Wedding Reception Food Ideas

Planning the food for wedding reception can be a daunting task. There are a number of factors that should be considered before planning the food for wedding reception. Number of guests and the time of wedding reception, are two main things that should be kept in mind while selecting the menu for wedding reception. Moreover, the type of food served at the wedding reception also depends upon the theme of the wedding reception. Appetizers, main course, drinks and the wedding cake are some of the main food items served at the wedding reception. So, if you are confused with the planning of food, then here are some wedding reception food ideas for you.

Food Ideas for Wedding Reception

Usually, the menu is decided depending upon the time when the wedding reception is going to be held. If you want inexpensive food ideas, then plan the wedding reception to be held during morning. Such receptions are quite inexpensive and you can serve simple food items like sandwiches, muffins, fruits juice, etc. Lunch and dinner wedding receptions can be very expensive, but you can cut down some dollars by arranging a buffet style serving. The food served at the wedding reception depends upon the form of wedding reception, like for a casual wedding reception you can have barbecue and serve a bit messier food items.

If it's a small and casual wedding reception you can prepare the food items by yourself, instead of hiring a professional caterer. For formal style wedding reception, professional caterers are hired and they provide you the list of food items they serve. You can make your choice from the menu, but make sure that the selected food items are familiar and your guests don't end up guessing what they are eating. Given below are some wedding reception food ideas for different types of food items like appetizers and main course.

Wedding Reception Menu Ideas

Party food starts with appetizers! You can serve several delicious appetizers or finger foods at wedding receptions. Finger sandwiches, deviled eggs, meatballs, etc. are some of the appetizers that can be served at wedding receptions. A buffet style wedding reception is always in trend and a lot of appetizers can be served. You can have smoked salmon canapes, fruit dips, small crab cakes, etc. and a variety of pastas for main meals. If you are planning to have a sit-down dinner then you can have finger foods like Tuscan garden salad, fresh figs or seafood appetizers. The main course for such formal wedding reception can include meat or fish recipes like salmon or baby rack of lamb served with French fries.

If you are going to have a summer or beach wedding reception, then you can have appetizers made from fresh fruits or seafood appetizers. The menu for a summer wedding reception should reflect the season, so go for fresh fruits and vegetables. Serve fruits juices or cocktails as drinks and include hamburgers and grilled corn. These menus are perfect for outdoor wedding receptions. A beach wedding reception must have at least one or two seafood recipes (sea bass, lobster tails, etc.) on its menu. For a beach style wedding, have drinks served with those tiny umbrellas. If you want to serve pasta, then make sure you include shell shaped pasta for your beach wedding reception.

Keep your wedding reception menu simple yet delicious. Always opt for a buffet style serving, since it is easy to manage and plan the menu according to your budget. For a wedding reception with lots of guests, you should always hire professional caterers, this will reduce the messy affair on the reception day. As already mentioned, you can always prepare the menu by yourself, if you are having a casual wedding reception. So, these were some wedding reception food ideas for you. I hope this article proves useful to you. Good Luck!