Planning the perfect wedding takes time, patience, and plenty of research. An engaged couple wants their wedding to be a dream-come-true for themselves but also a memorable evening for their guests.  After the guests enjoy witnessing the nuptials, they hope to further enjoy the evening with a delicious meal and a fun reception. Whether you are getting married in a quaint chapel or your wedding party sails off into the sunset, your guests will expect a one-of-a-kind meal to suit the specialness of your day.

Quick Tip: Once you start to search for the venue, it’s time to consider the caterer – don’t leave this detail til the end.  Some venues have on-site catering and some allow off-site catering to be brought in so you’ll want to do research on what you need.

Here are the 6 best wedding dinners that will make your guests extra thankful.

Brunch

Brunch is all the rage right now, so why not bring the brunch lovin’ to your wedding? Who doesn’t love a good mimosa, smoked salmon locks, or a lemon ricotta pancake? While brunch was typically reserved for day time weddings (which are gaining in popularity due to the reduced costs of a daytime wedding), the beauty of brunch is that it can be served at any time of the day.

Worried about serving brunch at a wedding? A typical brunch menu can dressed up for an evening wedding.  Traditional brunch foods like frittata can be served up in a mini version perfect for cocktail hour. Eggs Benedict make a perfect hors d’oeuvres served up on a mini puff pastry. Whatever your favorite brunch food is can be transformed into a wedding feast that your guests will rave about.

A Great Gatsby Feast

Ever since Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby hit theatres in 2013, the décor of the Gatsby-era has been creeping into dinner parties and even weddings across the country.  But why stop at just the décor? Indulge your guests in a true feast of the roaring twenties.

To throw a reception fit for a Gatsby, keep the champagne flowing (and a fresh raspberry in each glass is extra delicious.) A Gatsby wedding feast could be nothing but an abundance of the most delicious hors d’oeuvres you’ve ever tasted.  Stuffed portabella mushrooms, fresh oysters, smoked salmon, pancetta wrapped around asparagus, shrimp cocktails, tea sandwiches, and even pigs-in-the-blanket (they’re mentioned in the book!) Of course, you could upgrade the hot dog for a higher quality sausage, but the point is, your guests will fill up on delicious, satisfying appetizers.

Steak and Pommes Frites

A common beef option at many weddings is prime rib, but if you think your guests might want to try something different, try a French favorite: steak and pommes frites. This meal is both a comfort food and a gourmet food all rolled into one. Your guests will enjoy tender pieces of seared tri-tip steak, succulent béarnaise sauce, and of course, the pommes frites.  Because pommes frites are twice cooked, they have a flavor and texture that is worlds above a regular old French fry. Typically, this meal is served in upscale French bistro restaurants and will come with an assortment of dipping sauces and aioli’s – no ketchup here!

Taco Tuesday Saturday

Taco Tuesday is so popular there’s even a National Taco Day.  There’s no denying how much people love their tacos.  While this tasty food does tend to pop up at low-key events like graduation parties or on big game days, there’s no reason why a taco bar can’t be dressed up for a wedding – your guests will thank you.

If your wedding is more formal, give guests the option of creating a “taco bowl” so that they can use a fork to eat without worrying about dropping sour cream or other toppings on their evening wear. Regardless of types of tacos you offer, always remember to offer guests extra napkins.

Food Trucks

Food trucks are the hottest food trend, especially in big cities.  Sure, carts and kiosks have always been a staple in places like New York City, but the food truck craze has spread to many cities and even the suburbs.

A food truck wedding dinner works perfectly for a causal, outdoor wedding. As the trucks are mobile (obviously), it makes it really easy for the trucks to come to your wedding.  Hire 1-3 trucks to give your guests a wider selection of scrumptious dining choices. Bonus points if one of those trucks is a cupcake truck.

A Picnic Affair

Picnic food makes it’s appearance from Memorial Day to Labor Day:  BBQs, salads, corn-on-the-cob and every kind of pie under the sun. Picnic food is popular because it is that tasty; we can just eat it all summer long.  If you love a good BBQ, there’s no need to reserve it just for holiday parties and family reunions.  Picnic food can be a perfect menu for a wedding.

Spice up typical menu: turn burgers into Angus burgers with bleu cheese and portabella mushrooms, typical subs can be turned into lobster rolls, and all those pies… well, they can stay just as they are. Kale salad and BBQ ribs can share a plate at a picnic-inspired wedding feasts. When everyone gets a little bit of their favorite, the guests leave happy.

To learn more about all of the amazing wedding events that Paradise Charter Cruises can offer, check us out here or call one of our cruise coordinators today.