Appetizers also known as hors d'oeuvres are a bite sized, smaller portion dish that’s served before the meal to stimulate one’s appetite. In recent years, this first course finger foods dish has become popular among couples, especially at weddings. They are a great way to satisfy your guests while also adding visual interest to your wedding reception spread. However, they can take a toll on your wedding budget, especially when you’re having to satisfy varying dietary restrictions and taste preferences.

Today, I’m sharing a roundup of wedding appetizer ideas you can easily make that also won’t break the bank.

10 Easy Wedding Appetizers

If you’re planning a wedding and serving appetizers, you’ll find these ideas incredibly helpful, especially if you’re one of those couples who plan to DIY on your wedding day.

Are Appetizers Necessary At A Wedding

If you’re wondering if appetizers are necessary at a wedding, the truth is, they are not. Whether you offer them or not is entirely up to you as a couple and is really dependent on your budget. 

However, they are a great option to offer if you are planning a longer wedding or if there is a longer gap between the ceremony, cocktail hour, and when dinner will be served. It can be a great addition to hold guests over until the formal dining experience.

How Many Different Appetizers For A Wedding

Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to offer guests 4-6 different appetizers to choose from. The reason being is you’ll want to be able to appease varying dietary preferences such as options for those with common food allergies like gluten free, nut free, or dairy free. You’ll also want to consider having a vegetarian or vegan option, and of course something for the meat lovers. Sidenote: Many of these options also work for those desiring keto appetizers as well, so there’s a win-win there too!

Beyond varying dietary preferences, having a few options can make the selection process interesting and exciting for guests. It can also help them feel included and delighted.

What Are The Best Appetizers For A Wedding That Are Easy To Make

2 String Cheeses with Prosciutto

Oh my gosh. This appetizer idea is one I love for weddings. String cheese with prosciutto is super easy to do, requires absolutely no cook time and can be prepped a few days in advance. You have to try it!

Ingredients

2 oz Prosciutto - 120 calories

2 Cheese, string cheese, mozzarella, full fat/ regular - 140 calories

Instructions

1. Wrap prosciutto around cheese.

2. No dairy? Use extra prosciutto or nuts/ seeds.

Bean Pepper Nachos

I love nachos for weddings because they are a fun appetizer option to offer guests. These, you can whip up larger batches at once and will be so satisfying for guests starting to feel hungry in between meals.

Ingredients

4 Mini bell pepper - 40 calories

½ cup Beans & legumes, black beans, cooked - 114 calories

¼ cup Guacamole - 105 calories

⅓ cup Cheese, Mexican, shredded - 152 calories

¼ cup Salsa - 16 calories

1 Tbsp Cilantro - 0 calories

2 tsp Taco seasoning - 10 calories

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

2. Slice mini bell peppers in halves

3. Mix together beans and taco seasoning

4. Fill bell pepper halves with bean mixture

5. Top with cheese

6. Bake for 8 minutes

7. Top with guac (I buy pre-made), salsa, more seasoning if you wish, and chopped cilantro

8. No dairy? Use more guac at the end

BT Wraps

I mean, you can’t get too much easier than this easy appetizer! Bacon wrapped deli meat is great for almost all dietary preferences (especially food allergies) with the exception of those avoiding meat. If you want to cut back on time, you can also buy the bacon precooked. 

Ingredients

4 oz Deli slices, turkey - 120 calories

4 Uncured bacon, slice - 176 calories

Instructions

1. Fry bacon on stove top by cooking on low heat & turning every few minutes. Alternatively, you can cook bacon in the microwave or in the oven (~20 minutes at 400 degrees) if you prefer.

2. Wrap turkey slices around bacon & spear with toothpick to hold together.

BLT Lettuce Wraps

Who doesn’t love BLT? While we’re on the bacon trend, throw in a few veggies for those looking for a more balanced appetizer option.

Ingredients

3 Lettuce leaves for lettuce wraps - 6 calories

5 Uncured bacon, slice - 220 calories

1 Tomato, medium - 22 calories

1 Tbsp Dressing, bleu cheese, full fat - 71 calories

½ Avocado, small - 117 calories

¼ tsp Oregano - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Fry bacon on stove top by cooking on low heat & turning every few minutes. Alternatively, you can cook bacon in the microwave or in the oven (~20 minutes at 400 degrees) if you prefer.

2. Slice tomato and avocado, and layer with bacon into lettuce wraps.

3. Top with dressing and oregano.

4. NOTES: No bacon? Use turkey or soy bacon. No dairy? Use a dairy-free dressing, e.g. vinaigrette, or more avocado. No avocado? Use more blue cheese dressing.

Caprese

Caprese bites are super easy to do for a DIY wedding, and requires no cooking which is another reason why I love them! This is just one of many foods ideas for skewer appetizers.

