If you’re planning a wedding, finding ways to keep your guests involved and interested can be a huge concern. This is where a foodie-themed wedding can be useful.
When everything in a wedding is directed at fun and interesting foods, there can be little room for boredom. Moreover, if you are a super creative woman who has incredible cooking skills, having a foodie-themed wedding will help get your creative juices flowing.
1. Consider fun foods, rather than serious ones
It isn’t usually a good idea to serve foie gras and caviar at weddings, even when you can afford them. Fancy foods often come off seeming cold and limp when served to a large number of guests.Instead, fun foods work well. Think Kobe beef hamburgers, cupcakes hand painted with food colors, cotton candy and grilled bananas.
2. Bring in exotic foods from unfamiliar parts of the world
The excellent cuisines of India, Iraq, Morocco, Albania, Ethiopia or any other distant and unfamiliar part of the world can be very affordable. You simply need to look up a restaurant in your town/city that serves exotic cuisine from different cultures and make arrangements.Turning your wedding into a mini Epcot Center could delight your guests at very little outlay. It doesn’t even need to be another country; many people are unfamiliar with the cuisine of rustic America.
3. Think food carts
People love street food. With food carts, you get variety and fun. The informal atmosphere that these foods bring in can help guests open up too.You can get pizza carts, seafood carts, burger carts, salad carts and what have you. Just make sure your meals are fresh and consider having some kid-friendly meals as well.
4. Consider using your own recipes
Many couples don’t realize that they aren’t limited to the menu choices their caterers offer. Nearly every wedding caterer accepts personal recipe requests.If you’re a foodie and consider your kitchen the ultimate foodie destination, you can hand the caterer a bunch of your recipes. It could be like you’re bringing your guests home to eat. You can even make some meals yourself, of course, if you have time.
5. Put the food front and center
While couples tend to pay a lot of attention to their wedding catering arrangements, they tend to not talk much about them. Wedding guests don’t get menus or other reminders of the food that they can look forward to until it’s time to eat.Things could be different at a foodie wedding: you could send out detailed, beautifully printed menus right alongside of the invitations. Building up anticipation can be a good idea.
More: 10 Wedding Items Worth Splurging On
6. Don’t make anyone wait for their dessert
In many weddings, the main courses take so long that many guests aren’t around by the time dessert arrives. It makes sense, then, to not make dessert a part of the serving sequence.It’s a popular trend these days to set up dessert tables where people can grab a bite while they mingle. Sure, you will have to spend more money on desserts, but a foodie themed wedding is all about splurging on meals and desserts.
7. Nothing says “foodie wedding” better than a restaurant
From a well-loved hole in the wall to a fancy restaurant, nearly any restaurant is capable of serving superb food. If you can afford it, closing a restaurant down and bringing all your guests in can be a great foodie wedding idea. Look for special offers and book a restaurant well in advance to save time and money.8. Create food-based decorations and centerpieces
Flower centerpieces can be beautiful. However, for many guests, glass jars filled with colorful chocolate, fruit and candy can be much more agreeable.You will easily see your guests show more interest in your decorations and centerpieces if they are edible. Plus, they will remember your wedding food-based decorations and centerpieces for many years to come.
9. Think of foodie-themed favors
A foodie-themed wedding can do more than to simply wow guests with great food. It can also get them involved in cooking and a love of food.Foodie-themed wedding favors can be a great way to do this. You can think of getting your guests wine paraphernalia, sets of measuring spoons or pizza cutters.
10. Don’t forget the bar
The beverage bar is an important part of any foodie wedding. Guests tend to look forward to all the free drinks that they can get their hands on.Finding a bartender with adventurous tastes in exotic new cocktails, then, can be a good idea. Consider fruit juices and some green smoothies for people who watch their calorie intake and for your little guests.
More: 10 Ways to Keep Kids Busy at Your Wedding
Whatever foodie ideas you pick up for your foodie-themed wedding, you do need to make sure that you don’t leave out guests who have allergies, diabetes or, as I mentioned above, who may be on a diet. It’s important to think of something for everyone. If you have any other ideas or you want to share your thoughts about these 10 foodie-themed wedding ideas, feel free to do it in the comments section.