Food, it’s a staple at every wedding no matter how elaborate or simple, and these days it’s more than just the cake that serves as a delicious centerpiece. Questions ranging from whether or not to use caterers, or have a buffet style meal and whether to serve a full meal as opposed to finger foods can drive you crazy if you let them. What would be a minor detail on a day to day basis becomes a major component to your big day when it comes to your wedding food.
But what if deciding on the details of your wedding food could be fun instead of stressful? Let the following four ideas inspire you, and maybe even your betrothed, to get hands on and have a good time planning for your special day.
20’s Glam
You don’t have to go with a full Great Gatsby theme to enjoy the perks of a 20’s glam theme when it comes to your wedding food. A simple but drastic way to pull this theme off flawlessly is to opt for a gold frosted, or art deco accented wedding cake as opposed to the traditional multi-tiered white cake. Additional monochrome desserts carefully arranged around the cake create a timeless aesthetic, and ostentatious table décor like crystal, antique glassware, decorative strings of pearl, and decanter sets for each of the tables at your wedding reception provide you with all the old world glamour you’ll ever need.
Make sure to keep the details in mind. Things like napkin rings, and place card holders can be either bought or crafted to match up with the intended period, and you may also want to make it a point to craft a of drink menu similar to the sort you’d find at a swinging prohibition era jazz club a la Boardwalk Empire. Classic cocktails like the Manhattan, the Old Fashioned, the Moscow Mule, and the Brandy Alexander are perfect selections, and favors like mini champagne bottles and flasks for the bridal parties will be a major hit that’ll keep the memory of your amazing wedding food, and drink, selections a memory that stays fondly on their minds.
Casual Cool
For casual cool wedding food, just think beach house chic or a fancy family party if that sits better with you. Offer your wedding guest surf and turf style options, i.e. lobster, shrimp and scallops, or filet mignon with twice baked potatoes and quinoa instead of the run of the mill chicken, fish, or steak. If the foods you’ve decided to serve don’t have the potential to be too messy, consider family style serving. This offers the casual feel of a buffet without breaking up the flow of the wedding reception space or offering a potential station for food spills and long lines.
Plan on appetizers that everyone will love; 4-5 selections including comfort food style appetizers like neatly wrapped Parisian style sandwiches on a fresh baguette, a variety of meat balls, bruschetta, stuffed artichokes, and other hearty finger foods are all great wedding food ideas when it comes to appetizers.
Tea Time
Light cuisine options are perfect when you think of all the activity that goes on at weddings and receptions, and just how dolled up each of your guests will be getting to join you on your day. Pass on a cake all together and instead order cupcakes from your favorite bakery tiered in wedding cake style as well as bright white frosted cake pops and stacked cookies that look like mini wedding cakes.
Of course tea sandwiches, similar to those most brides will have at their showers, are a perfect fit and look great served up on silver trays by a professional team of caterers. When it comes to hors d’oeuvres a variety of sushi pieces and tartare are a great way to go and variety of fruit, served on skewers or perhaps dipped in chocolate, and a DIY mimosa bar to fulfill your refreshment needs make simple yet impressive wedding food staples.
Unexpected
Many modern couples are opting for non-traditional takes on traditional themes, and they’re doing it by looking at each aspect of wedding planning with a fresh prospective. This is a great way to approach the wedding food that’ll be served, as well as how you’ll serve it, and these options can go a long way to keep things lively from the moment your guests see the magical wedding reception space you’ve created.
Blending your China patterns is a fun place to start; just pick about three patterns you really love and go with it. Make sure the China is being intricately placed on an elaborately set table and even your harshest critics who come in the form of wedding guests will be able to appreciate what you’ve done. Find creative ways to literally spotlight the food, like having delicately strung decorative lights glow up from underneath the tables, and keep the well-stocked bar well decorated with a highly detail oriented set up of the glasses and bottles that would be behind the bar even if you hadn’t decided to make it a focal point.
When it comes to the actual wedding food, dressing up simple party foods or spotlighting regional or organic dishes is a great way to embrace the unexpected and thrill your guest with an appetizing flavor pallet.
Ashley Jones is a New York transplant, who attended St. John's University studying Mass Communications (getting all the college writing courses out of the way in high school). She also minored in International Studies, spending half a year in Paris, Rome, and Salamanca, with some independent travel here and there.
Since then, Ashley has lived with her boyfriend in a log cabin in upstate NY, volunteered with MoMA PS1, covered luxury niche topics including jewelry design, and written pages and pages on dating, sex, relationships, and wedding planning. Among other things she aspires to travel more, eat well, and pen a collection of short stories in the near future.
You can see more of her work published regularly on the philanthropy & lifestyle site Ask Miss A.
