Your wedding is such a special day. It’s the day when all of your friends and family will meet together with your future partner’s friends and family to celebrate your love. It is a unique occasion. When else will you have all of these same people in the room? When else do you get to indulge in celebrating your love? You want to make the most of the day and having all of these people who mean so much to you in one place.

Choosing the right dishes to serve at the wedding is another one of the decisions that you need to make to ensure that all of these people have a fantastic time on your big day. A lot of the budget from your wedding will go on food, so ensuring it is exactly how you want it to be is important. No matter what price food you have, when you multiply it across the number of wedding guests you have, it can be very expensive. Start by coming up with a few different food ideas and then seeing how much they will cost.

You need to pick a style of food that fits with the moment, the flow of the wedding, and the overall style. Are your wedding guests coming from the ceremony and likely ravenous? Are you having a long break before the wedding reception while you’re having photos and need to ensure your guests are fed? Are you having an opulent dramatic event and need to ensure the food fits the theme? Are you having a low-key and intimate event? Are you having a summer wedding or a winter wedding? Do you need to have vegetarian options if some of your wedding guests are vegetarian? Or vegan? Or gluten-free? Find that out when you send your wedding invitations. Is your wedding style more for buffet-style food, sit-down dinners, or something less formal? All of these decisions will impact your food choices. These ideas inspire a beautiful wedding reception. So, here are some wedding food ideas that both you and your wedding guests will love, and that will make your big day perfect.

Best Food Ideas For Wedding

Hors D'oeuvres

It can be a long day for your guests. The preparations can start early, with hair and make-up appointments. Transport to the venue and then your ceremony. Then there is often a gap until they actually sit down to experience the wedding reception. Making sure your guests have something at this cocktail hour to eat at this stage is crucial. Whatever you serve, it needs to be bite-sized, e.g. able to be eaten with one hand (your guests will be balancing a glass of champagne and possibly a handbag!). For the same reason, you want to ensure it doesn’t make a sticky mess of their hands. Here are some of my favorite hors d’oeuvres.

Oysters

Simple to eat without getting your fingers dirty and they feel like a luxury good. If you want to add a bit of class to your wedding, definitely go for oysters. Just make sure they’re stored properly, so they don’t go bad.

Mini Skewers

A great way to serve something that is slightly bigger than a single bite without having to worry about it falling apart after the first bite. You can use various types of meat, veggies or even fruit. Try watermelon and feta for a refreshing surprise that your guests will love. You can have french fries as a side, since they go great with skewers.

Fried Mac and Cheese Balls

I know this one sounds a little out there, but trust me. Everyone loves macaroni and cheese and this is the perfect way to make it a little more special and wedding-worthy. If you’re not having a super-traditional wedding, this can be a great food option to include. Your wedding guests will absolutely love it, and it will be unique.

Appetizers

I think having an appetizer is a great way to start any meal. You can make them special or rustic, shared or individual, vegetarian or not. There are so many options and I think more freedom than the traditional main meal. If you are doing a buffet meal, think about getting platters served to the tables. You can get beautiful antipasto platters these days that are a great way to start a meal. If you decided to have food themes (Italian food theme, Asian food theme, Mexican food theme, etc.) you can also base your appetizers on that - do spring rolls, bruschetta, mini tacos, etc. If you’ll have food stations, you can also do different appetizers for different food stations. There are so many wedding menu ideas, but for appetizers, there are really tons of options. It really comes down to the style of your wedding.

Salads

No wedding menu is complete without beautiful salads. If you’re having a buffet you can pile up the freshness in large serving bowls. For that option, I recommend giving them a few different salads to choose from. Or if your guests are being served at the table, try a smaller version served to their tables. Having some communal food encourages your guests to engage with each other and can build long-lasting friendships between your whole community.

Seafood

For many, seafood is a special treat. If you’re getting married near a water source, check out what fish or shellfish is available. You may be able to get a local delicacy or fish fresh out of the ocean to serve to your guests. It also depends on what time of year you’re having your big day - seafood makes more sense during summer. Just make sure to have the caterers pay attention to where it’s going to be sitting, as seafood can easily go bad if not properly stored.

Seasonal Food

I love fresh asparagus spears. But I know that they only have a very limited season so trying to get them for a window outside of those few weeks is going to be impossible or very, very expensive. Think about what food is in season during your wedding or locally produced. Is there a delicacy that guests from out of town will love to experience as part of the wedding food? If you’re having a summer wedding, think about foods that are the best during summer. If you’re having a winter wedding, think about winter foods.

Caterers

This is something to begin thinking about early. When you select your venue, ask about which caterers they use. They may have specific ones you have to use. If they do, the caterers will have a good idea of what style of food will work with your venue. Can you do a buffet in the space or do you need to have food delivered to tables? What are the caterers known for creating? Working with what their skills are will make sure they produce fantastic meals for your guests.

Desserts

Sometimes a controversial subject in wedding planning circles. Do you need dessert at your wedding if you’re having a wedding cake? Personally, I like to have a small sweet treat after the meal. You can opt for a petite-four style dessert where there is a selection of desserts no bigger than a mouthful served to the table. People can choose one or leave it if they’re happy enough with the wedding cake. You can also do something less traditional if that’s your wedding style - such as ice cream for example.

After the After Party

After the wedding cake and been cut and your guests are having a great time on the dance floor, you want to make sure that they’re still somewhat well-behaved. Having a small snack served later in the evening can help ensure that anyone who drinks too much has a chance to redeem themselves. Small portions of grilled cheese are a great option for this.

Drinks

During the flow of your wedding, you want to make sure your guests have enough to drink. Make sure there is always water around that is easily accessible. This is important for outdoor weddings if people may start to get warm and dehydrated. If your wedding is outside, you may wish you have a glass of champagne served to your guests as they arrive for the ceremony. Or you may wish to hold this back until after the ceremony as people are waiting for the reception to begin. Other couples may choose to make a signature cocktail that all their guests can enjoy. Think about how you can make it special but without the need for a bartender to whip out a shaker for each one.