Wedding Menu Trends
Wedding menu — ahh, yes — what to feed your guests apart from the booze. Wedding menus are as important as that finding that perfect wedding dress or that perfect wedding ring.
When my husband and I got married in 2001, we just chose our wedding menu from the standard choices that the hotel of our choice had on offer. Swapping one dish to another is as flexible as they get.
Now, wedding menus are as customisable as any other detail of your wedding!
What do the caterers say about the trends of menus today?
“We are seeing a trend toward multi-course seated dinners with a succession of small plates and tastes rather than the standard three-course meal,” says Wendy Pashman, president of Entertaining Co. in Chicago. “More than ever before, we are offering ‘small preludes’ as guests sit down to the table prior to the first course.” These could include serving a mixture of chips such as plantain, red beet, yellow beet and sweet potato with pineapple chutney, or a “baba meze” tray featuring Middle Eastern dips and breads — “just something to share and munch on during toasts,” she notes.
Lisa Hill, sales manager at Atlanta-based Bold American Catering, notes that miniature foods, such as mini cheeseburgers, mini chili dogs, mini cones of seasoned French fries, and soup shooters served in shot glasses “are all the rage right now” for weddings in her region. “All of this food is completely recognizable,” she says, “but the miniature size makes it fun and exciting for wedding guests.”
Smaller plates are fun to create, but they also mean more service and prep work, Hill says. Menu items such as one-bite Caesar salad on a fork and trios of soup shooters “require more plates per person,” she explains. “But with talented chefs in the kitchen, they are able to offer constant replenishment so the food remains fresh and hot right up to the minute guests take their first bite.”
What about the eating arrangements?
“Swanky cocktail receptions are what most of our brides are going for these days,” Hill says. “This type of reception includes action stations with chef attendants, which not only provides an exciting assortment of food, but entertainment for guests.” She attributes the popularity of the trend to the fact that “chefs have become such superstars now that it is important to get them in front of the guests.” Brides also like the flexibility of this type of service because “it allows their party to be more fluid and fun.”
Specialty cocktails are especially popular for weddings, Hill says. “Many brides are selecting cocktails and renaming them to include their and/or their groom’s last name as a signature cocktail for the event,” she explains. “If Sally Smith marries John Stanley, they may choose to serve a ‘Smith-tini’ and a ‘Stanley spritzer.’” The signature drinks “personalize an event and make it fun and memorable for everyone involved.”
Via Special Events
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