As you plan your wedding, you're likely starting to think about the theme of the day. Is it a whimsical, outdoor forest theme or a classic, church wedding? This wedding theme can then flow through to your food. Not only will this help in the decision-making process, but it’s a creative way to show off you and your partners’ personalities. Guests will be discussing the food among themselves, so if it’s tied in with the theme or something special to you, it will give them more of an insight into your lives.

Wedding planning also needs to take into consideration your beliefs and culture. Does your wedding theme need to include certain ceremonies, cultural aspects or family traditions? These all build your wedding day into something that is particular to you and your partner. This also flows through to the food. Are there certain dishes that are part of your culture or traditions?

Another aspect of wedding ideas to consider is your location. Are you in the mountains, by the city or in the city? Embracing local food is a great way to save money, reduce food waste and support the local economy. Or did you and your partner meet somewhere exotic that you want to include on your wedding day? Including plates that are reminiscent of your lives are a great way to bring your friends and family into the small details of your life. Food ideas can be a great way to fondly remember parts of your relationship that are special to you. Eating the same food as your first date, or when you got engaged can be a way to weave special memories into your big day.

Whatever you decide, remember there’s no such thing as a “real wedding”. Your wedding can include any themes that you’d like. It’s your day and you can create a special day anyway that you want. Feel free to mix and match between themes that signify something special to you, break the day into sections that celebrate the way you want. Some couples want more time with friends and family at the end of the night, others want to ensure that there’s time for plenty of speeches. Think about what’s important to you.

Wedding Food Themes

Mexican

Mexico often features in many couples’ stories so it often is included in wedding catering. This style of food often is best suited to a casual wedding where you can serve mini tacos, guac and corn chips. You could even include tequila shots as part of your cocktail hour! To continue this theme throughout your wedding, consider the music you have playing and the bands you have come in to play. You could look to get a mariachi band in to bring a level of authenticity to the proceedings!

Beach

If you have fond memories of being by the ocean or you’re lucky enough to be getting married near one, definitely incorporate a beach theme into your wedding reception. You can serve oysters as part of your hors d'oeuvres, fish as a main and fit out your wedding food stations with nautical themed items like shells. If it’s a casual wedding, you could consider serving your guests a plate of classic fish and chips! A few small nods to your theme throughout your wedding can bring the whole thing together. Plan out your decorations around a theme of blue and white. Make sure you plan to include some time with your photographer on a beach. Be prepared for the wind though! Embrace the wildness of the beach and you can end up with spectacular wedding photographs.

Carnival

For a truly whimsical wedding, why not embrace a carnival theme? You can have a cotton candy stall instead of finger food at the reception, host your reception under a big top style tent and bring in some entertainment like jugglers. You could provide all guests with boxes of popcorn or ice cream bowls as late night snacks to keep them dancing into the wee hours. Keeping with the youthful theme, think about your wedding cake. You could design it as a big top or use the bright colors of a carnival. Make sure you decorate your wedding reception with plenty of fairy lights too.

Indian

Make sure that if you are choosing to embrace other cultures as part of your wedding, you’re not risking cultural appropriation. However, if you or your partner have Indian heritage embracing this as part of your wedding day is important. Or if you have memories that you made together in an exotic country like India, serving up authentic Indian cuisine to your guests can give them an insight into your lives. Meet with Indian chefs near your venue and chat with them about the sorts of food they could make for you. Make sure you do plenty of tastings to make sure you get to sample the delicacies!

Camping

Rustic, outdoorsy weddings are very popular at the moment and it’s not hard to see why. It’s a great way to enjoy open spaces while celebrating your love. If you’re somewhere you can have fires, think about having a dessert table made of smores that people can make themselves. There’s nothing quite like making your own smores over a campfire for that nostalgic childhood feeling! Lay blankets out on the ground with piles of cushions where people can make themselves comfortable. If you’re planning on it being a late one, don’t forget to have more blankets so people stay warm. For your mains, think about doing classic potato salads alongside steaks or other camping food. You could serve everything family style in big shared plates on long tables so it really does feel like going back to camp!

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