11 Fab Foodie Ideas Your Wedding Guests Will Love

Planning & Advice

Looking to go all out with the foodie options for your Big Day? From ice cream vans for after the ceremony to pizza slices for late night eats, check out these 11 fab foodies ideas that will be a big hit with guests!

1. Consult the Chefs

Marquee and ‘at home’ weddings are definitely on the rise and so too is the ‘foodie wedding’ where couples work with a dedicated chef or catering company to create a seriously amazing wedding menu that reflects their personalities whether it’s a laid back BBQ celebration or gourmet Black Tie affair. O’Brien Lynch Catering is one such company that works with couples to create an innovative, bespoke wedding menu – marquee weddings are one of their specialities and with 30 years in the business behind them, you can be sure you’re in excellent hands. They can also provide bar and wine service on the day as well as linens, centrepieces and floral arrangements. Weddings by Phelim Byrne Catering are another renowned catering company that can cater for your Big Day with flair – they can accommodate all tastes and sizes of celebrations and can create an impressive menu tailored to the couples exact requirements, made with the finest ingredients. They offer full staffing for all celebrations and can also supply furniture, crockery and linens for marquee weddings. Plus couples can supply their own wines and drinks – with no corkage fees for marquee weddings!

2. Have Fun Post-Ceremony Treats

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Photo by LMarie Photo via Style Me Pretty

If you’re looking to surprise your guests with a tasty treat to tide them over while you’re getting your photographs taken, no guest will say no to a homemade crêpe! Irish company The Crepe Box have their own mobile 1940s Vintage Airstream Unit that can pull up at your ceremony or venue and serve freshly made French style crêpes with an assortment of toppings, both sweet and savoury (or if you’d rather roll out this fun treat come evening time, it would also make a great dessert alternative or evening snack!). They can also serve up hot chocolates, teas and coffees (including yummy Irish coffees!) which would be an amazing, cosy treat for guests at a winter celebration. Music, cocktails and drinks can also be arranged on request if you’re looking to create a really fun party feel!

3. Opt for Tasty Nibbles

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Photo by Cooper Carras

Food is a big part of every wedding and unless they’ve stopped for sambos along the way, guests will be peckish when they arrive at the venue. Canapés always go down a treat but if you’re looking for something a little bit different that guests can tuck in to, a Mediterranean style spread will get the day off to a fabulous start. The Cheese Market based in Westmeath do a delicious buffet of fabulous Irish cheeses, cured meats, olives, chutneys, crackers and breads and is a great option if you’re looking to create a laid back, summer feel. Of course, it would work equally well as an evening buffet that guests can nibble on when energy levels are fading later in the evening! And for couples that adore their cheese, The Cheese Market also specialise in Cheesecakes, a stunning savoury alternative to traditional wedding cakes. For more info on their services, pop over to their profile page here!

4. Have a Stylish Cocktail Hour

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If you’re looking to host a show-stopping drinks reception, this pretty vintage inspired mobile cafe/bar will work a treat. Mae is a restored 1970s vintage caravan available to hire from Vintage Vanp and can be used to serve up everything from afternoon tea as guests arrive at the venue post-ceremony (we love the idea of serving up warm scones and steaming hot chocolates for a winter bash!) or some delicious cocktails and champagne at the drinks reception. It comes with its very own waiting staff so you don’t have to worry about a thing! For more info on Mae, click here.

5. Include Some Awesome Dinner Entertainment 

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If you’re looking to really up the entertainment stakes during dinner, it doesn’t get much better than the chef belting out a few fun tunes! Dressed up like a Chef, Johnny The Singing Chef looks the part but is in fact a trained entertainer who will give guests an epic surprise when he breaks out in to song during dinner and gets everyone clapping and singing along. Defo a fun way to liven up the courses!

