While we’ll always love a great cocktail bar, there’s new favourite type of bar that’s taking over the wedding scene.
From interactive s’mores stations to quaint carts boasting Mexican delights, food bars are the hot new trend to steal the spotlight at wedding receptions. With brides and grooms opting for that backyard, night market feel - fairy lights wound around trees and all - it’s a creative way to add to the atmosphere, serve food and drink and get guests up off their seats.
Seven food and drink carts to have at your wedding:
Poppin’ popcorn bar
Picture: Pinterest
Popcorn is the perfect snack for any time - birthdays, movie nights and, yes, even wedding receptions. Whether it’s sugary sweet caramel popcorn topped with crunchy salted pretzel pieces or plain with butter and melting shards of chocolate generously strewn throughout - guests can have fun creating their favourite flavour combinations between main meals. As for the display, we love the idea of serving the corn in paper bags and using mason jars to hold all the delicious toppings.
S’mores station
Picture: Pinterest
Ideal for winter weddings, S’mores Bars will have guests cosying up around a roaring fire whilst enjoying their sweet treats. If your venue has an outdoor fire pit, have your caterer set up a smorgasbord of skewers, marshmallows, crackers and chocolate in a variety of flavours. If you venue doesn’t have this option available, go for tabletop s’mores stations where guests can roast marshmallows from their seats. To achieve this, use sterno fuel cans in a wood planter box that’s filled with rocks or pebbles, very rustic and completely decadent.
Mexican feast
Picture: Pinterest
From crisp tortilla chips to cheesy queso dip, guacamole and salsa verde, if it’s a savoury snack you’re craving, there’s nothing more fun and festive than nachos. The humble, yet delicious, finger food will have guests queuing up to assemble their own plate. After a night of drinking, dancing and celebrating, they’ll be salivating over this street-food styled dish.
Pie bar
Picture: Pinterest
There’s cake people and then there’s pie people. If your eyes light up at the sight of a golden crust filled with tart fruit fillings packing a zesty zing and the warm fragrance of nutmeg and cinnamon bringing everything together, then this is the trend for you. From whipped cream or pouring cream infused with vanilla to ice cream, and hot fudge sauce to drizzle over a warm piece of pie, these are some of the fixings you’ll need to deck out your pie bar.
Potato bar
Picture: Pinterest
Waffle, curly or french, fries are your typical street food snack, so what business do they have featuring at an elegant wedding? Well, for starters, they are absolutely delicious and who can resist the fluffy goodness contained inside their golden exteriors? Have a dedicated chips and dip section at your wedding featuring paper cones (for guests to carry their fries in), sauces and an array of toppings ranging from cheese sauce to parmesan and truffle oil to crispy bacon bits, chives and garlic aioli.
Coffee bar
Picture: Pinterest
Every wedding reception reaches a slump in the evening when the dance floor dies down and little kids fall asleep on chairs, under a pile of coats. Bring life back to the party with a Coffee Bar boasting a range of coffee flavours, milk, teas, sweeteners (honey, stevia, brown and white sugar, etc.), shortbread cookies and hot chocolate and marshmallows for the young ones.
Pimp your prosecco
Picture: Pinterest
Cocktail bars are a wedding staple, so you may be wondering why a prosecco bar has been included on this list. We’re used to seeing traditional bars that are part of the furnishing when it comes to reception venues, but there are ways of giving this worn out tradition a fresh new spin. By eliminating the structured set up of bars and allowing guests to personalise their drinks with anything from pineapple slices to pomegranate rubies, bitters and cordials, the process becomes a bit more interesting. Dress up your bar by displaying the beverage additions in pretty jars, bottles and bowls.