent an unforgettable week exploring the vibrant city, soaking in its rich history, stunning architecture, and romantic ambiance. After our intimate ceremony, we flew to Valletta, Malta, where we continued our celebration, making both Seville and Valletta a perfect blend of our elopement and honeymoon.
Advice for managing engagement parties, wedding showers, or bachelorette parties?: For weddings or events with close family and friends, I usually reach out to the bride beforehand since I’m comfortable with them and they’re familiar with my allergies. They often contact the caterer to discuss my concerns and share their conversation with me. If it’s someone I’m less close with (like my husband’s side), I typically eat a big meal beforehand, then ask to speak directly with the caterer when I arrive. Based on how they address my concerns, I decide whether or not I feel comfortable eating. Sometimes, just to be safe, I even bring my own meal along!
Best tip for planning a wedding with food allergies?: Adding the extra layer of complexity that dietary restrictions often bring doesn’t have to be difficult or costly, and it certainly shouldn’t overshadow the celebration itself.

Kelly

Hi! I’m Kelly and my husband Matthew and I had our wedding at Bogey’s Lakeside in Sewell, New Jersey. The highlight of my wedding was looking around and seeing all of the people you love from all walks of life in one room, knowing they are there to celebrate you and love you is just the best feeling ever! For our honeymoon, we went to St. Martin and St. Barths!  I’m excited to share my tips and advice for planning a wedding while managing peanut, tree nut, and soy allergies! Follow me on the Spokin app @kellinanutshell, where I’ve shared 5 reviews, and on Instagram @kell_inanutshell!

Venue: Bogey’s Lakeside in Sewell, New Jersey
Was your wedding free of your allergens?: Yes, I sat with the owner of the venue and we went through my allergies, and my family members’ allergies extensively. Our wedding was entirely nut-free and soy-free. The chef even made a special, personal meal for my niece who is allergic to nuts, dairy, eggs and sesame. Once the day got closer and I submitted my seating chart, I highlighted the seats of those who have allergies and what their meal would be. The day of the wedding the waiters chatted with those people to ensure they felt safe and heard. The day went smoothly and everything was delicious!
Any guests with allergies or dietary restrictions?: Yes, I asked each guest on the RSVP form if they have had any allergies or dietary restrictions so I could make sure they were safe and could enjoy the day.
Cake or dessert table?: Our wedding cake was from Nikki Rae Sweets, which is an at-home bakery. Our cake was vanilla with vanilla icing. Our actual wedding cake was small, mostly used for pictures. We had the baker make sheet cakes to actually hand out to the guests to cut the cost, but also, gave us the option for variety. The sheet cakes were vanilla, funfetti, and chocolate — all had vanilla icing. The owner’s daughter had nut allergies, once I heard this I KNEW I was safe. I felt so safe and comfortable because anyone who has personal experience with allergies just gets it, and will take ALL of the necessary precautions needed. Our cake was absolutely delicious and it was great knowing my family members and I did not have to worry once.
Rehearsal dinner?: Our rehearsal was at Filomena Lakeview — extremely accommodating and discussed each course and its ingredients with me prior to bringing it out.
Food favors?: Our “goodie bags” were a cheesesteak food truck that our venue actually offers as an add on. The food truck does not handle any nuts ever, and they luckily do not use any soy ingredients with the cheesesteaks. So they were able to accommodate to the nut and soy allergies at our wedding.
Honeymoon: We went to St. Martin and St. Barths!
Advice for managing engagement parties, wedding showers, or bachelorette parties?: My bridesmaids and my mom know my allergies like the back of their hand and are very well-educated on them. When in doubt, they asked me questions on how to navigate certain scenarios when calling restaurants or food shopping for events etc. My biggest tip is to have an open, transparent dialogue with your bridesmaids and parents.
Best tip for planning a wedding with food allergies?: Be open and USE YOUR VOICE!! You are your advocate. Please reach out if you need any help or have questions on how to navigate this process. And most importantly, CONGRATULATIONS!!

