Wedding Reception Food/Snack Ideas....?

Question

So I'm trying to get some ideas together for my wedding NEXT year. About 50 or so people. Not big at all. We aren't very wealthy and I don't have a family that can do the traditional paying for the wedding. Its really just me and my man doing it all.

So I've got a great place to have the reception and some great ideas for our bar, but I'm wondering about some ideas for food. I don't want people to be starving, but I can't feed them a meal. So I was thinking about doing something simple...like a snacky buffet. Meat and cheese trays (to make sandwiches, salads, desserts. Ya know?

1. I want to know what people think about going to a wedding that serves foods like that.

2. Any ideas on something fun and fairly easy to add to the buffet?

Any other suggestions would be great too!

Answer 1

Chips and salsa! You could mix it up a bit, get different color corn chips. Or if you live in an area with a Pat n Oscars order a whole bunch of breadsticks, those are always a hit.

I think most people expect to be served dinner when they go to a wedding reception, so it'd be wise to mention on the invite that it's like an appetizer thing only. Maybe plan the reception to take place between lunch and dinner instead of at the normal time for either of those.

Answer 2

There's nothing wrong with not serving a meal...an afternoon wedding is usually perfect for that.  Too late for lunch, but too early for dinner.  I do catering on the side and see it more and more, your basically having an extended cocktail hour...drinks and finger foods.  If your serving drinks you definately want to put out food so no one gets too plastered.  

Another thing that's good is you don't have to have the headache of planning the seating arrangements.  just put out a bunch of tables and let everyone just sit where they want to...Just set a buffet table with lots of different things that can be prepared ahead, so you don't have to worry too much on the big day....Some choices you can prepare the day ahead are:

-Platters of mixed cheeses with fruit and crackers

-Veggie platter with dip

-Antipasto platter- cured meats, roasted veggies, olives

-Platters of assorted mini sandwiches

-Tray of chicken wings w/blue cheese and celery sticks

-If you have an oven at the place where your reception is and a friend willing to help out, go to sams club or costco and get the frozen hourderves they sell in bulk quantity, put them out on platters...(mini pigs in blanket, quiche's)

-bake a bunch of quiche's the day before and slice into pieces and arrange on trays...you can make several varieties

Quiche Lorraine- Swiss and Bacon

Broccoli and Cheese

Spinach and Feta- or bake miniature ones in the little phyllo does shells they sell at the supermarket- serve room temp.

For dessert you will have the wedding cake and you can put platters of cookies and fruit salad out as well.

Good luck and best wishes!

Answer 3

I had a chocolate fountain at mine with giant strawberries to dip, white choc and dark. it was a hit and easy to do, you can buy the fondue pots and do it that way also.

Answer 4

Well ... Ill tell you this....when my wife and i got married we had 185 people at the wedding.  Now,  I really didnt have any decision to make for the wedding because i didnt pay for it.  but my wife and i HATED EACH OTHER the months before the wedding . It can be very stressful.  I would recommend a private affair between you and him and just family.  This cuts the HATE to a minimum, and it is accually more intimate than having a gigantic wedding like i had.  My wedding was the wedding of the century (trust me it was) but i didnt enjoy it like i wanted to.  Make the wedding about you and him , NO ONE ELSE!!!. and make it special.  oh and for the buffet add chicken fingers.  they go along way for the people that are waiting to see the wedding party.

Answer 5

If you want to see what a banquet manager would do in your situation, and to learn more of what they really do, visit:

http://soyouwanttobeabanquetmanager.blog...

Answer 6

Lasagna

Spaghetti and meatballs

Swedish Meatballs

Macaroni-Tuna salad

Potato Salad

Pasta salad

Deli Tray and rolls to make sandwiches

Fruit Salad

Buffalo wings or fried chicken wings

Tossed Salad

Meatballs in Marinara Sauce and grated Parmesan cheese for meatball sandwiches.

Answer 7

We did our reception like that, we had potato and mac. salad in beach buckets....and had different kinds of meat and cheeses,  pretzels, chips, fruit kabobs,  and then had a different pies for dessert....it was fun.

People wore beach shirts and flip flops....the decorations were nice and beachy....

We are in Pennsylvania, and went to the beach for our honeymoon.

Answer 8

A BBQ is always fun or a cookout.

Answer 9

The food at the reception depends upon the time of the wedding.  If you have a wedding at 11am or so then the aftermath of that is lunch.  Some sushi and a few shrimp carousels from Sam's Club should curve their appetites.  That along with some mini sandwiches and sherbert mixed with Sprite remix could last them until it's time to go.

Answer 10

my husband and i do catering for friends in this same situation.  some suggestions for things you can do, that are pretty cheap, and easy.  and can be made in advance.

tortilla pinwheels.  you can use the different flavored tortillas... spread them with cream cheese, or your favorite sauce... ranch, thousand island, pesto, anything you want.  then add some cheese, and meat... (roast beef, turkey or ham) and roll them up. slice them into about 1/2 slices. then use the fringed tooth picks to h old them in place, this makes a ton of them, and they are fairly inexpensive.   chips and  salsa stations are also good.  or bowls of chips and salsa on the tables.  

buffalo wings are a cheap and easy way to make alot.  and they dont have to be hot... can do sweet and sour.  also meatballs  are always a hit.  (costco is a good place to get them in bulk  or sometimes a local restraunt will let you order from their supplier.)  and of course the standard potatoe and macaroni salads.  but italian pasta salad is easy to make too.

best wishes!!

Answer 11

Ok...I live in the south and bufftet receptions are the most popular.  Here are some staples of a southern wedding buffet:

Fruit with dip (try sour cream and brown sugar, cream cheese with powdered sugar and pineapple juice, etc)

Veggie tray with dip

Cheese and cracker tray

Mini quiches

Mini pigs in a blanket with grainy deli mustard dip

Cake, of course (splurge on this if you can...way worth it!)

Punch:

equal parts white grape juice, cream soda, and ginger ale (this is non alcoholic so it is kid friendly)

Try wholesale clubs like Sam;s for the party trays and items in bulk.

Please dont do buffalo wings, or chips and salsa, unless you really want them.  I went to a wedding with these foods and the bride (and lots of other people for that matter) got orange buffalo wing sauce stains on her beautiful dress!  Not good for a wedding!

Good luck and congratulations!

Answer 12

The day is a celebration of your love for each other, and not supposed to be how to impress your friends... so the buffet should be just fine! ...  Try some fruit kebobs and stick the bamboo skewers into fresh pineapples, which you can also use to help decorate the table.  Or, you can hollow out 1/2 watermelon and refill it with cubed melon, strawberries, other berries (and serve with toothpicks or plates) ......  I saw an inexpensive small chocolate fountain at a kitchen store (maybe Bed, Bath &Beyond), so that might be an idea too ....  Maybe platters of croissant, or rollup sandwiches, from your grocery deli (instead of make-them-yourself platters) ......You could have a small wedding cake (to cut down on cost), with some cupcake trees (also available at craft stores, Kroger's, Walmart) to put matching cupcakes on (easier to serve & eat) .... and maybe a platter or 2 of small cookies, cream puffs, chocolate-covered strawberries, etc .......  You can buy colored Jordan almonds at Michael's & Hobby Lobby, along with all sorts of other great wedding decorations.  The almonds would be nice in little white, netting bags as favors (or you can put rice or confetti into the netting bags - also at the craft store - about 10 for $1!!)  ....  Have fun at your wedding and BEST WISHES!