Wedding food options undergoing a renaissance. Brides and grooms once stuck with a sad buffet of hotel food have more evolved options. From caterers to venue staff, we’re finding much more flexibility from vendors eager to work with their guests.

In wine country, we’ve noticed a turn toward weddings that celebrate the glory of brunch, include wine and beer flights, fresh foods, creative cake alternatives and clever late night snacks. All in all, relaxing these traditions is a trend we fully support.

The Brunch Wedding Evolution

Image source: http://www.buzzfeed.com/rachelwmiller/brunch-wedding-ideas

Hosting a brunch wedding is no doubt a great way to reduce the cost of your wedding food. Says Jen Campbell, GreenWeddingShoes.com [http://www.greenweddingshoes.com] editor and creative director, “Brunch has become popular lately because daytime weddings are cheaper than doing dinnertime or afternoon. I’m also seeing people doing breakfast for dinner – like omelettes or pancakes.”

Brunch menu items can include mini French toasts, bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches, perfect pan-fried potatoes and blueberry pancakes. The way to make it wedding-worthy is all in the presentation and great caterers may jump at the opportunity

Fancy Flights

Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jing-a-ling/ 

“Flights are a big trend at the cocktail hour or even at the reception,” says Ania Wiikka, site director for TheKnot.com, “It may be wine tasting, or beer flights – maybe from breweries around where you’re from. For example, if you went to college in the Midwest – you might serve beer from a great local brewery there.”

For couples looking for an impressive cocktail hour activity, let guests be inspired by your love of wine as they work their way through a flight of wine from a favorite region. What you pair those flights with also has room for creativity – whether it’s pretzels and mustard or olives, don’t miss the opportunity to make each sip and bite special.

Fresh, Seasonal and Absolutely Delicious

Image source: http://www.weddingsbylilly.com/2012-wedding-trends/mini-food-ideas/19/

Paired with increasing popularity of farmers markets, wine country’s fresh cuisine is now a trend of its own. A hallmark of wine country cuisine has always been a dependence on seasonal food. Whether that’s Silverado Trail strawberries in May and June or hearty greens in the winter, the focus on foods that are of the moment is a trend we hope continues. From Anja Winikka of TheKnot.com, “Today there is almost an expectation of local, seasonal ingredients at weddings. Caterers are thinking more toward the lines of organic and farm fresh foods.”

Creative Cakes and Supporting Desserts

Image source: http://itsabrideslife.com/food/macaron-love/

Although my stance has softened slightly, I’m still not much for cake. And it’s fun to see all the cake alternatives trending this year in wine country. From push pops to crepe cakes, couples are pushing the boundaries of showstopping desserts. “A few years ago, everyone was loving cupcakes at their weddings. Now, it’s pies, macaron cakes, crepe cakes – more non-traditional desserts.” Says Azure Nelson, OnceWed.com editorial director. We’ve also seen gorgeously presented donut bars that could win over the most traditional mother-in-law.

Late Night Loving

Image source: http://blog.theknot.com/2012/11/28/signature-wedding-cocktail-ideas/#slideshow=6 and http://www.colincowieweddings.com/

Giving your guests a memorable, late night snack on their way home is one of our favorite food trends of 2015. The end of the night is a great time to incorporate food trucks or carts – and to help your guests get a little something in their stomachs after a long night of dancing. Give guests a snack box that doubles as a favor on their way home – whether that’s a special condiment, cookies and milk or something more substantial. From IntimateWeddings.com editor Christina Friedrichsen, “The late night snack is a fairly recent trend – after everybody’s been fed, the couple will send out trays of fun food – like pizza, tacos or a sundae bar.”

As trends in wedding food come and go over the years, we can’t wait to see what’s next. What are your favorite wedding food trends for next year?

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