Alex

Hi! I’m Alex and my husband Marshall and I had our wedding at Miami Beach Botanical Garden in Miami Beach, Florida. The highlight of my wedding was being able to host and celebrate with everyone I love. For our honeymoon, we went to South Africa and Mauritius. Cape Town and the safari were my favorite parts! I’m excited to share my tips and advice for planning a wedding while managing a wheat allergy! Follow me on the Spokin app @passthetreats, where I’ve shared 149 reviews, and on Instagram @passthetreats!

Venue: Miami Beach Botanical Garden in Miami, Florida
Was your wedding free of your allergens?: Yes, our wedding was 100% gluten-free with tons of appetizers and different food stations. We interviewed a few caterers and ended up going with one that was on the higher end of quotes, but clearly had the better service, options to customize, and attention to detail. Bill Hansen Catering was fantastic and assured me that doing 100% gluten-free was no problem. I chose an assortment of appetizers and chose 3 different food stations to have a wide range of options and foods I absolutely love like: 1) a southern station with chicken & waffles and lobster mac n cheese, 2) a pizza station with truffle flatbread and an assortment of slices, and 3) a traditional entrée station with steak and fish + french fries and veggies. It was a dream.
Any guests with allergies or dietary restrictions?: Yes, we were pretty familiar with the guests that we knew needed accommodations, like other gluten-free and vegetarian, and a few reached out directly. I had my caterer make a couple of vegetarian specific alternatives like plain mac n cheese instead of lobster etc.
Cake or dessert table?: We went with a dessert table as I really wanted donuts the most! All of the baked goods (which included donuts and mini bundt cakes) came from Pamela Wasabi Bakery, organized through my caterer. Pamela is amazing and customized specific flavors at my request like red velvet. The other featured desserts were deconstructed tiramisu cups, mango flan, guava caramel bread pudding, which were part of Bill Hansen Catering and not a specific bakery.
Rehearsal dinner?: We had our rehearsal dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Santorini by Georgios. They are the only greek restaurant in Miami with gluten-free pita! The dinner was not 100% gluten-free, but they were happy to modify specific dishes for me and my MOH (who has celiac) with ease. It is such a fun place and they gave me and my husband plates to break in Greek celebratory tradition!
Honeymoon: We honeymooned in South Africa and Mauritius. We spent 5 days in each — Cape Town, South African Safari, and Mauritius. Cape Town and the safari were my favorite parts and I ate like a queen. Check out my Spokin Guide: South Africa Wheat-Free Travel Itinerary for everywhere I ate and stayed!
Advice for managing engagement parties, wedding showers, or bachelorette parties?: I am lucky that my maid of honor understands the severity of needing safe destinations as she has celiac herself. My bachelorette party was in Tulum, and Mexico has always been one of the easiest places for me to eat gluten-free, as corn is such a staple of the local diet. We stayed at an Airbnb and had a chef come and cook most of the meals, which is always a more comfortable option. For the meals we had out, my maid of honor was sure to contact the restaurants beforehand to confirm allergy accommodations.
Best tip for planning a wedding with food allergies?: Be sure to choose vendors that are responsive and have attention to detail! If you have flexibility, interview options to ensure you feel good about who you are working with.

Allie

Hi! I’m Allie and my husband Dylan and I had our wedding at Tre Posti in St. Helena, CA. The highlight of my wedding was having all of my favorite people together in one place! We also absolutely loved our venue—we had always dreamed of getting married in the vineyards! For our honeymoon, we went to Italy—it was our first time in Europe and we went to Rome, Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Venice, and the Amalfi Coast!  I’m excited to share my tips and advice for planning a wedding while managing a peanut and tree nut allergy! Follow me on the Spokin app @allieparks22, where I’ve shared 660 reviews, and on Instagram @allie.parks22!

