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12 Unique Wedding Food Options Your Guests Will Love

Ditch the expected wedding menu dishes and instead treat your guests to a foodie-focused experience they will talk about long after your wedding

Dobrina Zhekova
1 /12 Sanaz Photography

Reinvented Seafood Platter

Shrimp may not necessarily be the most exciting food option, but prepared and served correctly it could be a total eye-catcher. “This dish is another creative appetizer and a real crowd-pleaser. We used a colorful mix of lemons, limes, oranges, and blood oranges and topped the citrus with grilled shrimp and corn,” explains Chef Matthew Antoun of Modern Art Catering.
2 /12 Don Mears Photography

Gastropub Fare

Everyone loves beer and sliders and while the combination may not be very elegant, with a little creativity, your caterer can make it look wedding-appropriate. These half sliders paired with shots of beer are a great cocktail appetizer that your guests will rave about.
3 /12 Courtesy of Colette’s Catering

Pizza for Breakfast

If you are throwing a daytime wedding, avoid heavier food options like red meat (more appropriate for evening events) and go for a brunch-based menu. This artichoke breakfast flatbread with wild mushrooms, parmigiano, whole egg, parsley, and garlic aioli is a delicious and creative option.
4 /12 Kate Anfinson

Not Your Mom’s Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

“Consider turning a favorite comfort food into an unexpected passed hors d'oeuvre for the cocktail hour. This chilled watermelon-tomato shooter pairs perfectly with a mini grilled goat cheese for a modern take on a beloved favorite,” says Chef Jeff Farlow of Wente Vineyards.
5 /12 Don Mears Photography

Midnight Snack

“Sure you can have fast food, but make it fancy. Taking a well-known favorite and incorporating it into your menu will surprise guests, especially when served as late-night snacks during the reception,” says chef Anthony Schafer of Chalet View Lodge.
6 /12 McCune Photography

Flavor-Packed Bite

Go light on heavier food options if you don’t want everyone asleep before 8pm. This Korean-inspired grilled prime short rib with sesame leaf, gochujang, green apple, and pickled onion was a hit. “We love this hors d’oeuvre because it’s packed with layers of flavor without weighing guests down. This specific bite is a crowd favorite because it offers something unique to a variety of guests — the meat-eaters and the salad-lovers alike,” says Carizza Rose Villa of 24 Carrots Catering.
7 /12 Jen Rodriguez Photography

Special Delivery

“We like to serve these gourmet mini-pizzas as a tray-pass appetizer at weddings and events. They're light and flavorful, and the boxed presentation allows couples to get creative with their wedding branding,” explains Chef Antoun.
8 /12 Hagerty Photography

Summer Salad

“This refreshing salad brings contrasts in texture and flavor. With a noodle-like texture in the watermelon rind, delicately sweet watermelon, crisp frisée, savory pearl red onion, creamy avocado, and a sharp honey mustard vinaigrette to highlight, this is a great wedding salad course to welcome the warmer months,” says Chef Farlow.
9 /12 McCune Photography

Ceviche with a Twist

“We love offering bites to guests that are familiar like this shrimp ceviche, but maybe just a little different than they’ve experienced it before. You want the dish to provide a tangible, yet elevated, take on something they think they know,” adds Villa.
10 /12 Clane Gessel

All the Goodies

“With the bride and groom always on such a tight timeline, a wedding sampler is perfect to enjoy in-between photos and talking with family and friends. It is important for the couple to enjoy every aspect of the food so they can experience what they worked so hard to plan for their guests,” says Chef Farlow.
11 /12 Con Poulos for Bite by Bite; Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC.

Put a Ring on It

Here, the classic caviar-cracker combination is elevated to new (visual) heights. These cracker rings, created by Peter Callahan Catering & Events, are topped with caviar gems and make quite the statement.
12 /12 Carlie Statsky

Taco Bar

Who doesn’t like tacos? Create a DIY taco bar with several meat options and toppings so your guests can munch on their favorite Mexican food during cocktail hour. Don’t forget to offer a tequila-based cocktail at the open bar to pair with the spread.

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