At Fierce Productions, we believe your wedding menu should be as unique and memorable as your love story. As seasoned wedding planners based in Chicago, we’ve seen firsthand how the right culinary choices can transform an event. Here are some innovative ideas to elevate your food and bar menu that will leave your guests raving for years to come:

Menu Selection

When it comes to selecting your menu, you don’t have to keep with the more traditional “steak, chicken, pasta.” You can pick whatever. A way to elevate your dinner is to potentially create a menu based on the theme of your wedding, or pick your niche favorite food. If you want Mongolian Cuisine, let’s find it! If you would rather have pizza instead of a cake, then do it! If you want a specific cultural dish, then we shall source it for you. If your venue comes with exclusive catering, then don’t be afraid to ask what they can do. Yes, they typically have set options, but don’t ever be afraid to ask about potential customization, or additional options. I’m sure you’ll find things can be done! You might also be able to get certain dishes catered as late night snacks, or as a gift favor.

Passed Appetizers

Having passed cocktails or passed hors d'oeuvres not only makes your guests feel luxurious, but it’s actually an amazing way to maintain the flow of the crowd, as guests won’t need to crowd around a bar or table—the food shall come to them. You can also have fun by having unique serving dishes like neon plates, or clear boxes with culinary treats inside.

Interactive Food

How can food be interactive you might ask? Well—we had some clients order custom fortune cookies. Inside, the cookies had simple tasks the guests could complete to mingle with the other guests. You could potentially do something similar. Maybe you have cookies and guests must find someone with the same color? Maybe you have a batched cocktail, and guests must answer fun riddles to receive a cocktail ingredient. If guests get to snack while doing something interactive, it will truly make it a memorable experience for them.

Themed Cocktails

You can easily elevate your bar options by having cocktails based on the theme of your wedding, or having a favorite cocktail represented for each partner. If you enjoy fruity drinks, while your partner enjoys the more savory type, then offer the two extremes to your guests. Some even use it as an opportunity to have their pet involved by having the drink named after them. It’s a subtle but cute way to reveal a little bit about you as a couple. For the playful type, maybe you even turn the drinks into a competition—who’s drink gets ordered most?

Themed Bar/Stations

Having specific food based stations are a fun way for guests to indulge, and make it personal for themselves. You can do almost anything! If you have a unique idea, then let us know! Here are some examples of food/drink bars that can be offered, but know the world is your oyster!

Boba Tea Bar
Caprese Station
Charcuterie Station
Sundae Station
Guacamole Bar
Mac and Cheese Station
Churro Station
Taco Station

Creative Late Night Snacks

From bustling food trucks to sweet ice-cream delights and classic hot-dog stands, there’s a lot of room to get creative with your late night snack options. Do you have a favorite munchie? A favorite sweet? A craving you indulge frequently? Then don’t hesitate to incorporate it into your wedding. Trust us, there are usually unique food stands, trucks, and boxes available for your niche craving.

Decorated Desserts

If you have a wedding cake, you can have fun with the decoration. Having MORE than just a white cake already is impressive. You also can have a dessert bar impress your guests with a variety of options—and they can be decorated to match your theme. You can have a donut wall, dessert stations, or get creative with ideas like a ice-cream bar dipping station. Our friends at Dipsy Desserts have custom ice- cream bars that allow guest to choose a chocolate dip, and their toppings. It’s a fun way to give guests a sweet treat, while keeping it personal to them.

Unique Serving Dishes

You can also play around with some exciting ways for your guests to receive their meals/drinks. Ever been served champagne by an aerialist or a fancy bike? What about collecting your dessert from a lady wearing a table as a dress? These are all options we have had at events! We love using New Moon Chicago for their unique entertainment options. They have things for the creative ideas listed above, to napkin dresses, beer Segways, and more. Guests will certainly walk away feeling impressed!

DO YOU HAVE A BOLD VISION FOR YOUR WEDDING?

Fierce Productions is a Chicago based event planning company specializing in curating unique, bold, non-traditional weddings and events. Our talented team of professionals can handle all of your event needs including planning and coordination, design and styling, vendor and talent management, fundraising, marketing support and beyond - get in touch to learn more!

How to Elevate Your Wedding Food and Bar Menu