6. And Serve the Finest Wines

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Photo from Victoria & Victor’s real wedding by Monica Hadarean Photography

Food is a major part of the day but ensuring it’s paired with the right wines will really raise the bar! Couples that love their vino and want to create a truly original wine menu for their Big Day will love Wines Direct‘s unique offering. Wines Direct specialise in sourcing and importing wines “of genuine quality and intrigue” and source from small, independent wineries – you won’t find any of these wines in your local offie or supermarket. You can work with them to find excellent wines and Champagnes that are full of flavour and heritage that will really impress your guests. Find out more here.

7. Have an Ice Cream for Afters (or Post Ceremony!)

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Photo courtesy of Smith’s Ice Cream Vans

This fun, nostalgic little trend is sure to get guests super excited! If you’re looking for a cheery dessert alternative (or want to treat guests to a 99 for their post-ceremony trip to the venue), arrange for an ice cream van to pull up and serve 99s to delighted guests. Freddie’s Ice Cream and Smith’s Ice Cream Vans both offer this service or if you fancy scoops of home-made ice cream, Adare Farm have a picturesque cart that can dish up cones, wafers or bowls of ice cream with 6 yummy flavours to chose from.

Ice Cream Suppliers

Freddie’s Ice Cream | Adare Farm Ice Cream Cart | Smith’s Ice Cream Vans

8. Keep the Energy Levels Up with a Candy Buffet

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Photo from Sinead & Erich’s real wedding by Linda Clarke Photography

It’s been a big hit at weddings over the years and it’s showing no sign of letting up as couples treat their guests to a nostalgic trip down memory lane with an awesome candy buffet full of old school favourites like refreshers, cola bottles and frosties. Leave out some cute paper bags so guests can stop by for a sugar hit during dance floor breaks or take some sweeties to munch on during the taxi ride home. Check out some Irish candy buffet suppliers below…

Candy Buffet Suppliers

Candy Couture Sweet Boutique | Candylady | I Do Wedding Decor | Annie Ruffles Vintage Creations

9. Treat Guests to Some Late Night Food Truck Fun

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Food trucks are a great way to round off the celebrations and guests in need of a little pick me will flock to them come midnight for a tasty late-night feast! The options are endless but one of our faves has to be the The Chip Van which provides chuffed guests with much needed late-night fare, serving everything from juicy burgers and amazing battered cod to hot dogs, onion rings and chips covered in curry sauce or garlic cheese. Or if you’re looking to give your late night munchies a bit of a retro twist, a very cool vintage American Airstream trailer can pull up and serve impressive treats to guests such as gourmet slider burgers and fries (this retro trailer would also work for drinks receptions and can be used to serve Prosecco or other tipples of your choice). Another unique foodie offering is Lala Poutine, which dishes up the delicious Canadian cult classic mash up of chips, gravy and cheese (the perfect party food!) from a super cute yellow vintage Renault Estafette. Nom.

10. Or Tasty Late Night Pizza Slices

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Another awesome option is to serve up simple pizza slices to hungry guests after a couple of hours on the dance floor! Yep, lots of awesome couples are choosing to treat their guests to a heavenly slice of homemade wood-fired pizza as a fun alternative to sambos and nibbles. And Wedding Wood-Fired Pizza is the gourmet wood-fired mobile pizza company that can make this wedding dream happen – they whip up homemade wood-fired pizzas right there in their mobile catering unit for anything from 50 to 500 people using only the freshest ingredients including a tasty sourdough base and tomato sauce. Mark our words, there will be queues!

11. And Don’t Forget About the Day After Celebrations

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Photo courtesy of PigOut.ie

The day after the wedding is whole other event in itself so if you’re looking to continue the foodie fun and treat guests to an awesome spread, there are lots of really great options. One popular choice is a pig on a spit – it’s incredibly tasty and a nice, informal way to end the celebrations. It’s also great soakage for those that are feeling a little bit delicate after all the Big Day fun! Adare Farm do a mouth-watering pig on a spit or if you fancy a tasty rotisserie-style feast with plenty of yummy sides, be sure to check out PigOut.ie.

Main photo from Gail & Yan’s real wedding by Eden Photography