If you're not a traditional chicken or fish couple, coming up with satisfying catering menu ideas can be a daunting task. While you might be tempted to go traditional for the sake of simplicity, the food at your reception is a great way to express your personal wedding style. Depending on when you choose to get married, seasonal catering menu ideas are one way to offer fresh food with a unique twist.
Winter Menus
Winter weddings are shrouded in romance from the moment of conception. Compliment this time of year with catering menu ideas that are warm, inviting, and romantic. For the appetizer course, skip salads in favor of soup. Check with your caterer to find out if they can create a squash-based soup using vegetables from a local farm. For your entree, try roasted meats like turkey or pork tenderloin paired with mashed potatoes and season vegetables. As you consider your side dishes, focus on comfort foods like macaroni and cheese, baked beans, and potatoes au gratin. Dessert can be anything from bread pudding to warm cookies.
Spring Menus
Spring weddings are particularly special as they signify the birth of new life, or in this case, joined lives. Catering menu ideas should be centered on fresh vegetables and lighter fare. As an appetizer, try an orange fennel and arugula salad or a simple mixed green affair with balsamic vinaigrette. Asparagus can play a big role in spring weddings, making an excellent side dish or even play a part in a cold, cream-based soup. For the main entree, try rack of lamb or a chicken dish. Lemon bars or lemon meringue pie both make excellent spring desserts.
Summer Menus
Summer weddings are by far the most popular, leaving you with plenty of viable catering menu ideas to choose from. For your appetizer course, go with a Caprese salad peppered with local heirloom tomatoes. Gazpacho is another option, which pairs well with a light white wine. As an entree, consider going home-style with fried chicken, or barbecue-style, with ribs or pork chops. Side dishes can include anything from coleslaw to grilled eggplant. Catering menu ideas are limitless where dessert is concerned, with anything from gelato to peach cobbler being welcome choices during the hot summer months.
Fall Menus
Fall weddings are dramatic by nature, with the changing colors and crisp air setting the scene for a gorgeous wedding. Catering menu ideas that work best in the fall have much in common with traditional Thanksgiving foods. For appetizers, consider a cranberry and walnut salad or spinach and goat cheese mix. Entree options can range from ham to turkey, and would do well accompanied by stuffing, a homemade casserole, or seasoned Brussels sprouts. Dessert can be a classic option, like pumpkin pie, or a more modern choice, like deconstructed apple pie.
