Appetizers are something that’s a part of every wedding food plan. They are practical, they’re a great option for pre-wedding cocktail hours, and they’re a wonderful way to make your guests feel at ease before the actual wedding ceremony begins.

Another well-known fact to anyone who’s planning a wedding, is that food is a huge part of the wedding budget, and a big part of it goes to food.

So, it’s always great when you can cut that cost a little bit, and save some money.

A great way to do that is to DIY your appetizers.

They usually don’t require any cooking, they’re fast and easy to prepare, and your guesses will be blown away. There are tons of food ideas you can do yourself without going through too much trouble. Consider these as tiny wedding DIY projects.

So, in this post, I am sharing some DIY wedding appetizer ideas that are sure to keep your guests happy until the actual wedding reception, and will make a great addition to your wedding menu.

DIY Wedding Appetizer Ideas

There are quite a few DIY wedding appetizer ideas that you can prepare for your wedding. In this section, I will mention what they could be, and give you some recipe ideas, so you’re all set for your wedding.

Finger Foods

Generally speaking, finger foods and hors d'oeuvres are great as appetizers for any type of occasion. But especially for your wedding food. It’s easy to eat, your guests can just grab as much as they want, or they can eat just a little bit if that’s what they want to do.

Plus, it’s easy to grab while they’re chatting and enjoying your wedding day and wedding party.

Here are some recipes for DIY finger foods that are good served cold, so you don’t need to worry about the food getting cold.

APPLE PROSCIUTTO BITES

313 calories

Ingredients

1 Apple, small - 77 calories

1 cup Leafy greens, arugula, raw - 5 calories
⅓ cup Cheese, Parmesan, shaved (cups) - 111 calories
2 oz Prosciutto - 120 calories

Instructions

Slice apple.
Top apple slice with 1 piece arugula + 1 strip Parmesan.
Wrap 1 small strip prosciutto around stack and pierce with toothpick if desired. Continue.
Dairy free? Use a dairy free cheese, or more prosciutto. Vegetarian? Add more cheese instead of using prosciutto.

EGG WHITE BITES

231 calories

Ingredients

6 Egg white - 102 calories

¼ cup Leafy greens, spinach, raw - 1.75 calories
¼ cup Tomatoes, grape - 8 calories
¼ cup Cheese, shredded, cheddar - 114 calories
1 tsp Hot sauce - 5 calories
1 Salt, dash - 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spray a muffin tin with oil spray.
Slice tomatoes and spinach.
In a bowl, combine egg whites, spinach, tomatoes, cheese, and seasonings whisking until well combined.
Pour mixture evenly into muffin tins.
Bake ~30 minutes or until you can insert a fork into a muffin & pull it out clean.
Top with hot sauce.
No dairy? Use a dairy-free cheese or avocado.

CHEESE AND CRACKERS

190 calories

Ingredients

1 Serving of crackers, whole wheat, 110 calories per serving - 110 calories
1 oz Cheese, sliced, mozzarella, full fat/ regular - 80 calories

Instructions

Cut cheese into small slices.
Make mini sandwiches with crackers and slices of cheese.
No dairy? Use avocado or peanut butter. Gluten free? Use gluten-free crackers.

BOWTIE MEATBALL BITES

These are good both hot and cold.

283 calories

Ingredients

½ cup Pasta, cooked - 100 calories
½ cup Leafy greens, lettuce, raw - 2.5 calories
3 oz Mini meatballs, turkey - 180 calories

Instructions

Cook pasta (bowtie shapes preferably!) as instructed on package.
Microwave meatballs from frozen.
Spear with toothpicks as shown in picture.
Gluten free? Use gluten-free pasta. No meat? Use a vegetarian meatball type, available at most stores.
Cook for 25+ minutes. Insert fork or toothpick into egg muffins to see if it comes out clean (then you know it’s done).
No cheese? Use a dairy-free cheeses, or extra bacon.
Note: Silicone muffin tins work very well here (rather than the traditional metal or carbon steel ones).

CREAM CHEESE & SMOKED SALMON CUCUMBER BITES

307 calories

Ingredients

1 Cucumber, medium - 42 calories
4 oz Smoked salmon - 133 calories
4 Tbsp Cream cheese, whipped (Tbsp) - 132 calories
1 Everything bagel seasoning, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

Cut off ends of cucumber, slice lengthwise.
Spread cream cheese on top.
Add smoked salmon.
Top with seasonings.
No everything bagel seasoning? Use salt & pepper.

EGG BITES IN MUFFIN TINS WITH VEGGIES

272 calories

Ingredients

2 Egg, large - 144 calories
⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella - 112 calories
1 Everything bagel seasoning, dash - 0 calories
1 cup Leafy greens, spinach, raw - 7 calories
¼ Bell pepper, red - 9.25 calories

Instructions

This recipe works best if you’re making 2 or 3 servings at once.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a pan with an oil spray.
Dice pepper. Cook on medium heat ~3 minutes.
Crack eggs in a bowl and whisk with a fork, add in other ingredients.
Pour evenly in muffin tin. Silicone muffin tins work best.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until eggs have set.
No dairy? Use bacon.

BACON-WRAPPED JALAPEÑO POPPERS

These will be a delicious wedding menu addition, and they’re great because they’re good hot and cold.

362 calories

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Cream cheese, whipped (Tbsp) - 66 calories
¼ cup Cheese, shredded, cheddar - 114 calories
¼ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella - 84 calories
2 Uncured bacon, slice - 88 calories
2 Jalapeno peppers (whole) - 10 calories

Instructions

This bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers recipe works best when making 2-3 servings
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, stir/mash together the cream cheese and shredded cheeses (microwave the cream cheese for a few seconds first).
Fill the jalapeno halves with mixture and wrap each with ½ strip bacon. Place onto baking sheet.
Bake for 15-20 minutes

Charcuterie boards

Charcuterie boards are a great addition to the DIY wedding appetizer ideas. They’re one of the best food ideas for weddings, they make a great DIY project since they’re super easy to do, and they’re often on the wedding menu.

They are so easy to set up, they’re super convenient, since nothing needs to be passed around, guests can just come and take what they want. I will especially be popular during cocktail hour.

So, what should you include on your charcuterie board aka grazing board?

First of all - you need cheese. Take any kind of cheeses you can - brie, camembert, mozzarella, gouda, goat cheese, etc.

Now, you need meat. Any kind of deli meats would work, but one of the most popular ones you can choose is prosciutto. Definitely don’t put just one type of meat on there - add at least a few.

Next, you need fruit and vegetables.

Grapes and strawberries are the most popular for charcuterie boards, but choose whatever works for you.

For veggies, cut up some cucumber, bell peppers, and more.

Lastly, you need some sort of bread or crackers. Slice up baguettes, or open up crackers. It’s up to you!

If you want, you can even make mini “stacks” with good charcuterie board pairings, by putting a cheese and a fruit on top of a cracker, so your guests can take the pre-made ones. Some great combinations are: french bread, goat cheese, figs; a cracker, gouda, green apples; a cracker, brie, raspberry jam, etc.