My niece is getting married next spring and I’ve been helping her look at wedding catering options around North Jersey. I got married fifteen years ago and thought I knew what to expect. Chicken or fish, maybe some pasta, basic wedding food. I was completely wrong about what’s happening now.
We’ve been to six different venues so far. Morristown, Wayne, a couple places near Hoboken. Each one was totally different from what I remember wedding food being like. Everything is more creative and interactive now. My niece keeps saying she wants her guests to have fun with the food, not just eat and sit back down.
At my friend Carol’s daughter’s wedding last month, they had a guy making fresh pasta right in front of everyone. People were standing around watching him cook instead of sitting at their tables. The line to get pasta never ended because it was like entertainment. Plus it tasted way better than the usual wedding food that sits under heat lamps for hours.
Catering For Wedding Party
Food Stations Everywhere
The biggest change is that nobody does sit-down dinners anymore. At least not the couples we know. Carol’s daughter had that pasta station, plus they were carving roast beef to order, and they had this whole dessert area with different cookies and little pies.
My neighbor went to a wedding in Ridgewood where they had a taco setup. They were grilling everything right there and people could build their own tacos. She said it was great because people were talking while waiting in line. Her husband ended up having this long conversation with someone about different types of salsa. You don’t get that when everyone just sits and eats the same plated meal.
The coolest thing I’ve seen was at my coworker’s wedding in Summit. They had a sushi guy making rolls during cocktail hour. Everyone was fascinated watching him work. People were still talking about how fresh the sushi was weeks later. The bride said it actually cost less than having servers walk around with fancy appetizers.
My niece is now convinced she needs some kind of interactive food station. We’re thinking maybe grilled cheese and tomato soup for her October wedding. Or possibly a mac and cheese bar where people can add their own toppings.
Ideas We’ve Seen
These huge cheese and meat displays are really popular now. Instead of small plates on each table, couples are making these massive walls of cheese, meat, crackers, everything. They look amazing and people can snack on them all night.
Dessert stations are getting really creative. One wedding had a wall covered with donuts that people could grab. Another had an ice cream sundae setup with tons of different toppings. My niece likes the idea of a s’mores station for her fall wedding.
Using Local Stuff
A lot of couples are getting their food from local farms and places now. The venue we’re looking at in Chester works with farms right nearby for vegetables and gets bread from some bakery in town. It’s not just about helping local businesses – the food tastes better when it’s fresh.
At Carol’s daughter’s wedding, they had cards explaining where different ingredients came from. People were talking about the local farm that grew the vegetables and asking questions about the brewery that made the beer. It gave everyone something to chat about during dinner.
Using what’s actually in season makes sense too. Instead of trying to get strawberries in winter, couples are working with what’s available when their wedding happens. Fall weddings have apple stuff, winter weddings have hearty soups.
The tricky part is that caterers need to have good relationships with local suppliers. The good ones we’ve talked to work with the same farms and producers regularly, so they know they can count on getting quality ingredients.
Dealing With Special Diets
Wedding food has gotten much better at handling people who can’t eat certain things. Instead of one boring gluten-free option, caterers are making whole separate menus that look just as good as the regular food.
At a wedding I went to in Madison, they had a complete vegan menu that was so good that people without any dietary restrictions were asking for those dishes instead. The couple said they had friends with different food needs and found a caterer who was excited to figure it out.
Instead of just taking ingredients out of regular dishes, caterers are creating new recipes that are meant to be gluten-free or vegan from the start. So it tastes right instead of like something’s missing.
Being Clear About Ingredients
Couples want to know exactly what’s in their food now. Caterers are telling them about allergens and how everything is made. Some even do special tastings for guests with dietary restrictions before the wedding so they can try their options and make suggestions.
This takes more work upfront, but it means everyone feels included and gets good food.
Sharing Food at Tables
Some couples are doing family-style where tables get big platters to share instead of individual plates. This gets people talking more and makes dinner feel more like eating at home with family.
At a wedding in Bernardsville, they kept bringing different platters to each table throughout dinner. People were trading dishes with other tables. It was fun and got everyone interacting with tables they might not have talked to otherwise.
During cocktail hour, big sharing plates are replacing those servers walking around with tiny appetizers. Cheese boards, shared dips, family-style appetizers that make people gather around food instead of waiting to be served.
Better Drinks
Wedding bars are getting more interesting too. Couples are working with local breweries and places that make spirits to create drinks that mean something to them personally.
Setup-your-own drink stations like mimosa bars or build-your-own Bloody Mary areas give guests something to do while making drinks they actually want. The focus changed from having tons of options to having fewer but really good ones.
Local wine and beer, cocktails made with fresh ingredients, and creative drinks without alcohol are becoming normal instead of special requests.
What This All Means
The whole approach to wedding food has changed. Couples want their wedding food to get people talking and create good memories, not just feed everyone. From what I’ve seen at weddings lately, guests definitely remember creative food and talk about it for months afterward.
My niece is excited about planning food that reflects who she and her fiancé are instead of just picking from a standard wedding menu. It’s more work but also more fun than the old way of doing things.