Ingredients

2 cups Tomatoes, grape - 64 calories

3 oz Mozzarella balls, mini - 210 calories

2 Tbsp Red wine vinegar (Tbsp) - 6 calories

⅛ tsp Garlic salt - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Stick 1 tomato & 1 mozz ball on each toothpick.

2. Drizzle red wine vinegar, and garlic salt over the bites or offer it separately as a dipping sauce.

3. You may have extra tomatoes leftover – that’s ok!

4. If you have fresh basil, add that to the toothpicks.

5. No tomatoes? Use another non-starchy veg like cucumbers or peppers. No dairy? Make an easy salad with tomatoes & 1 small avocado

Deviled Eggs

Deviled eggs are great for wedding and really any celebration. This popular comfort food is easy to make in large batches. Just requires a bit more prep work.

Ingredients

3 Egg, large - 216 calories

1 Tbsp Mayonnaise (Tbsp) - 97 calories

¼ tsp Salt - 0 calories

¼ tsp Paprika - 0 calories

0.3 Tbsp Mustard, regular (brown, deli, etc.) - 5 calories

2 cups Carrots, baby - 90 calories

Instructions

1. Hard boil eggs.

2. Once cooked and cooled, slice eggs in half and scoop out yolks.

3. Combine egg yolks, mayo, and seasonings in a bowl.

4. Spoon mixture evenly back into egg whites. Top with paprika.

5. Serve carrots on the side.

6. Note: 0.3 Tbsp = 1 tsp.

Low Carb Tea Sandwiches

The vegetarians and health-conscious guests will get a kick out of these dainty little tea sandwiches. It doesn’t get much simpler than this easy appetizer idea to make.

Ingredients

1 Cucumber, medium - 42 calories

7½ Tbsp Cream cheese, whipped - 250 calories

2 Tbsp Dill - 0 calories

2 Tbsp Chives - 0 calories

¼ tsp Salt - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Note: 7 1/2 Tbsp cream cheese = 1/2 cup

2. Cut herbs finely.

3. Slice cucumber.

4. In a bowl, combine cream cheese, dill, salt, and pepper. Stir until herbs are mixed in.

5. Spread mixture evenly on cucumber.

Shrimp Cucumber & Guac Bites

Shrimp cocktail is an easy appetizer to serve or you can take it a step further and do these shrimp and guac bites. I love shrimp with guac, and so many guests will love this one as a top favorite too.

Ingredients

1 Cucumber, medium - 42 calories

5 oz Shrimp, fresh or frozen - 140 calories

¼ cup Guacamole - 105 calories

¼ tsp Salt - 0 calories

⅛ tsp Red pepper flakes - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Spray a pan with an oil spray.

2. Cook shrimp on medium heat ~6 minutes, drain any excess liquid if necessary. Also de-tail shrimp if necessary.

3. Slice cucumber.

4. Top cucumber slices with guac and shrimp.

5. Season.

Vegetarian Nachos

Got to have something for the vegetarians. Even the non-vegetarians will love this nacho snack.

Ingredients

1 cup Beans & legumes, black beans, cooked - 228 calories

½ Bell pepper, green, medium - 14 calories

½ Onion, yellow, large - 28 calories

1½ oz Tortilla chips - 185 calories

¼ cup Salsa - 16 calories

¼ tsp Oregano - 0 calories

⅛ tsp Cumin - 0 calories

¼ tsp Salt - 0 calories

¼ tsp Pepper, ground - 0 calories

Instructions

1. Thinly slice onion and pepper.

2. Spray a pan with an oil spray.

3. Stir fry onion and pepper ~5 minutes.

4. Add beans, salsa, and seasonings to the pan. Heat for another ~3 minutes.

5. Top mixture onto tortilla chips.

Zucchini Pizza Bites

Pizza bites are super easy appetizer to make, they’re tasty, and economical too! I love these as a wedding appetizer because they red sauce and cheese are reminiscent of comfort food, and these bites on zucchini offer just the right amount of satisfaction before the main meal.

Ingredients

1 Zucchini, medium - 33 calories

¼ cup Tomatoes, canned, crushed - 13 calories

⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella - 112 calories

2 Tbsp Cheese, Parmesan, grated (Tbsp) - 34 calories

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2. Slice zucchini into coin shapes.  

3. Spray a pan with an oil spray.

4. Stir fry zucchini for ~2 minutes.

5. Remove from heat & add sauce and cheeses.

6. Bake zucchini pizza bites for 4 minutes (alternatively you can use a toaster oven).

Now, you could offer fresh fruits or vegetables on serving platters during your wedding cocktail hours as well. Or you can try any one of these easy and amazing wedding appetizers that I know your guests are sure to love.

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