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Wedding Food Trends
What's Being Served at Today's Weddings?
By Donna Smith
"Sushi bars are still hot, but people are pairing them as a fusion, such as with Cuban food (marinated meats, stuffed seafood, etc.)," says Sharon Naylor, author of 1000 Best Secrets for Your Perfect Wedding (Sourcebooks Casablanca, 2004) and How to Have a Fabulous Wedding for $10,000 or Less (Prima Lifestyles, 2002). For example, Naylor says ginger sauces are being served along with soy dippers, and steamed dumplings and fried gyoza (Japanese-style dumplings) are also paired for guests who don't enjoy sushi.
Comfort foods will never go out of style. Steve Buero, co-owner of Catering 101 in Atlanta, Ga., says the 
mashed potato martini bar is still an all-time favorite. "People love this!" he says. But even this down-home favorite can be modernized. "We recommend updating this tried-and-true favorite by using regional favorites instead of mashed potatoes." For example, grits in the South, Skyline chili in Ohio or gumbo in Louisiana.
Naylor says the mashed potato bar is still hot due to the "comfort" and "home" factors. She suggests regular, butter, garlic and sweet potatoes served in martini glasses or brightly colored cups. Toppings can range from sauces like mushroom and onion, ground beef, marinara and vodka-tomato to sour cream and chives, bacon and cheddar cheese, melted gruyere cheese and a creamy crab and shrimp sauce.
"The soup bar is picking upsteam for fall and winter weddings, so look at lobster bisques and butternut squash 
soups with root vegetables and garlic," says Naylor. "Crab and shrimp bisques are hot. The rule for soup bars is to go with something that people can't get every day, so clam chowders and bean soups are best left to the luncheon cafes. Talk to the caterer about a thick, rich soup." In summer, she says to consider gazpacho, which would also serve as a palate cleanser when other menu items are heavier and spicier.