Venue: Tre Posti in St. Helena, California
Was your wedding be free of your allergens?: Yes, our wedding was 100% nut-free. Making sure that I was completely safe and comfortable at our wedding was one of our top priorities. We hand selected a menu that would be nut-free. The venue came with a chef and a kitchen on-site, which made me feel more comfortable not having to go with an outside company. The chef assured me that there would be no cross-contamination with any nuts in the kitchen. There were even a few items that they needed to check for cross-contamination and informed me of things that they couldn’t be 100% certain on, so we ended up swapping or not including those items. We also did a menu tasting when choosing what we wanted to serve. The chef made sure all of the items at the tasting were exactly how they’d be served according to my allergies on the wedding day.
Any guests with allergies or dietary restrictions?: Yes, we asked on our RSVPs if anyone had allergies. We informed our venue of the allergies and specified which tables they would be sitting at and they were able to handle all allergies that we presented them with.
Cake or dessert table?: Our wedding cake was from Sweet Freedom Bake Shop, which is a completely nut-free bakery. We went with the “white velvet” cake, which was essentially a vanilla flavor with vanilla frosting. We also did a cake tasting ahead of time. We chose three flavors and they gave us a box of cupcakes with each of our flavors!
Rehearsal dinner?: Our rehearsal dinner was at an event space in Petaluma, CA in the community where some of my husband’s family members live. We ordered Italian food from one of our favorite restaurants, Giorgio’s and cupcakes from my favorite nut-free bakery, Sibby’s Cupcakery.
Food favors?: We did not have any food favors at our wedding. For my bridal shower we made little bags of Hershey’s Kisses with the label “Kiss the Miss Goodbye.” Hershey’s Kisses are safe for my allergies.
Honeymoon: We went to Italy! It was both of our first time in Europe and we had an amazing time. We visited: Rome, Florence, Pisa, Lucca, Venice, and the Amalfi Coast. It was absolutely amazing! We were happy to find out that many waiters spoke English, and many menus listed out which allergens were in each dish. With a little help from my chef card, it was pretty easy to navigate my allergies in Italy.
Advice for managing engagement parties, wedding showers, or bachelorette parties?: The best thing for me was to rely on the people who know me and my allergy the best. For our engagement party, we had it at my dad’s country club. My stepmom knew the event coordinator there and was able to very clearly explain my allergies and confirm with them that it would be safe for me. If there was anything I didn’t feel safe with, we just made sure not to include that on the menu.
I had my bridal shower at my mom and grandma’s house, so they were able to make sure everything was safe for me. We went with a brunch theme and the caterer they chose was very experienced at working with allergies. Aside from the main meal, we also made appetizers and desserts on our own like chocolate covered strawberries, lemon bars, and more! We also got cupcakes from Sibby’s Cupcakery, a nut-free bakery.
For my bachelorette party, we stayed at an AirBNB in San Diego. My maid of honor and one of my bridesmaids and I did a big shop at Costco and Target on our way to the AirBNB. My bridesmaids took turns cooking the dinners! My girls all knew that eating at the house was something I preferred over going to restaurants and everyone was happy with it.
Best tip for planning a wedding with food allergies?: This is your wedding and the most important thing is that you feel safe! It was very important for us that the wedding was 100% nut-free and that I felt comfortable. It’s best to communicate everything early on so you can confirm you feel confident in the caterer or restaurant before making any final decisions. I really didn’t want to be stressed about food on my wedding day, so being able to confirm early on with chefs and have the tasting months before allowed me to focus on my husband and enjoy the day instead of worrying about the food.

Matt

Hi! I’m Matt and my fiancée Jenna and I are planning our wedding and our reception will be at Flourtown Country Club in Flourtown, Pennsylvania. I’m very excited for cocktail hour to be nut-free! A lot of weddings I’ve been to haven’t had that so I’m thrilled to have it at my own. I’m excited to share my tips and advice for planning a wedding while managing peanut and tree nut allergies! Follow me on the Spokin app @mjflip19, where I’ve shared 94 reviews, and on Instagram @allergyeatschicago!

Venue: Flourtown Country Club in Flourtown, Pennsylvania
Will your wedding be free of your allergens?: Yes, our goal is to have a completely nut-free wedding and we are talking with our caterer to get that set ASAP!
Any guests with allergies or dietary restrictions?: Yes, our RSVPs will include a question regarding food allergies!
Cake or dessert table?: TBD what this will be but it will be all nut-free!
Advice for managing engagement parties, wedding showers, or bachelorette parties?: Be upfront about any allergies with anyone and everyone involved with the planning process. In our experience, this allows everyone to be mindful of it when planning and helps prevent any surprise additions that may not be allergy-safe.
Best tip for planning a wedding with food allergies?: Advocate for yourself — people are happy to accommodate so don’t be afraid to ask and make sure you got answers you’re comfortable with.

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