One of the things your guests will look forward to the most (besides celebrating your love, of course) is the food! Here’s our breakdown of the different options for catering for your special day and what exactly they entail.

When it comes to wedding food options, there’s so many different ways you can go about it that fits every style, budget, and crowd. From plated meals to food truck fun, we think you totally personalize your guests’ experience with food–and believe us when we say it is always a memorable part of the evening.

Step one to hone in on your perfect wedding-catering option is to first have your venue booked and understand any guidelines (or offerings!) they might have. After you decide on your venue, you can see what makes sense for your space and what type of experience you would love to give your guests (and your wedding planner can totally help refine your ideas into a perfect plan of action!).

The Wedding Food Service Options

Wedding Catering Options: The Options and What They Entail

Plated Meals

If you want to give your guests a formal, served dinner (or brunch, lunch, etc.), this option is for you! You can spoil your guests with a coursed meal that includes an appetizer, entree, and dessert as a sweet way to end your meal. We think this is definitely the most formal and elevated option, but consider that this option takes the most planning and prep–considering you’ll have to have your wait staff follow a seating chart and make sure of any dietary restrictions/preferences beforehand.

Buffet

A popular option for food service is buffet! A buffet allows your guests to pick and choose from the options that you offer to them (with assistance from your buffet staff, of course). We love that your full buffet spread can serve as another way to woo (and spoil!) your guests throughout the evening.

Action Stations

From waffle stations to boba bars, we LOVE the idea of having fun action stations where the food is prepared by chefs (and other professionals) right in front of your guests! We love that it serves as a fun detail to your cocktail hour/reception and it ALWAYS serves as a cute photo-op for your guests and yourselves!

Passed Appetizers

Don’t mind if we do! We love to opt for passed appetizers–or bite-sized hors d’oeuvres that your guests can enjoy while mingling during cocktail hour or walking in your reception area. These passed appetizers are a great little treat for your guests to have before they sit down for a full meal.

Spreads

From charcuterie tables to grazing tables, we are big fans of delicious looking spreads for your guests (and you!) to enjoy. This is a great idea to incorporate beautiful food presentation with the foods you love most, whether its a tropical fruit spread or an extravagant charcuterie spread.

Food Trucks

A popular option for the foodie lovers as of late has been food trucks! Finding great local options for food trucks that serve everything from photogenic desserts to yummy ethnic-infused cuisines is a neat way to have your guests have a modern culinary experience during your reception. Not only is it a cute photo-op, but we think the options are endless here with the wide variety of food options on wheels nowadays.

Cake and Punch

A great idea for an elopement or a shorter wedding day is having a “cake and punch“ reception. Rather than serving a full sit down meal, you jump right to the good stuff (your delicious cake!) and some drinks for a perfect late-night celebration or a shorter, minimony or elopement-type celebration.