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Wedding Food Trends
What's Being Served at Today's Weddings?
By Donna Smith
For many couples, a wedding symbolizes the joining of two cultures. "Tap into your cultural backgrounds for your ideal menu options," says Naylor. "Talk with your caterer about giving a modern twist to traditional Italian dishes, for instance, and see how you can create a unique fusion of the two or more styles on your list."
Pierogi bars, for example, are popular for couples with an eastern European background, says Naylor. "[Pierogis] are like ravioli in the sense of being a pasta pocket, but they're filled with a range of fillings," she says. 
Popular fillings include mashed potato, potato and cheddar, potato and spinach and potato and feta. Toppings can include sour cream, onion dip, vegetable sour cream, ground mustard and marinara sauce. "And some chefs are 'gourmeting' them out with shrimp parmigiana like mini calzones," she adds.
Julia Erlichman, founder of Julia and Friends Event Management in New Jersey, recommends couples use cocktail hour to highlight their cultures and heritages. "Have a full Asian buffet complete with a dim sum station, or add a few Spanish dishes to the cocktail buffet," she says.
"Cocktail hour is a place that couples are offering regional foods from places they enjoy," Sellers says. "For example, at my wedding, I am offering buffalo wings because the groom's family is from Buffalo, N.Y., and mini cheesesteaks because I am from Philly, mini BBQ sandwiches because my family is from North Carolina and of course crab cakes. I have a client that wantsto do beef brisket from Texas and then a lobster bisque from New England." The soup will be served in a shot glass and passed on trays.
