Your venue is secured, the dress purchased, the photographer hired and the décor is being handled-now it's time to focus on the food and drink choices you'll be serving your beloved guests. But before you settle on ideas you've seen at other weddings time and time again, or set your heart on a selection that's no longer en vogue, familiarize yourself with menu items that feel modern and on-trend. After all, even though the meal is but a fleeting moment on your big day, you'll have photo and video memories of each course to last a lifetime.
"Nowadays, everything is influenced by social media, which is why there is so much competition in being adventurous and different when it comes to any sort of event, especially weddings," says Ieva Rakauskaite, wedding and events manager for Humdingers Catering, a London-based catering company whose clients include Gucci and Alexander McQueen. "People have seen it, done it, and experienced it-and they want something different to make their day most memorable."
Use this expert-driven guide as your inspiration for planning your on-trend wedding's food and drink service.
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Creating a food station that allows guests to customize their dishes or see a chef in action finishing the dish for them is the perfect way to add some personality and personalization to the affair. "One station our clients always love is the Cacio e Pepe station," says Mary Giuliani, CEO and founder of Mary Giuliani Catering & Events, widely regarded as one of the top caterers in New York City. "Our chefs hollow out a large Parmigiano Reggiano wheel and cook the pasta in front of the guests in the large parm wheel. We have also turned this into a full pasta bar with other types of sauces and pasta for even further variety."
The choice is yours on whether you want vegan and vegetarian dishes to be an additional option or the most prominent dishes on the menu, but they must be there. "With the increase in people turning to meat-free diets, couples are keen to reflect this in their catering," says Rakauskaite. "Whether that is a grazing buffet full of seasonal roasted vegetables and fresh falafel or an a la carte experience with fresh pasta, a move toward meat-free can introduce meat-eating guests to a delicious alternative, while also keeping plant-based friends happy."
Related: 100+ Best Vegan Recipes & Easy Meal Ideas
Think tasting rooms are only for vineyards, breweries and distilleries? Think again-it's the hottest experience to add to your reception. "Wedding guests are loving tasting rooms right now," says internationally acclaimed celebrity wedding planner Bruce Russell, Bruce Russell Events, who is based in San Francisco and London. "I personally hate it when my favorite vodka-not to mention tonic-brand is not on offer. Give your guests the full experience with a whiskey-tasting room, where they can sample and settle on their perfect tipple. Go for a gin cart where a mixologist will serve up an array of botanical-based cocktails. If you love your wine, bring in a team from the vineyard of choice and set up a full-tasting bar."
Just because it's a wedding, doesn't mean it has to be a formal affair-and that means dishes that bring your soul joy or evoke memories of a beloved vacation or childhood experience are not off the table. "This year we have been quoting our newlyweds with comfort evening food, such as street food, bespoke bowl food and grazing platters," says Rakauskaite. "Simple food that is easy to eat and fuss-free, but dishes that pack a punch when it comes to food station decorations." The key to successful execution will be in the presentation, so keep this fun idea classy and creative with tiered levels for a vibrant setup.
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Smoking may be passe, but adding smoked elements to your wedding menu is right on trend. "Our chefs create custom menus where guests are infusing the dishes with different types of smoke," says Giuliani. "This is typically done under a cloche and the guns are lit to create a cool smoke effect, which fills the cloche and enhances the flavor of the dish as well as creates a light aroma within the room." But the smokey essence doesn't stop there, as their bar team also creates cocktails that can be infused with smoke as well-think: a smoked mezcal negroni or smoked bourbon old fashioned.
Keep things local, seasonal and sustainable instead of thinking too global-you don't need to source special ingredients from around the world to impress your guests. "Weddings are traditionally celebrated within the local community, so what better way to celebrate this than to incorporate locally sourced produce and regional specialties," says Rakauskaite. "Couples are increasingly tempted to show off what their location has to offer; even weddings celebrated abroad can tie in the local cuisine."
Every drink at a wedding should be a crowd-pleaser ripe for a toast, so don't relegate non-drinkers to soda or hot beverages and leave them out of the fun. "Creating signature alcohol-free drinks that are interesting has become a big trend as well," says Giuliani. "At one wedding, we did a juice bar where you can select a juice, top off with flavored seltzers, and garnish with a variety of fruits and herbs."
Related: 18 Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks of 2023
One of the best ways for guests assigned to a specific table is to break the ice. Breaking bread together over platters of passed food. "When clients want to have their guests sit at the table and enjoy a meal, we encourage family-style dinners," says Giuliani. "This provides for great variety within the offerings and encourages guests to interact with one another. Food always is a great conversation starter!"
Sure, everyone expects cake at a wedding, but that should just be the tip of the iceberg after dinner. "Dessert tables allow the newlyweds to cater to all their guests, but also show off a playful and artsy side to them," says Rakauskaite. "The dessert table is always going to look incredible regardless of what is on the menu-the colors and design of desserts is a huge factor, but having a full station of mini treats and sweets gets the guests interacting and is really in the spirit of who the couple is."
What used to be snacks for the road at the end of the evening has now turned into food to go after a long night. "We're offering full-fledged fast food for the journey home-all wrapped up in personalized pizza boxes and branded burger wrappers," says Russell. "I've actually ordered 250 double cheeseburgers from McDonald's, which Uber Eats delivered to the venue in 30 minutes! With a little advance planning, you can take this a step further with an actual McDonald's stand outside as guests are departing." Nothing's off-limits here, so pizza and fried chicken are also fair game.
When interviewing caterers, look for one who is savvy about trends, but also willing to partner with you and get to know your preferences. "Our clients are typically looking for some sort of 'wow' factor or experience that embraces current food trends or tells their story through food and beverage," says Giuliani. "We love working with our clients to provide elements of surprise and delight throughout the evening."
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