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What are great food station ideas for a wedding reception?
- Cheese and Crackers
- Pizza
- Pasta
- Pancake and Waffles
- Sushi
- Dessert/Cake table
- Popcorn
- Taco and Nachos
- French fries
- Ice cream
Some argue that sit-down dinners and typical buffet layouts should be a thing of the past, as it can come across too traditional and impersonal. Wedding packages these days offer a variety of options!
One that stands out is food stations. A food station is not just your typical buffet spread, where the food is on one long table and people queue up for their food. Food stations are more dynamic than that, you can customize different food stations for different themes and offerings. This helps the host to create a more personalized menu and it can help show off their personality much better. The layout is also different, as stations can be placed around the venue or grouped together depending on the theme.
Cheese and Crackers Station
This is perfect for receptions especially in the beginning when everyone is socializing. The best part about a cheese station is that there are various cheeses to choose from, from creamy to soft or even hard. There are also numerous types of crackers – the variety of flavors and textures really make your mind race for which combination to try next! Just be sure you have the perfect glass of wine to pair these with!
Pizza Station
Everyone loves pizza so having a station dedicated to this crowd favorite is sure to please your guests. You can cover all kinds of pizza from thin crust, thick crust to stuffed crust. There are a few decisions you have to make mainly what flavors to offer – going with a classics like 4 cheese or all meat is always a safe bet. Just prepare enough to feed crowds of guests, last thing you want is to run out in the middle of the reception!
Pasta Station
Who says you have to settle for choosing between cream or tomato based when you can have both or even more! Having a pasta station in your reception can please many of your guests because of all the choices you can offer. From pesto, tomato, cream and even olive oil there is a lot of variety, that’s not including all the different types of pasta there is. Just to add a bit more fun put some olive, tuna or other toppings to give more of a homey feel.
Pancake and Waffles Station
This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to have your reception in the morning, you might just love breakfast and want to share that with your guests. Imagine a station with freshly made waffles and pancakes, paired with different types of syrups and honey. Why not top it off with a selection of nuts or fruits? Having all that in one table is sure to tempt anyone to more than one serving!
Sushi Bar/Belt
Slowly becoming a more popular option at wedding receptions, a sushi bar provides a great bite size snack that is both convenient and exciting. With wide a variety of the raw Japanese dish, your guests will go crazy either picking out their favorites or exploring new ones they haven’t had before.
To add an authentic flair to this food station idea, you can hire an authentic and professional Asian chef. That way you can make it a create-your-own sushi type of station that the chef will professionally prepare for your guests. The interactive and customizable element is sure to please those with picky palates. For more authenticity, be sure to add soy sauce, chopsticks, and wasabi. But if you really want to go all out with the legit Japanese experience, then have a whole sushi conveyor belt installed!
Dessert and Cake Table
In place of the traditional cake as a dessert, dessert and cake tables are quickly making their mark as a staple at weddings. With such a setup, more guests are satisfied because they can choose the sweets and flavor of their preference rather being served something that’s “just ok” to them. With that in mind, if you choose to go for this option, make sure to have a whole assortment of flavors for the cakes and a variety of sweets for the desserts – such as cake pops, brownies, cupcakes, donuts, etc.
Popcorn Cart
The best thing about this idea is that it is so easy to do. Just have a lot of popcorn kernels, a popcorn maker, and some powdered flavoring and you’re good to go. It is also becoming a hot trend to have at weddings because this perfect little snack can be served conveniently during any part of the celebration.
Tacos and Nachos Table
Though it could be messy and could stain really expensive outfits, a taco and nacho bar is something no one can resist no matter what he is wearing. You can provide bibs so that guests can be carefree while enjoying their Mexican food creation. This will definitely bring a festive vibe to your wedding, especially since it goes perfectly well with some tequila. With a pairing like this, it also makes for a great option to serve during cocktail hour.
French Fry Station
Nothing spells guilty pleasure more than French fries. This fast food favorite is usually seen enjoyed by all; either by workers on a casual lunch or by the health buffs seeking a worthy cheat meal. But your wedding is not the time to worry about health. In fact, it could be everybody’s most epic cheat day ever. Let loose with your guests let loose and enjoy some fried potatoes. Offer all kinds of fries: regular, curly, waffled, sweet potatoes, etc. Then just provide all the condiments that fit the simple snack and the whole guest list is sure to leave all their inhibitions behind.
Ice Cream Bar
There’s never a bad time for ice cream; even during a wedding! This is a definite favorite for all ages and is a surefire way to make your guests happy. Offer them many ways to enjoy this kind of food station: give bowls, cones, syrup, candy sprinkles, bananas, strawberries, Oreos, and anything else that goes great with ice cream. There is sure to be endless fun for all when they’re trying to create their perfect ice cream concoction.
Key Takeaway
Events aren’t restricted to set menus anymore. You can be more creative and have food stations to make your wedding the most memorable one that your guests have ever experienced. Just make sure that the stations you end up choosing will cater to most of your guests as well as your theme.