Planning a wedding is one of the most exciting times of your life – it can also be among the most stressful. There are a million choices to make and to-do list items to take care of, and even the smallest decisions feel monumental.
One of the biggest decisions of all, however, is the food you serve at the event. After all, nothing ruins a reception like bad food. Hungry guests make unhappy guests, which is why serving the best wedding foods possible is so important.
If you’re feeling a bit lost with wedding menu planning, we’re here to help. To learn everything you need to know about wedding food, just keep reading!
Cocktail Hour Hors D’Oeuvres
Typically, you have a cocktail hour between the ceremony and reception. This is a perfect way to give you and your partner time to take some beautiful posed wedding pics while your guests enjoy cocktails and appetizers.
This is where your wedding menu should start! If you’re having a casual or cocktail-style wedding, you can even stretch the hors d’oeuvres throughout the night and skip the traditional sit-down meal altogether.
Rather than serving food at a formal dinner, you can request your wedding catering services to bring hors d’oeuvres trays for all-night snacking.
Here are a few hors d’oeuvres ideas for your cocktail hour or cocktail-style reception:
- Bruschetta
- Sliders
- Meatballs
- Spring rolls
- Grilled cheese bites
- Mini chicken and waffles
- Mac and cheese shooters
Start (or fill!) your evening with any of these options and you’re sure to have some happy guests on your hands.
Wedding Entrees
If you choose to have a sit-down dinner, your next step will be to choose your entrees. This is your main course and should be at the top of your list of these things to consider when choosing a wedding caterer.
For traditional seated dinners, a good rule of thumb is two or three entree choices. Don’t forget to ask about any dietary restrictions when you send out your invitations. If nothing else, it’s a good idea to at least include a vegetarian option alongside your steak or chicken.
These options should coincide with the theme and atmosphere of your wedding. For ultra-casual weddings, for example, pizza or BBQ and burgers are perfect. More extravagant weddings, on the other hand, are better suited for filet mignon and poke bowls.
The following wedding entree ideas are sure-fire crowd-pleasers:
- Lemon garlic salmon
- Steak and salad
- Lobster and risotto
- Spaghetti squash pasta
- Fried chicken
- Mushroom kebabs (vegan)
Budget Options
Hosting a wedding is an expensive business – the average cost of a wedding was almost $30,000 in 2019! Luckily, there are plenty of ways to save money without sacrificing fun or beauty on your big day.
Just because you’re a bride on a budget doesn’t mean that you can’t give your guests a tasty meal. In fact, budget options are often more popular with guests than the most expensive dishes.
For an inexpensive entree that hits the spot with your guests, consider one of these options:
- Spaghetti
- Broccoli and cheddar soup
- Brisket
- Burgers and fries
- Fajitas
- Fish and chips
- Chili
Remember, at the end of the day, it’s your wedding. You and your partner should have your favorite foods at your party, regardless of the theme. If you want a full-blown Cinderella ball with burgers and fries as the entree, do it!
Buffet Ideas
For couples comfortable with breaking away from the traditional dinner, a wedding buffet is a great alternative to the full-service meal. Guests can help themselves to everything from hors d’oeuvres to entrees to desserts!
Again, your buffet tables should match the theme of your wedding. Use your ideas for other aspects of your wedding as inspiration for your food stations.
For example, what goes better with a picnic wedding than a pretzel bar and hotdog buffet with beer flights? You could follow it up with a gelato truck for a fun and casual dessert.
A few excellent buffet options include:
- Breakfast for dinner bar
- Ice cream station
- DIY taco table
- Salad bar
- Charcuterie spread
- Prime rib carving station
- Cupcake decorating station
Dessert Table
Last but not least, no wedding is complete without dessert! We’ve already gone over a few ideas for a buffet-style dessert; and, of course, the traditional wedding cake is always an option.
You could also provide your guests with cookies, either beautifully decorated or served with icing and sprinkles to allow guests to decorate their dessert themselves.
And if slicing a wedding cake feels like a hassle or you want to provide more variety, why not serve cupcakes? You can choose multiple flavor options and still have a small wedding cake to share between you and your partner.
For warm weather weddings, gourmet popsicles and pot de cremes can add a touch of whimsy while cooling off your guests. Nothing catching your eye so far? Here are a few more ideas for wedding desserts!
- Macarons
- Candy
- Strawberry shortcake
- Mini cheesecakes
- Mini pies
- Pie pockets
- Ice cream tacos
Make the Big Day Even Better With the Best Wedding Foods
Every guest at your wedding is there to celebrate the start of the next chapter of your life with your new spouse. Even those who didn’t have to travel deserve a thank you! And what better way to do so than by providing them with a delicious meal?
By filling your menu with the best wedding foods, your big day will be even better. Your guests will be well-fed and have the energy they need to dance the night away at the reception.
Looking for more advice for planning and hosting the perfect wedding day? Be sure to check out our blog
