Food stations, be they dessert tables or snack buffets, have really taken off in wedding catering over the past few years and it’s easy to see why! Your wedding day will probably stretch on for 12 to 16 hours and you don’t want to hear stomachs rumbling during the speeches. Enter wedding food stations, a delicious trend that’s infinitely customisable – you can go fancy with sushi or oysters, or hark back to a simpler time with some nostalgic treats from your childhood. In this post, we wanted to get you started with a few of our all-time favourite wedding food station ideas.
What You Need to Know About Wedding Food Stations
Before you set your heart on a wedding food station, there are a few things to consider:
- whether there is a suitable space for the food station in your venue
- whether your food station requires the help of the venue and/or catering staff
- whether your food station requires hired staff to man it
- how many guests you’re inviting
- how many stations you’re having
- set-up and styling
It’s important to mention here that all food stations are not created equally! Candy buffets, crisp walls or popcorn stations can be set up the day before (as long as you have access to the space – make sure to check this with your venue), while others, like candy floss or pizza stations will need to be manned by staff for the ease of your guests. Then there are the foods that must be kept refrigerated or frozen, like oysters, sushi and ice cream. If you’re having one of these food stations, professional chefs and servers are a must, and timing is crucial – you don’t want raw seafood sitting out in the sun for 45 minutes because you miscalculated your wedding timeline!
Wedding Food Stations That You Can Do Yourself
These food stations are super easy to put together because you can prepare them in advance, particularly if you’ve got access to the venue the day before the wedding. We highly recommend delegating this job to a trusted bridal party member or friend – just do a dress rehearsal at home and take photographs to give your volunteer, along with a list of all the items for your station, so they know exactly what they’re doing!
1. Sweet Bars and Candy Carts
For sweet bars and candy buffets, you can choose anything from nostalgic childhood favourites to artisan treats like marshmallows, fudge, rock candy or mini meringues. Simply place in pretty vessels and provide handy bags for your guests to fill to their heart’s content. Some Irish companies, like Carolyn’s Sweets in Ireland and SugarSin in the UK, specialise in just this type of treat, while many of our recommended bakers can create meringues and cookies as well as cakes.
2. Crisp Walls & Stations
If you’re throwing an after-party, late-night snacks are a must. We love the Irish trend of offering a crisp wall full of the bride and groom’s favorite savory snacks for guests to munch on after hours. Consider offering them wrapped up alongside some bread, butter and a compostable knife, so guests can take them home as favours.
3. Popcorn Station
Popcorn stations are probably the easiest and cheapest stations to set up, so it’s no surprise that they’re popping up (sorry!) at weddings all around the globe. A perfect little light snack that’s easy to eat on the go, popcorn can be served at any time of the day from post-ceremony, to pre-dinner or as a late-night treat after a few dances! This handy post on popcorn stations will get you started.
Wedding Food Stations That Require A Little Bit of Help
Even if your guests can serve themselves, you’ll still need the co-operation of the venue and/or catering staff, as they’ll need to store spoilable items like cheese or desserts with fresh cream in their refrigerators, and put them out at the correct time. This shouldn’t be a problem, but you’ll need to speak to your venue and/or caterer about it well in advance.
4. Grazing Tables & Charcuterie Carts
For the couple who love a cheese and charcuterie board, there’s the grazing table or charcuterie cart – a delectable selection of cold meats, cheeses, antipasti, dips, breads, crackers, salads and fruits. Sound good? We have a full post on grazing tables that’s spilling over with inspiration, and also features a handy guide to creating one yourself. Don’t worry if you don’t fancy a DIY – caterers and bespoke companies such as The Wild Grazer and Wildflower Grazing can set up a grazing table for you!
5. Cake, Dessert and Treat Tables
Cake tables work equally well as an alternative to traditional desserts or as an extra sweet treat throughout the day. They work well as a DIY project – maybe your Granny makes the best apple tart on the face of the planet or your pal’s lemon bars can’t be beat! – but, of course, the most hassle-free option is to leave your baking in the hands of professionals! Have a look at our list of our recommended wedding cake suppliers to see some of the gorgeous creations they can whip up.
6. Donut Walls and Stations
Who doesn’t love donuts? These sweet and tasty circles of happiness that are sure to put a smile on every guest’s face! You can mix and match flavours, shapes and sizes, or let your guests get creative with delicious glazes or fun sprinkles. If you’re not particularly skilled with a bag of flour, look to established donut peddlers like The Rolling Donut or Offbeat Donut Co in Ireland or Krispy Kreme or Doughnut Time in the UK. And head over to this mouthwatering post for ideas on how to style them!
7. Pie Station and Pie Bar
Perfect for autumn and winter weddings, pie bars are a super cute twist on the cake table trend, and the results are just as tasty! You can either serve slices from large pies or have a selection of mini pies or pie pops for guests to eat on the go. It’s worth checking if your venue or caterer can heat the pies for you, and prepare custard to serve them with for ultimate cosy vibes! Both cake designers and caterers can often help you with this wedding cake alternative.
8. S’mores or Milk and Cookie Bar
An American treat which everyone can get on board with, s’mores are a combination of Graham Crackers (malted milk biscuits to us lot!), melted marshmallows, and your favourite chocolate. The marshmallows are melted over a flame so this is a really fun one if if there’s an option of having an outdoor wood fire or BBQ at your wedding. If that sounds like too much faff, we also love the idea of a cookie and milk bar, which works really well as a late-night, sleepytime treat! You could always spike the milk, and create White Russian cocktails to pair with the cookies.
