Philippine caterers and all other caterers worldwide are always on the ball when it comes to food trends, and wedding food trends are not an exemption. There is so much going on to a wedding than chicken cordon bleu and champagne. Add zing to your wedding reception with any of these unique food ideas.
Mini appetizers and mini drinks
Wine pairings are almost always interesting. Nowadays, however, matching passed appetizers like lobster tacos, deviled eggs, caviar, etc. with cocktails, sake, craft or flavored beer or chocolate, coffee, cream or fruit liqueur. At times, the pairs are served together to the guests so the guest will know which app goes with what drink.
Dumplings and dim sum
Dim sums, in all their bite-sized glory, are perfect appetizer alternatives to hold the guests until everyone is settled down and before the main course arrives. Dim sum and dumpling platters are served on each table so the guests can choose and pick their choice. In some weddings, dim sums are placed on mini serving dishes on carts, strolling the venue to serve those who’d like to eat lightly. If this is not possible, the caterer might as well setup a dim sum and dumpling station.
Cupcake or donut bars
While the cake is a staple on weddings, not all are cake people. Perhaps, some of the guests have serious sweet teeth. A mini cupcake, donut or even cronut bar is an absolutely welcome idea. Aside from the donut tower for a wedding cake, some couples chose to have a DIY donut station complete with candy sprinkles, crushed nuts, sugary desiccated coconut, etc. where the guests can play around and create their own donut masterpiece.
Cheese platters
Cheese is an all-time favorite that is getting the VIP treatment these days. Some couples even hire cheese steward to teach the guests about various cheese profiles, making the setup more interactive than usual. Cheese platters are served during cocktail hours and beyond such. Some caterers serve them after dinner or along the cake-cutting. A number of wedding cakes are actually made from cheese wheels.
Candy centerpieces
Candies are also used as décors nowadays. Most commonly, candies are recreated to suit the center tables. Festive-colored candies are displayed not just to make a statement, but also to keep the guests especially the kids busy munching. Candies are 100% crowd-pleasers.
Vegan appetizers
Any wedding should have a vegetarian option or two. These days, however, couples prefer serving more organic, gluten-free and other vegan food options to their guests. For instance, caterers are now serving veggie spring rolls, falafel sliders, grilled vegetable kebabs, risotto cakes, herb-stuffed potatoes, vegan sushi, spanakopitas and blue cheese cheesecake, among others.
Comfort food appetizers
Anything comfort food mini is perfect as appetizer or entrée and side dish. More and more couples engage their guests with tiny grilled cheese over a shot of soup, for example. Other options are baked oyster, smoked salmon deviled egg, waffle fry nachos, golden fish croquettes, garlic spinach balls and mixed mushroom tartlet.
Taco bars
Making tacos is a fun and interactive experience. Tacos can be an all-day, all-night appetizer because guests can pair them with sodas or juices and bubbles. They can also snack on it when they feel the itch to make and taste some. Just make sure the essentials are present such as cheese, guacamole, jalapeño, tomato, onion, lettuce, cucumber, olive, sour cream, salsa, taco meat, etc.
Biscuit and waffle bars
Weddings aren’t complete without any kind of bread. Biscuits, waffles, sandwiches, pancakes, cookies, cupcakes and even mini French toasts will unequivocally delight your guests even during cocktail hours and in the evening before heading home. Some couples even include banana split sundaes to remind the guests of their favorite childhood morning treats.
Soup shooters
Soups are being dressed up fancily as well. As hors d’oeuvres, these drinkable shooters could be chilled pea, cold gazpacho, spiced butternut squash, chilled avocado and cucumber, tomato and basil puree, white bean with bacon, creamy cauliflower and apple or anything that you, as a couple, enjoy. Garnish the shooters with fresh herbs for that ultimate visual contrast.
Coffee-flavored desserts
Keep the caffeinated by serving desserts such as espresso brownies and Frappuccinos with whipped cream. Decaf options such as flavored frothed milk and chocolate milkshakes must be served as well to maintain variety. If you want, you can have a coffee-themed wedding or a coffee-flavored wedding cake if the former is too much for you and your guests to take.
Bubble bars
Not all your guests are drinkers, but for those who are, setting up a bubble bar is the next best thing to do. The bar should include sparkling wines and of course, flavored mixers such as lemonade, peach and strawberry mixers. For the non-drinkers, alternatively, you may setup a soda bar complete with a variety of sodas and flavored syrups where guests can mix and create vanilla-flavored Sprite, for instance.
Cereal bars
Any guest will surely appreciate cereals for midday and midnight snack. Options for cereals are endless. You can just instruct the caterer to put them in keep-worthy glass jars, so the guests would know what cereals they are getting. Put sliced fresh fruits like blueberry, strawberry, mango, banana, etc. as well as milk, yogurt or ice cream to go with the cereal. You may also feature fresh nectarine, honey or heavy cream for variety. Skip the big bowls though by placing mini bowls or any grab-and-go bowl.
Truffle bars
Aside from bacon bars, truffle bars slowly crept into weddings. Bars with truffle burgers, truffle mac ‘n’ cheese, truffle brownie, truffle hazelnut caramel – anything truffle can make any wedding ooze with sophistication. Some bars feature shoestring potatoes or French fries flavored with truffle aioli or sprinkled with truffle oil.
Homebrews
Cocktails bar is still fascinating though some couples chose to take it a notch higher by asking caterers to setup a BIY station. BIY means Brew It Yourself so the guests can show off their wine-making skills. Some couples even transport imported wines from their hometowns for their guests to appreciate.
Captivatingly, wedding food trends of 2014 is increasingly becoming more representative of the newlyweds’ and guests’ favorites. Nonetheless, the current trends are not forgetting flavors and freshness.
