Get yo' grub on, with our top tips of culinary trends

In the first instalment of our ‘wedding trends’ series, Full Focus delves into what’s hot on the wedding menu. The food and drink served at your wedding reception is a creative way to reflect both of your personalities. For couples that are in love with food as much as they are with each other, the importance of wowing your guests with wedding fayre should be high on the priority list. It should be carefully considered: your menu choices could resonate with your heritage or be reminiscent of fond memories, but also respect the dietary requirements of your guests. Take note that any supplier hired for the day will need to be fed too, so bear this in mind when giving final numbers to your chosen catering company. If you’re planning your wedding, be it traditional or off-the-wall, here are some trends you might want to consider for your big day:

Food stations

Particularly popular for rustic or festival weddings, food stations are on the rise this year. Letting your guests serve themselves could save you money on waiting staff and underpin your laid-back wedding vibe. Self-serve beer kegs and cocktail bars are popular, generous boards of charcuterie, cheeses and other antipasti make a bold statement while help-yourself pudding stations will excite your guests and make your wedding look instantly Pinterest-worthy.

Miniature food

There’s something so pleasing about tiny versions of food you love. Offering miniature nibbles at your wedding can have a high impact and also be cost effective. The trend of miniature foods pairs well with vintage-inspired, DIY weddings. Because it’s a less traditional style of cuisine, it works with a wedding that already embraces a playful aesthetic. Mini beef sliders, dainty portions of fish and chips and tiny meringues are all popular options.

Vegan

The number of vegans in the UK has risen by a staggering 360% over the past 10 years, according to a recent study that shows record numbers of people are ditching meat in favour of plant-based food. This means the demand for fresh, wholesome and meat-free wedding catering is on the rise. Even the most hardened carnivores would be satisfied with an offering as tasty looking as this:

Gin

Gin is basking in the limelight right now – these days you can’t step foot in any quality cocktail bar without a range of flavoured gins or gin cocktails on offer and weddings are following suit. Small bottles of sloe or damson gin are popular wedding favours while hiring a gin mixologist to create wonderful potions for your guests is also bucking the trend. Gin and tonic lollies, complete with slices of cucumber would be a cooling addition to welcome drinks at a summer wedding.

Semi-naked cake

Naked cakes have been around for a few years and although still popular, couples are wanting something just a little bit different for their wedding this year. Semi-naked cakes follow the same format - usually 3-tier with a range of fillings and cascading fruits and flowers but rather than leaving the sponge untouched, frosting is skimmed around the circumference of the cake. The result is very elegant and looks particularly effective with coloured frosting. Generous drips of chocolate down the sides adds indulgence and drama.

Have you researched any of these trends for your wedding? We’d love to hear about it, tell us in the comments on Facebook. Remember, our diary is filling up quickly, be sure to capture your wedding day (trendy food and drink included) on video so you can keep your memories safe for years to come.

Wedding Trends – Food and Drink

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