Summer is the most magical season for a wedding on the beach, patio, forest, and almost anywhere in nature. The sunny and warm weather will complement your princess dress as you swirl around with your husband-to-be. Guests are being served refreshing drinks, but their plates are yet to be served with tasty appetizers and filling main dishes.
Now, to make this dream come true, you need to be prepared. Here, you will discover the ideal summer wedding food ideas to impress your guests.
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5 Summer Catering Menu Ideas
#1 Zucchini Bites
For a summer wedding, you should avoid hearty meals that are heavy and oily so that your guests don’t overeat at the beginning of the festivities. How about starting with bite-size zucchini fritters?
Zucchini fritters are crunchy and can be served with plain Greek yogurt or as alone. As a light appetizer, your guest can grab a mini square tray with a zucchini bite during the reception or as soon as everyone arrives at the venue.
#2 Greek Salad
Greek salad prepared with fresh black olives, feta cheese, juicy tomatoes, and other crunchy vegetables is perfect to serve before or after the main meal.
Light and healthy meals like a Greek salad will revitalize the guests and give them the energy to dance and chat instead of making them sleepy at the wedding table.
In addition, if you are looking for cheap wedding food ideas for summer, Greek salad is easy and quick to prepare and requires basic ingredients you can find in any store. Just make sure you pack the salad into a mason jar and keep seasoning separately.
#3 Cold Cucumber Soup
The last thing your guests need is a hot bowl of soup to sweat over. Instead, serve them a cool dish like cucumber soup. A fun fact is that you don’t even need to cook it. You need to blend cucumber cubes with the yogurt, shallot, dill, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, and store in the fridge for 8 hours before serving.
Get biodegradable large bowls from CMJJ Gourmet to help you serve your cucumber soup to the guests, and worry not about cleaning the dishes!
#4 Caprese Skewers
In summer, it’s important to prepare easy treats to complement drinks, and we suggest yummy Caprese skewers. It’s another mini appetizer that will jazz up the wedding table with its colorful tomatoes and olive oil-soaked mozzarella balls. Don’t forget to add basil leaves in between tomatoes and drizzle balsamic vinegar on top.
But don’t be limited to these ingredients only. Let your imagination free, and prepare skewers with grilled vegetables and gnocchi or prosciutto with melon balls, mozzarella, and basil.
#5 Pineapple Pulled Pork Sliders
Choosing a main course for a summer wedding is challenging. Lobster rolls and sushi are everyone’s favorites, but they are costly and may go bad quickly in the heat. There is one meal that will make everyone empty their plates – pineapple pulled pork sliders. Small burger-like sandwiches that are nutritious and full of savory-sweet notes.
These sliders can be prepared on the spot with pre-cooked ingredients and served to your guests quickly. On a Hawaiian sliced bread, add a tablespoon of pulled pork and top it up with a pineapple slaw (a mixture of cabbage, pineapple, and cilantro).
Thanks to the small to medium portion of pulled pork sliders, your guests won’t be too full to eat some wedding cake at the end of the ceremony.
The Final Word
You’ve reached the end of our summer wedding buffet menu ideas on a budget. We hope we have inspired you to create a delicious wedding menu that will impress your guests and leave them satisfied.
Whether you opt for a catering service to prepare these delightful dishes or decide to show off your culinary skills, our carefully selected summer menu options will infuse your celebration with refreshing flavors. Your guests are guaranteed to be not only impressed with the food but also thoroughly satisfied. These menu ideas are ideal for summer and will definitely revitalize your guests for all-night dancing and celebration.