When you’re planning your wedding catering, why not take inspiration from the seasons? Here are some fab wedding food ideas to match the seasons…
Spring
Be inspired by Easter! If you’ve got a sweet tooth, then this is ideal, as you can theme your menu around chocolate and sweets. You can have a chocolate Easter egg-inspired wedding cake, hot cross buns for your evening snacks, and Easter egg nests for young’uns. If you want something a little more traditional for an Easter wedding, then choose a lamb roast for your mains, with a classic Simnel cake for dessert.
If you’re not having an Easter wedding, then instead opt for a fresh and light menu to make the most of all the seasonal vegetables in Spring. Pick a lighter meat like chicken or fish, and pair it with fresh flavours like asparagus or watercress.
Once the weather’s warmed up in late Spring, you can risk a food van outside too! You can’t go wrong with a British classic like fish and chips or an ice cream van – your guests will love it, and it’s often a budget-friendly option.
Summer
The brighter weather and longer evenings mean that you have plenty of catering options in the Summer, including the classic barbecue! Barbecues are ideal for all kinds of weddings, as they can be as formal or as casual as you want, and they’re often more budget-friendly than a three-course seated meal. As well as classic burgers and sausages, why not include barbecued prawns or fish, lamb skewers, and plenty of veggies and halloumi?
Another more casual option is the picnic wedding, which is a popular trend for weddings in 2017 and 2018! You can either have these served at the table, with large picnic baskets acting as centrepieces, or go full-on Summer and have your guests eat on comfy picnic blankets outside (we recommend including cushions and hale bays for older guests who won’t want to sit on the floor). Picnic classics include pies, quiches, pasta and cous cous, rustic bread and dips, and easy-to-eat desserts like brownies and strawberries.
For a more formal event with a Summer feel, you can’t go wrong with a more exotic menu! A Caribbean or island-inspired menu is fresh and flavourful – we’ve got plenty of menu suggestions in our tropical wedding theme post! Pair with delicious fruity cocktails like frozen daiquiris and margaritas.
Autumn
As the weather gets colder, your food should reflect this! Think warming comfort foods that make the most of seasonal fruit and root vegetables. One of our favourite Autumn trends inspired by America is switching out your wedding cake for pies – you can either have a tiered pie, or go for a pie dessert table and offer different flavours such as apple, cherry and blueberry.
Another American-inspired trend has to be going full-on Halloween, which is ideal if you’re marrying in October! Include pumpkins and squash wherever possible, such as in pies, soups or stews, and create a fun themed dessert table filled with spooky treats, such as toffee apples and rice krispie cakes.
If you love the idea of more casual meal set-ups, then why not try a sharing board? Plenty of wedding venues now offer this family-style option for mains and starters, and the strong flavours work perfectly for Autumn. Think Mediterranean mezze or antipasti boards for starters, and roast joints for mains.
Winter
If your wedding is in November or December, then of course the natural choice is to be inspired by Christmas feasts! You don’t have to choose turkey – you could opt for a delicious ham, goose or beef Wellington instead. Top it off with all the roast trimmings, and finish with delicious desserts like sticky toffee pudding or Yule log. Don’t forget the mince pies and mulled wine!
If you’re fed up of Christmas-style roasts, or your wedding is in January or February, then take inspiration from the latest hygge trend and serve your guests some mountain-inspired meals. Think raclette (a traditional melted cheese meal served in the Alps), tartiflette, goulash and fondue, followed by kaiserschmarrn (Austrian pancakes) and washed down with hot chocolate and mulled cider.
For something a little more simple, you can’t go wrong with casual comfort food. Couples are eschewing the three course meal or classic roast, and are instead choosing to feed their guests their favourite comfort foods, such as macaroni cheese, bangers and mash or shepherd’s pie. We also love the idea of serving up a jacket potato bar in the evening!
For more wedding food ideas, check out these fun suggestions for your evening snacks!
