10 Wedding Food Ideas That Will Impress Your Guests, When it comes to wedding planning, there are thousands of details to consider, including the food and drink you’ll be serving your guests at the reception. The first question that may come to mind is what kind of menu you want—buffet or plated? Then you’ll want to consider the type of food, like whether it should be traditional or modern, whether it should be served family-style or each guest gets their own plate, etc.
Have a Signature Cocktail
A signature cocktail is a great way to personalize your wedding while also providing an opportunity for you and your partner to tie into tradition. The perfect signature drink will be tailored to your personalities, taste preferences and wedding style. Some popular signature drink ideas include: lavender-infused gin martinis for an elegant garden wedding; margaritas for a destination wedding in Mexico; and rum-and-coke floats if you’re going with a rustic theme. Plus, it’s fun! Get creative with mixers, juices and garnishes.
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Do Themed Wedding Food Stations
A great wedding food idea is to set up themed stations. A popular option is to have separate stations where guests can pick and choose their favorite dishes—maybe one with a deli station, a pasta station and maybe even some ethnic foods like Greek or Chinese. If you’re having an Asian-themed wedding, rice bowls is always a crowd favorite! Other options include carving stations, dessert tables or offering passed appetizers at your reception. The possibilities really are endless—all you have to do is brainstorm some menu ideas with your caterer and keep things interesting for your guests by varying flavors and textures.
Serve Fondue
Believe it or not, most people think fondue is a pretty old-school wedding food idea. But while it’s not typically on today’s typical wedding menu, there are several reasons why you might want to reconsider. First of all, a platter full of fondue can be downright fun to eat with guests dipping bread cubes in a flavorful liquid (just make sure to pair them with a bottle of wine as they dip!).
Second, there are many different types of cheese that work well for creating homemade fondue – giving you an almost unlimited amount of flavor combinations that your guests will love and appreciate. Cheese also has one more advantage: It’s easy on sensitive stomachs, which means no one will have to forego their dish just because they don’t feel well.
Offer Cocktails on the Lawn
Cocktail bars and cocktail lounges are all well and good if you’re looking for a quick drink with your friends, but they don’t exactly scream romantic. If you want to create an ambiance that feels sophisticated and elegant, consider offering your guests cocktails while they take their seats before dinner or on an adjoining patio or lawn.
A strategically placed liquor cart will offer self-serve drinks (with a bartender ready to assist) so your guests can come and go as they please. It’s also a great option for outdoor weddings where mingling is encouraged—and may even be necessary in order to keep guests comfortable during outdoor ceremonies.
Add Some Nachos to Your Menu
You can get carried away with traditional wedding foods that are difficult to replicate for guests. Skip a table full of macaroni and cheese, meatloaf and mashed potatoes, and offer a more unique take on classic comfort food: nachos. Layered with tortilla chips, crumbled cornbread or potato chips, some black beans or pinto beans (or both), salsa and cheese for grilling, you’ve got your own custom wedding-food spin on one of America’s most beloved appetizers.
Just make sure your guests don’t use it as an excuse to avoid mingling with others during cocktail hour; snacking is fine but slurping back melted cheese shouldn’t be acceptable at anyone’s wedding reception.
Have a Cookie Table
One of my favorite wedding food ideas is to have a cookie table. Guests will love coming up, choosing their favorite cookies and then taking them back to their seat. It’s a fun activity, especially for younger guests and it’s another way to make sure they’re eating while they’re at your wedding.
Other food stations that can be placed throughout your venue include: salad bar, cheese & cracker table and hors d’oeuvres such as pigs in a blanket and artichoke dip served with fresh veggies or chips. As you are deciding on each menu option keep in mind not only what you would want at your own wedding but also what types of foods your guests would like!
Create Something Different With the Cake Display
A wedding cake is an important centerpiece for most weddings, and it will no doubt look gorgeous on your big day. However, if you’re looking to stand out from other brides and impress your guests at once, then we’ve got some suggestions for you. While a traditional tiered wedding cake is beautiful in its own right (you can’t go wrong with classics), these alternatives are sure to turn heads—and get compliments! Use just about anything in place of a traditional white wedding cake—your imagination is your only limit. You can have a different look for each tier or layer, or do them all differently to create visual impact. Here are ten of our favorite wedding food ideas
Choose Fun Desserts to Complement Your Theme
Did you choose a specific wedding theme? If so, it’s going to be easy to find inspiration for fun desserts that complement your theme. For example, if you want a tropical or summer wedding, consider finding one of these 10 wedding food ideas: sea-salt caramels, fruit on a stick with tropical sauces and chocolate covered macadamia nuts. Does your party have an Alice in Wonderland theme? Serve cakes that look like teacups and saucers. Are you having a fairytale wedding? Serve cupcakes with whimsical toppings such as candy and sprinkles. Have an elegant black tie affair? Try serving beautiful white frosted cake pops—they are sure to add some fun without looking too kiddie-like!
Serve Signature Drinks during Dinner Service
Signature cocktails are a great way to set a mood and get your guests in the right spirit. Choose something easy to make and serve, such as an interesting white wine or sparkling water with fruit. Mixers like ginger beer and lemon juice can be easily mixed by wait staff on-demand and without much fuss. This will add some pizazz to your wedding and ensure that everyone is well hydrated throughout dinner service! If you’re worried about alcohol consumption at your event, consider offering non-alcoholic drinks as well—it’s one of our 10 Wedding Food Ideas Your Guests Will Love for a reason!
Get Creative with Canapés
Canapés are creative mini-appetizers served at weddings and parties. They’re a great opportunity to showcase both your host’s and your own personal styles and tastes, as well as an opportunity to impress your wedding guests by doing something different than just serving up a caterer’s interpretation of wedding food. A canapé́ can be an amuse bouche, it can look like a flower, or it could simply be a unique take on finger food. But what is most important about these tasty snacks is that they keep everyone excited about being at your wedding—all day!
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Conclusion
The morning of your wedding is a whirlwind: You’re tying and untying knots, making sure every detail is in place, and calming jittery guests as you race from one side of the venue to another. For many brides and grooms, after all that stress comes down to one thing: How are we going to feed everyone? Avoid scrambling with these 10 wedding food ideas. Your guests will love them – and will happily pay you compliments on it for weeks (and even years!) to come.
