2024 Wedding Food Trends

There’s a lot for your guests to look forward to at your wedding, but few things are as anticipated as the food! From dinner to drinks, and definitely desserts, guests are hoping to be wowed by your wedding food menu.

In 2024, that means skipping the standard buffet, rethinking your cake-cutting ceremony, and focusing on ingredients, while throwing in some unique experiences that your guests will never forget.

No matter what your color scheme, theme, or location, these 2024 wedding food trends are sure to tantalize your guests’ tastebuds.

Butter Board With Onion and Purple Flower Petals: The Pioneer Woman

Charcuterie Boards—With a Twist

The idea of a grazing table is nothing new among wedding food ideas. It’s a fun way to incorporate the concept of a charcuterie board into your wedding day, but in 2024, brides and grooms are having a bit more fun with the concept.

Instead of one giant grazing table, smaller charcuterie boards are being included on each individual reception table as a great way for guests to snack while they wait for dinner to arrive. Butter boards are another fun way to incorporate this concept. A variety of flavored butters are spread on a board with unique toppings, along with rustic breads and crackers that make for a delicious conversation starter.

Cups of Ramen and Bowls at a Late-Night Ramen Bar: Brides

Late-Night Snacks

Late-night snacks have also been among the most popular wedding food trends for a few years, but they are really hitting their stride in 2024. Fast-food drop-offs with cold, stale eats are out and better planned experiences are in.

Food trucks are a great late-night snack idea, but couples are having even more fun sharing their favorites. That might include ordering pizza or rolling out a ramen bar. Foods are being cooked up fresh in front of guests’ eyes, like freshly fried and frosted donuts, as well as fresh fries and hand-rolled burritos in lieu of having food delivered.

Guests Congregating Around a Table of Fresh, Local Snacks: The Knot

Fresh, Local Produce

Eco-conscious weddings are no longer a trend. They have become the standard in the industry, which means brides and grooms are spending more time thinking about the impact their menu will have on the environment.

One way to lessen your carbon footprint is to incorporate fresh, local produce into your menu. That might mean tender leafy greens in the spring, fresh tomatoes and veggies in the summer, and pumpkin, squash, and apples in the fall.

It also means incorporating local specialties. For example, corn on the cob is a no-brainer in the Midwest, BBQ is a staple in the South, and fresh seafood is a perfect addition to coastal affairs.

Kimchi- and Chorizo-Loaded Hot Dogs on a Platter: The Curious Plate

Global Flavors

Just because wedding food trends include fresh, local produce doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with global flavors! That’s especially the case if global cuisine is part of you or your partner’s upbringing, or if it holds a special place in your hearts as a couple.

This trend is all about fusion cuisine, which allows you to incorporate unique flavors while honoring the local cuisine. You might add unique ingredients to local favorites, like kimchi hot dogs, masala chicken nachos, or Mexican lasagna. The goal is to wow guests with food combinations that they have never eaten before.

Individual Servings of Mac and Cheese With Forks: Green Wedding Shoes

Non-Formal Menus

No longer are guests choosing between a cut of beef or a marinated chicken breast at weddings. Menus are getting a bit less formal, yet they’re still packing a flavorful punch as couples choose foods that are meaningful to them. Think grown-up mac and cheese, clam chowder, and bite-sized burgers.

These are also great wedding food ideas on a budget, as you can zhoosh up your favorites without spending a fortune on cuts of filet mignon. Not to mention, your guests will love eating their favorites, like biting into a fancy grilled cheese sandwich or a plate of mini tacos.

Wedding Guests Eating Dinner at a Long Rectangular Table: The Good Party

Plated Dinners

Although choosing the wedding food menu is a bit less formal in 2024, the eating experience isn’t. After Covid, it’s clear that buffet weddings are out and plated dinners are back in.

Not only are plated dinners more sanitary, they also allow your guests to enjoy their meal without having to wait their turn in a long buffet line. It creates an atmosphere of conversation, and it provides a little bit more time for the bride and groom to mingle, as well as for members of the bridal party and families to give their speeches.

Man Preparing Individual Plates of Food With Custom Ingredients: Matrimonio

Interactive Eats

Among the most fun wedding food ideas is interactive eats. This is all about making dinner an experience that goes beyond sitting down at their seat with a plate full of food.

It’s all about choosing an interactive experience that’s meaningful to you and that your guests will enjoy. For example, if you and your partner got sushi on your first date, you might have a chef-run sushi bar. Guests could build their own poke bowl, or pizzas could be wood-fired in an on-site pizza oven.

Bite-Sized Burgers and Slices of Grilled Cheese With Mini Servings of Beer: WedMeGood

Alcohol Done Different

Alcohol is getting a bit of a makeover at weddings. First, getting rid of alcohol altogether is among the latest wedding food trends. That doesn’t mean couples are forgoing wedding-day cocktails, though. Instead, they’re crafting mocktails that are just as delicious as the real thing.

On the other end of the spectrum are couples who are incorporating alcohol more creatively into the dining experience. Wine, beer, and cocktails are being specially created to complement the menu, with different drinks being brought out alongside different courses.

Boxed Wedding Cake Tied With Twine and a Fork: Martin Thornburg

Desserts To-Go

Many brides and grooms are tiring of some traditions, like the bouquet toss, matching bridal dresses, and yes, cutting and serving the cake. If this tradition is important to you, by all means, cut a cake, but let your guests decide when they want to eat it by offering to-go containers. Guests who are stuffed after dinner will appreciate the option, and you’re more likely to hand out most of your cake, which means you aren’t stuck tossing most of it in the garbage.

You don’t have to stick with cake either! From donuts in specially-shaped boxes to mini pies and churros, there are many creative desserts your guests can take home with them.

Wow your guests with décor, a gorgeous dress, and moving wedding vows, but don’t forget about the food! With these 2024 wedding food ideas, you’re sure to create a dynamic wedding day that is just as beautiful as it is delicious.