Food is a big part of a weddings and creative couples are coming up with lots of exciting ways to ensure guests are well fed! Couples are paying as much attention to post-ceremony and late night nibbles as they are the main meal with lots of creative and fun food offerings to avail of. From ice cream vans and food trucks to candy buffets and cute drinks stations, you’ll find some great inspiration and ideas for your 2018 wedding in today’s post…
1. Post Ceremony Pick-Me-Ups
Photo by Bean & Gone – Mobile Cafe Bar | Photo by Denlo Photography
Couples are kick-starting the celebrations straight away with a little treat for guests as they mingle outside the ceremony! Couples are arranging for coffee bars and ice cream vans to pull up and surprise guests with a little pick me up – guests will be only too delighted to find a 99 or warm of coffee waiting for them. If you’re a coffee fiend, be sure to check mobile coffee bar Bean & Gone who serve up all manner of delicious coffees and warm drinks or if you’re an ice cream fan, check out JG’s Ice Cream, Adare Farm Ice Cream Cart, Smith’s Ice Cream Vans and Carolyn’s Sweets.
2. Fun Drink Stations
Photo via The Shebeen | Photo via Lovely Bubbly Prosecco Van | Photo via Vintage Vanp
Couples are loving the idea of having a showstopping feature for their drinks reception with stations where guests can pop by for a custom cocktail or to pimp their Prosecco. There are several Irish services that can make this a reality including the Lovely Bubbly Prosecco Van, an adorable pop up Prosecco van with Prosecco on tap, Mae, a vintage inspired mobile cafe/bar available to hire from Vintage Vanp where guests can swill signature cocktails or pop by for afternoon tea, and The Shebeen, a ridiculously cute traditional Irish pub on wheels that brings the amazing authentic Irish pub atmosphere directly to your wedding. Guests will love swinging by for drinks and of course a pic!
3. Laid Back Menus
Photo by Kelley Jordan Photography via The Knot | Photo by Hello Love Photography | Photo by JCreative Works via Wedding Chicks | Photo via Adventure Catering
Couples after a creative, more laid back menu for their Big Day are being drawn to gourmet buffets and love the idea of having their guests mingle over some sharing platters. The likes of BBQs and Pig on a Spit are soaring in popularity particularly during the summer months with couples keen to create a relaxed, informal vibe with a mouth-watering assortment of dishes guests can help themselves too. If you’re keen to go this route for your own celebration, be sure to check out PigSpit.ie who are renowned for their BBQs and hog roasts with trimmings and yummy salads and sides, PigOut.ie who specialise in delish BBQs, Pig Roasts, Lamb Roasts and Rotisserie Chicken and sides and Adare Farm who specialise in tasty hog roasts and BBQ treats. O’Brien Lynch Catering also work with couples to create a bespoke wedding menu and specialise in marquee weddings! They can provide everything from canapés and mains to innovative midnight snacks.
Adventure Catering, the folks behind the amazing Food Trucks The Airstream and The Chip Van can also serve up gourmet streetfood canapés if you’re after something different! Inspired by everywhere from NYC and India to Mexico, canapés are cooked fresh on board their Food Trucks with the likes of BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders and TexMex Chilli Tacos as menu options. Nom.
4. Food Trucks with Tasty Late Night Snacks
Photos via Adventure Catering
Another trend that just keeps growing in popularity are food trucks as couples forgo sambos and cocktails sausages in favour of some serious soakage come midnight! Food trucks have been huge these past few years and there’s no change for 2018. Guests will be chuffed to see one of these stop by later in the evening for a full on feast after a couple of hours on the dance floor. The Chip Van dishes up everything from juicy burgers and hot dogs to onion rings, battered cod, and all manner of chips including smothered in yummy garlic cheese or curry sauce. Or if you’re looking to give your late night fare a retro twist, the stylish 50s vintage American Airstream trailer is like something from Mad Men and is sure to impress guests. It can pull up and serve tasty street food treats including gourmet slider burgers and fries. Watch the queues form when these guys pull up!
5. Interactive Stations & DIY Bars
Photo by Cooper Carras | Photo via Laura Ivanova | Photo by Denlo Photography
As well as drink stations, you’ll be seeing food stations at your mates bash this year too! The DIY element will be going strong with couples creating mini bars or stations where guests can stop by to add some flair to their food choice. You’ll see everything from Mediterranean buffet bars with a mix of breads, olives, oils, chutneys and cheeses as a canapé alternative to salad bars if it’s tasty BBQ fare, crisp sambo bars where guests can stop by to butter their bread and load it with King or Tayto crisps (Carolyn’s Sweets can supply you with Crisp Sambo packs FYI) and dessert tables with an assortment of goodies such as cakes, cake pops, cookies, donuts and other treats guests will love helping themselves to.
6. The Nostalgic Candy Buffet
Photo from John & Valerie’s real wedding by Give Us a Goo Photography
No change here! This sweet treat is always a hit with guests after a sugar fix, and this year will be no different. Guests love being able to stop by and fill a bag full of their favourite sweets after a stint on the dance floor or before they head to their taxi. Candy Buffet Suppliers include Carolyn’s Sweets, Party Food 4U and Enchanting Events.
