A fall wedding is all about embracing the season. For example, think rich colors, cozy vibes, and of course, delicious fall flavors! It’s a great time of year to utilize the seasonal produce available and have your caterer create palate-pleasers that will have your guests raving about your seasonal fall wedding menu. Not only will in-season ingredients help to set the mood, they’ll also allow you to make use of local producers. This in turn will make it easier to source and help to reduce costs as well as being better for the environment. What’s not to love?
Some of the signature fall flavors include: apples, cranberries, pumpkin, carrots, cinnamon, salted caramel, maple, pear, ginger, and butterscotch. But how can you incorporate these flavors into a seasonal fall wedding menu? And how can you serve them up in fresh and delightful ways? Here are 5 seasonal fall wedding menu ideas to get you started.
Set the tone. You don’t have to wait for the cocktail or dinner hour to start introducing your guests to your fall menu. Set the tone right from the start by providing them with a warming pre-ceremony treat. This will be especially appreciated if the ceremony is outdoors! For example, you could serve mulled cider with cinnamon donuts or gingerbread, hot cocoa and churros, or mini grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup shooters.
Incorporate PSL. As soon as September rolls around, we’re ready for our PSL fix! So why not incorporate this fall flavor in your wedding menu? Of course, Pumpkin Spice Lattes are an option or you could get creative with cocktails instead, serving Pumpkin Spice White Russians or Pumpkin Spice Mules. How about spicy pumpkin soup as a starter? You could even choose a PSL-flavored frosting for your cake!
Serve harvest-style sides. To add a farm-to-table feel to your mains, serve hearty autumnal vegetables on the side. For example, roasted root vegetables, bourbon-glazed carrots, cauliflower mash, sauteed brussel sprouts, roasted Hasselback sweet potatoes, or a broccoli gratin.
Have a wood-fired pizza station. If you’re opting for a more casual feel to your dining, why not serve up wood-fired pizza? Not only is the smoky flavor a fall win, it adds a layer of interaction your guests will love, especially if you allow them to pick their own toppings. Don’t be afraid to include some unusual choices to elevate the pizzas from your usual Friday night fare. And don’t forget to include some gluten-free pizza bases for guests who need them.
Choose a fall flavor for your wedding cake. One way to incorporate fall flavors into your dessert is to go all out with your wedding cake! Here are some of the options you could consider: carrot cake, apple spice cake, pumpkin cake, banana cake, Mexican chocolate cake, Black Forest cake, dark caramel cake, vanilla chai cake, or mocha toffee cake.
With all these delicious fall flavor options to consider, the menu tasting is definitely one to look forward to!
xoxo,
Mindy
