Weddings are full of joyous moments. You’re with your family and friends, celebrating the love of your life, on your big day. The celebration is a long, all-day affair. But how do you plan out the day? There are a couple of different options, depending on the flow of the event, the time of day and the wedding venue. This is another step you need to consider as part of your wedding planning.

The traditional order of the wedding day is to have the ceremony, a cocktail hour, then the reception dinner. Of course, followed by dancing into the night! During the cocktail hour is generally the time the bridal party will disappear off to get their photos taken, but your guests, of course, need to be entertained at this time too. Depending on your wedding food, you will need to think about giving them something to eat as well.

Another, less traditional option is to have a wedding cocktail hour before the ceremony. Your guests will be greeted with a glass of champagne or cocktail, you’ll be able to mingle with your guests while you're looking your freshest. You need to be okay with breaking the tradition of your guests seeing you before the ceremony though!

To make sure your guests have enough to eat, without too much alcohol, crafting a cocktail hour menu and serving appetizers during either of these cocktail hours is important. It’s also the perfect chance to create the ambience of your wedding hours with a culinary experience. You can go simple, traditional or even edgy depending on your preference. You can choose something that will compliment the wedding menu they are about to eat once they sit down to the main wedding reception or having a server walk around to offer them as passed appetizers.

Best Wedding Appetizer Ideas

Stuffed Button Mushrooms

One appetizer option is this warm, wintery, bite sized vegetarian treat! These stuffed mushrooms are easy to eat and delicious. You can create a stuffing that’s just to your taste and add it to the mushroom cap, making these individual to your wedding.

Crab Cakes

A Martha Stewart favorite, a crab cake is a great seafood option that won’t break the bank. This tasty appetizer is one the crowd is sure to love. You can mix up the platter with corn fritters if you want to make sure there’s a vegetarian option available too.

Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese

I am all about the classics. And what’s more classic than tomato soup with some gooey grilled cheese on top? You can try this comfort food as a shooter with a small piece of grilled cheese on top for a throwback to a familiar classic.

Baked Pear, Pecan and Brie Bites

Puff pastry always goes down a treat with its cloud-like texture. Top the pastry pieces with brie cheese, sweet pear, a toasted pecan and a drizzle of balsamic reduction for a sophisticated bite.

Deep Fried Mac + Cheese

Who doesn’t love mac and cheese? By bundling this comfort food up into a ball and popping a deep fryer, you create an easily mouth watering appetizer. These go well at a casual or rustic wedding and are sure to be crowd pleasers.

Mini Pizzas

Looking beyond your wedding cocktail hours, you may also want to feed people later on in the evening. If you want an option that can do double duty, mini pizzas can be rolled out once people are on the dance floor but need a little something more to eat.

Watermelon Cubes with Goat Cheese

This one can sound a little odd to people, but trust me they’re delicious. This is a perfect summer wedding hors d’oeuvre your guests will love. They’re honestly like summer in a mouthful! Simply cube watermelon and goat cheese. You want the cube of goat cheese to be smaller than that of the watermelon. Then pin together with a toothpick. You can add a leaf of basil for a kick of flavor. These bites of fresh fruits are perfect to serve on a hot day to hydrate your guests in the sunshine.

Seared Scallops

Shellfish always add an element of luxury to your menu. Serving scallops in this way is a great option to lead into a meal that contains a fish dish or to be able to give a taste of the sea at your wedding. A simple mouthful will be busting in flavor if cooked well.

Raw bar

Whether you’re having a summer wedding or you’re just big seafood lovers, add a touch of class to your menu with the addition of a raw bar. Keep your raw bar simple with a handpicked selection of seafood favorites like clams, mussels, oysters, and scallops. Or if you’re feeling fancier, opt for shrimp cocktail, lobster, and crab legs. It’s up to you! Just remember to serve everything cold.

Chickpea salad

This fresh and simple ingredient dish is a yummy alternative to traditional salad options. All you’ll need is cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, lemon juice, and chickpeas – a perfect bite alongside grilled bacon wrapped chicken or salmon. Chickpea salad also works great as a stand-alone option for your vegetarian guests since chickpeas add a great source of protein to salads.

Sweet Potato Bruschetta

If you’ve got gluten intolerant guests, or you’re avoiding gluten yourself, these are a wonderful way to enjoy bruschetta without the bread! Sliced sweet potatoes loaded up with fresh, herbed tomatoes is a great healthy way to live your best Italian life! Alternate with some slices topped with cream cheese and jam to give sweet and savory options.

Caprese Skewers

Offering caprese skewers is another great appetizer option that’s also vegetarian-friendly. This mouth-watering hors d’oeuvre offers a simple way to impress guests. You can serve them up with the traditional ingredients of a mozzarella ball, grape tomato, and basil on a skewer and drizzle dipping sauce like balsamic vinegar on top.

Deviled Eggs

Simple, but classic, finger foods don’t have to be boring. You can add a few upscale toppings to take this dish to the next level. Add a garnish such as salmon caviar to impress your guests or opt to make them bacon wrapped. Talk about mouth watering!

Meatballs

Again, a ball on goodness on a stick! By serving these on toothpicks, guests will love that they don’t have to get their hands sticky. They’re the perfect size for a mouthful of food. Serve with a small amount of sauce on top to up the flavor or mix up the type of meat used.

Fried Chicken

For an Americana themed wedding, you can’t get past fried chicken as an option. This homely option is sure to make your guests feel nostalgic for simpler times. Make sure you serve with plenty of serviettes for people!

Skewers of Fruit

A great light, summery option — a skewer of fruit provides your guests with a healthy option to choose. You can mix up what fruit is on the skewers based on what is in season so it makes it easy to substitute various fruits depending on budget and availability. It’s a great option to hydrate your guests in the heat. The colors will brighten up any space as an added bonus!

Mini Sandwiches

So many options! You can do these as small, open-faced sandwiches or with the second slice of bread on top depending on your preference. You can fill with any sort of meat, cheese, sauce, salad or vegetables that you like. You can go luxury or simple, depending on the theme of your wedding. Create platters of various options to make sure there is something for everyone available.