Comfort is key when it comes to planning your winter wedding reception menu. While it may be tempting to fall back on reliable standbys like steak or chicken, a truly creative bride knows that she can make her menu stand out by using traditional winter fare as a jumping-off point.
Shrink Your Comfort Foods
Soups, potpies, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese are all great rib-stickers, but they’re definitely too heavy if you want to have your guests up and dancing before dessert. Shrink your portion sizes to shooters or mini versions. Ditch your soup bowls for shot glasses and your large courses for appetizers. Not only will your guests enjoy the change of pace, it also gives you the opportunity to serve a variety of dishes without breaking your budget.
Get Creative With Your Serving Stations
Waiting in a long line is only worthwhile if your guests know that they’ll be enjoying something delicious as the payoff. Pasta, crepe, or fondue stations are a fun way for your friends and family to create one-of-a-kind meals for themselves. Offer written menu suggestions as well so they can get a sense of what’s available ahead of time.
Offer Sweet Treats With a Classic Twist
You don’t have to get fancy with your dessert menu to win your guests over. As a matter of fact, sometimes simple with a twist is the best way to make sure it’s memorable. Serve chocolate pudding in a martini glass dipped in crushed Oreos or garnished with a candy cane. Pass out toasted peanut butter and banana squares (a la Elvis). Or keep it simple and sweet and opt for mini Hostess cupcake pops. The most basic desserts usually make a big splash since they tend to appeal to a much larger range of people.
Treat Your Guests On the Go
Just because the party’s over doesn’t mean it really has to end. Show you care by sending your guests home with something warm and thoughtful to help fight the chill. Get creative by making your own wedding labels and putting them on to-go cups. Line the cups up by the exit along with cold weather staples like gourmet coffee and tea, hot cocoa, and cider. There’s no better send-off for your friends and family than a small token of appreciation to show how much they mean to you.
-- Summer Krecke
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