Wedding Food Stations To Leave to the Experts
There are two ways to create these types of food stations – you can either hire a mobile supplier who will take care of everything, or do part of the job yourself and hire a chef or server to man the station during the wedding.
9. Pizza Station
Pizza doesn’t immediately spring to mind when you think of wedding food, but it’s fast becoming a popular and affordable choice at rustic celebrations. You can stick with classics like Margherita and pepperoni, design a pizza that reflects each of your personalities, or let your guests build their own! You can either ask a caterer about creating the pizzas for you, or hire a wedding food truck like Tadgh & Paddy’s or Garlic & Thyme in Ireland or The Pizza Post and Tin Roof Pizza in the UK.
10. Taco and Nacho Stations
Why not give your day a Mexican twist with a mini taco or nacho bar!? This one is perfect for pairing with a margarita for cocktail hour, or as a late-night treat! You’ll find a handy tutorial on how to DIY a taco bar here but it does require quite a bit of work, so consider taking this idea to your caterer or hiring a food truck like EL FUEGO or Tacos Traviesas in Ireland or The Little Taquero in the UK.
11. Carved Meat Station
For an updated spin on the trending charcuterie board, go all out with a full spread of Italian or Spanish meats carved live for your guests to enjoy. We guarantee your guests will be dazzled and filled with great memories and food if you choose to indulge in this trendy option.
12. Sushi Stations and Dim Sum Bars
Sushi and Dim sum is an unconventional choice for wedding food stations, but it’ll definitely impress your guests. Hiring a chef to make fresh sushi rolls and nigiri for your guests would be ideal, but, with help from your venue staff, you could create a station with pre-rolled sushi, Vietnamese-style rice paper rolls or noodles in mini takeout boxes. Check out Oishii Sushi and Michie Sushi in Ireland, or Roll With Me or The Sushi Chef in the UK, and don’t forget the chopsticks!
13. Oyster Stations
Ireland is home to some of the best seafood in the world, so what better way to treat your guests than with a delicious oyster bar or roaming oyster shucking? You can even pair your seafood spread with pints of Guinness for a real taste of Ireland! In Ireland, Sligo Oyster Experience and King Sitric both have great oyster stations which you can hire for your big day, and companies like Oyster Boy Events, Red Oyster and Ross and Ross offer similar services in the UK.
14. Burrata Bar
A Burrata Bar for cocktail hour? Yes please! Pair burrata, crostini, truffle oils, and all the essentials for an indulgent Italian spread.
15. French Fry Bar
Let’s face it, who doesn’t love french fries? Whether it’s a cocktail hour treat or a late night food station offering, this is one food offering your guests are sure to love. Have guests choose from skinny, sweet potato or waffle fries then add their favorite toppings or sauces. Pick a variety of cheese, veggies, and condiments so guests can dress up their fries as much as they want! This is a great option for kid-friendly weddings, too.
16. Soup Station
A gorgeous option for colder wedding weddings, a soup station is something your guests will truly appreciate when coming in from the cold. Set your station with tasty toppings such as fresh parsley and Parmesan flakes, and with extras such as bread bowls, homemade croutons, breadsticks.
17. Buddha & Poké Bowl Bar
If you love poké bowls as much as we do you will love this wedding reception food station idea. Bowl food offerings are designed to be both visually appealing and delicious, making them an ideal choice a wedding food station. Offer beautifully arrange premade bowls or let guests build their own with fresh ingredients.
18. Candy Floss Stations
Sugary sweet and so so good, candy floss fits in perfectly with a vintage, festival or circus-inspired wedding. Believe us, your guests’ faces will light up when they’re served up freshly-spun candy floss in pretty pastel colours! You can hire your own candy floss machine from companies like Carolyn’s Sweets or Candy Lady, in the UK from Candy Buffets.
19. Ice Cream & Gelato Bars
A firm favourite with guests young and old, ice cream or gelato always goes down well, and if you’re blessed with a sunny day in summer, it will probably be the highlight of the whole day! For kitsch factor, hire an ice cream truck like Carolyn’s Sweets, Rockfield, Brook Avenue or Teddy’s in Ireland or Scoff and Sip or Vintage Ice Cream Van Hire in the UK. Your guests will love the option of ordering their favourite at the cart. You could also set up a sundae bar by laying out a selection of toppings and asking your venue or caterer to lay out tubs of your favourite ice cream on the day.
20. Grilled Cheese Station
Taking a bite of a warm melted cheese sambo will create a cosy and nostalgic sensory experience for your guests. For your grilled cheese bar why not offer a choice between a classic toastie, or more unique combos. For even more variety, complete your setup with mini tomato soups for dunking.
21. Pasta Bars & Gnocchi Stations
It doesn’t matter if you’re tying the knot in Italy or you’re simply a fan of the cuisine; you can’t go wrong with a pasta station. Load a table with mini bowls of various pasta choices or have a live pasta-making station, where chefs prepare fresh pasta on-site. Watching fresh ravioli, tortellini, or fettuccine being crafted right in front of them will give your guests an unforgettable culinary experience. We love this buffet-style spread idea for casual receptions that skip the plated dinner.
How to Style Your Wedding Food Station
These images will hopefully give you lots of inspiration for styling your food station, but, as always, we have a few more pieces of advice to impart! On-theme containers, signage, cutlery and tableware (if required) will help make the space look festive, and adding height to your food station will create some extra visual impact, so consider getting some cake stands, display stands, cutting boards or trays. If you’re hiring a stylist, make sure to chat to them about your ideas too!
Still looking for wedding food ideas? Check our our list of recommended caterers and bakers!
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