In the wedding planning world, summer time only means one thing: wedding season is starting! That’s right. Summer marks the beginning of the most wonderful time of the year when thousands of engaged couples say “I do” usually between May to September.

So if you’re one of the many planning your big day in the summer months, you’re probably wanting to get a headstart on finalizing the wedding food ideas. So, as you know, food planning is a huge part of any wedding, from the appetizers to the traditional wedding cake, you need to come up with a great summer wedding menu.

Planning your summer wedding menu is one of the most important tasks you need to do months before the actual wedding day. Why? Because there are tons of food options to choose from for summer weddings so you need to decide as soon as possible. You also need to work with your caterer to make a plan, and for that, you need to know what you want. Also, you need to take into consideration the summer weather and venue when planning your food options. There are so many options food-wise. You can have a wedding buffet, if you prefer buffet-style serving, you can have interactive food stations, sit-down meals, or something else you like.

So, in this post, I’m sharing a roundup of summer wedding menu ideas that can hold up in the heat, keep your guests cool and refreshed, and help you take advantage of the seasonal produce.

Summer Wedding Food Ideas

Appetizers

Appetizers are super important if you want to serve food your guests will love. Luckily for you, appetizers can be a super simple crowd pleaser to make, and there are tons of options. Some of the best appetizers are finger foods, because they’re so easy to eat and grab from the plate, and guests always love them. So, wedding finger foods are usually the go-to move for wedding food ideas, no matter if you have an outdoor wedding, or a traditional wedding inside - they work great for both styles.

Here are some appetizer ideas your guests will enjoy:

APPLE PROSCIUTTO BITES

This summer treat is one that’s simple, elegant and brings a tasty, crowd pleaser bite.

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.

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 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.

LOBSTER ROLL APPETIZER BITES

This recipe we found from Cooking Contest Central and love is super easy to make for wedding guests this summer. And great to serve if you’re looking for seafood options to pair with surf and turf ideas.

Ingredients

For the Lobster Salad

1 cup cooked diced lobster meat
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons snipped chives
pinch of freshly ground black pepper

For the toast

4 slices firm white bread
4 tablespoons soft butter

Instructions

Place lobster in medium bowl. Blend mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives and pepper; spoon over lobster and gently toss to coat. Chill until ready to serve.
Remove crusts from bread, if desired. Butter both sides of bread and toast on a griddle until golden brown and crispy. Top with lobster salad and cut into serving pieces. Garnish as desired.
Top toasted bread with lobster salad. Cut into serving pieces. Garnish as desired.

GRAZING TABLE

Grazing boards are great for both appetizers and snacks, they’re really one of my favorite wedding food ideas! Put some great cold cuts on there, different types of cheese, crackers, and serve fruit & veggies, and you’re all set! Having a variety of meats and cheeses is a great way to make sure people can find something they like, while also keeping it simple and delicious. Because it’s summer, you’ll want to be sure to include the fresh summer fruit as an extra way to stay hydrated in the heat.

Main Dishes

Main dishes are obviously super important for any wedding menu. There are many summer wedding menu ideas out there, but here are some ideas that your guests will enjoy:

Adobo Chicken with Rice

500 calories

Ingredients:

2 cups Green beans - 78 calories
½ cup Rice, cooked - 110 calories
¼ Jalapeño, slice - 0.25 calories
5 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 190 calories
⅓ Tbsp Garlic, minced (Tbsp) - 0 calories
2 Tbsp Soy sauce - 0 calories
1 Tbsp White vinegar - 3 calories
1 Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) - 119 calories
1 Salt, dash - 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

Instructions:

Mix in a bowl: garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, oil, and salt & pepper.
Marinate chicken in the fridge for at least 1 hour.
Spray a baking sheet with an oil spray.
Bake chicken for 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Top with jalapeno slices.
Add in green beans (& pour marinade from the chicken over the green beans) for the last 15 minutes.
Cook rice as instructed on package.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Alfredo Gnocchi and Sun Dried Tomatoes

VEGETARIAN

461 calories

Ingredients:

1 Cauliflower gnocchi, frozen, 1 serving - 140 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw - 14 calories
1 Tbsp Tomatoes, sun-dried - 17 calories
¼ cup Alfredo sauce - 100 calories
5 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 190 calories
1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

Instructions:

Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Spray pan with an oil spray, turn heat to low. Cook chicken and gnocchi (from fresh or frozen) for ~10 minutes, until cooked through.
Add in tomatoes for 2-3 minutes.
Add in alfredo sauce and spinach for 4-5 minutes. Top with pepper.

Avocado Salad Lunch

399 calories

Ingredients:

½ Avocado, small - 116.5 calories
⅓ cup Cheese, crumbled, feta - 133 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, lettuce, raw - 10 calories
1 Tomato, medium - 22 calories
⅛ cup Nuts - 100 calories
1 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) - 17.5 calories
1 Garlic salt, dash - 0 calories

Instructions:

Mix avocado (cubed), tomato (chopped), feta, lettuce, vinaigrette, and garlic salt for the salad
Have nuts on the side – or you could mix them into the salad if you like!
Note: Add chocolate if you want to (track it!) – it’s not included in this recipe
No nuts? Use seeds. Roasted & salted nuts/ seeds are fine!
No dairy? Use extra avocado or crumbled bacon.
Note: I like Trader Joe’s fat free vinaigrette – but Paul Newman, Whole Foods, etc. all have good light dressings

Dessert

If you’re thinking about serving up additional wedding dessert ideas alongside your wedding cake, then ice cream or fresh summer fruit topped with whipped cream are great additions as a real crowd pleaser.

Drinks

If you’re having a wedding in the hot summer months, you need to make sure your guests are hydrated and refreshed all the time. So, summer drinks are the best thing at a summer wedding! People can get refreshed, and you get to drink something delicious.

Plus, cocktail hour is usually the best time! And you want people to stay hydrated and refreshed during your wedding reception.

So, here are some of my favorite summer drinks:

MOSCOW MULE

Moscow Mule is traditionally served in a copper mug, and it makes a great signature cocktail for your wedding. It’s refreshing with the lime but not too sweet, using ginger beer instead of a different, sweeter soda. That makes it perfect for a hot, summer day!

Ingredients:

1 ½ fluid ounces vodka
½ fluid ounce lime juice
Ice cubes
½ cup ginger beer
1 lime wedge for garnish

Instructions:

Add lime juice and vodka to a mug or glass.
Top with ice cubes and ginger beer.
Stir.
Top with a lime wedge as garnish.

MIMOSA

If you’re looking for something refreshing as well as with a little kick, you can’t go wrong with a mimosa. It doesn’t require a cocktail shaker, which is great for a wedding, since your wait staff can just pour and serve to keep the good times flowing.

118 calories

Ingredients: