Maybe it’s the smell of pumpkin spice in the air again, but I’ve been craving those classic fall flavors: apple, cinnamon, caramel, and spices. Yum! If you’re planning a fall wedding, you can really embrace the season and delight your guests by incorporating autumnal foods in your wedding menu. There’s a wealth of seasonal ingredients and ideas to choose from at this time of year. So I’ve put together a few tips to help you design the perfect fall wedding menu.
Comfort food appetizers. Cocktail hour is an opportunity to be a little creative with your catering. Serving mini versions of everyone’s comfort food favorites will help to create a warm and cozy atmosphere your guests will love. My favorite is tomato soup shooters served with little triangles of grilled cheese.
Sweet and savory. Another idea for your appetizers is to mix sweet and savory flavors. In fact, the fall flavor profile is just an invitation to mix up spicy and sweet. For example, bacon-wrapped figs stuffed with blue cheese or sweet canapés like mini fried apple turnovers served alongside savory offerings.
Swap salad for soup. Instead of the traditional salad course, opt for a hearty autumn soup like butternut or parsnip. Serve them in little hollowed-out gourds with mini sourdough loaves on the side.
Hearty mains. Entrées on a fall wedding menu should be warm and comforting, so how about roasted pork loin, Cornish hen, or even pot pies filled with chicken and harvest vegetables? For the vegetarians, consider a wild mushroom risotto or pumpkin ravioli.
Harvest-style sides. Celebrate nature’s bounty by serving a cornucopia of delicious sides, such as roasted root vegetables, garlic mashed potatoes, or candied carrots.
Cozy cocktails. Specialty fall cocktails like hot cider, caramel apple mules, or Kahlua-spiked hot chocolate will go down as a treat on a chilly fall day!
Cheese platter. Spoil your guests with an indulgent cheese platter after the main course and before dessert. Garnish your cheese plate with grapes, figs, chutneys and compotes (or serve it as a midnight snack).
Dessert bar. Why choose just one dessert when you can give your loved ones a medley of favorites? A dessert bar that incorporates all those delicious fall flavors is sure to be a crowd pleaser – think pumpkin cheesecake, pecan pie, fig tartlets, spice cakes, and fresh donuts. Be sure to include nostalgic treats like caramel apples, s’mores, or gooey chocolate brownies.
Is your mouth watering too?
xoxo,
Mindy
Image by Dalal Photography
