Creative Meals to Keep Your Wedding Guests Talking

Everyone wants their reception to be memorable, and everyone knows that the reception meal makes a big impression on wedding guests.  So add a little spice to your menu with these reception-meal tips, and you’ll get ideas for a ceremony so delicious it has to be fattening.

Even before your food is served, L.A. Chef David Brian Sanders suggests beefing up the menu itself. “Create a high-end, engraved card stock menu to put on the plates,” he says. “It’s classic, and it makes a wonderful keep saver.”

When it’s time for food, consider some variations on salmon and chicken. Fillet of duck is a popular alternative to traditional fare, as is sliced tenderloin and halibut. For side dishes, Sanders suggests a Pasta Bar. “Have three different kinds of pasta, and serve a meat sauce and a vegetarian sauce,” he says.

Another great idea is to add a religious or ethnic touch to your meal. You can have Borscht to honor your Jewish heritage, pickled herring in honor of your German roots, and a raw bar “because everyone loves them” says Sanders.

Some of these items can be pricey, so talk to your caterer about an affordable dish. Potato chips are a snazzy appetizer when specially made, and they’re not going to drain your budget. Another memorable starter that won’t break the bank is Falafel; even the most diet-conscience among your guests will gobble that idea up.

Sanders thinks dessert is where you should go nuts. “Chocolate fountains are wonderful,” he says. “They bubble over, and work like a Champagne fountain.” The chocolate is fondue-like in texture, and guests scoop it up and put it over their dessert.” Sanders says you’ll need to have an attendant preside over it, and chocolate fountains are pricey, but it’s a sweet touch that will keep guests talking for ages. And that’s exactly what you want!

-David Toussaint

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