From sustainable farm-to-table dining and vegan grazing boards to traditional three-course extravaganzas and street food vans, these are the top wedding food trends for 2022.
The Top Wedding Food Trends for 2022
While 2021 saw many brides-to-be press pause on their wedding plans, 2022 is THE year of weddings – and our cravings for all those wedding breakfasts and canapés are really kicking in.
When it comes to planning a wedding, catering for your guests – and all their different dietary requirements – can become one of the most expensive and complicated parts of organising your big day.
We’ve consulted experts up and down the UK to get their insight on what we’ll be eating at weddings in the year ahead.
Three Courses of Indulgence
Events and wedding caterers Caviar & Chips Catering got their team of expert, creative chefs together and looked into their fortune-telling mixing bowls to come up with some delicious predictions for wedding food trends in 2022.
One tradition that is continuing to be popular in 2022 is the three-course wedding breakfast.
Caviar & Chips co-founder and Executive Chef, Jonathan Carter-Morris said: “The majority of menus are a three-course wedding breakfast with over 80% including canapés after the wedding ceremony.”
Multi-sensory Experiences
After the restrictions of 2020 and 2021, wedding expert Lisa Forde and director of wedding stationery company Tree of Hearts says her wedding couples want to give their guests a genuinely unforgettable experience.
“Multi sensory elements is another huge trend we’re expecting this year where guests can experience a wedding at another level!
“Think food and drink that doesn’t just taste and look good, but feels exciting, like surprise singing waiters!”
Street Food Style
Whether providing the main culinary offering or a bit of extra fuel for the dancefloor, since the twenty-teens we’ve seen more and more couples opt for a food vans, carts and street food vendors to cater to their guests’ hunger pangs.
This trend is certainly not slowing down in 2022, and with searches for ‘garden wedding’ higher than ever, food trucks are likely to be popular going into 2022, especially if you are hosting your own back garden soiree.
Quirky Desserts
Looking to put a twist on your dessert display? “A Sgroppino station is a great way to go,” says Joanna Mood from Zafferano. “This Venetian concept combines a cocktail and dessert – we predict espresso martini tiramisus are going to be huge.”
Treat younger guests to cute milkshakes with doughnuts looped onto paper straws, or create your own ‘garden’ with edible layers. 2022’s wedding food trends offer scope to experiment with savoury bites, too, including stuffed taco cones and arancini or lamb fritter lollipops. Go wild!
Bespoke Drinks
When it comes to big-day beverages, the appetite for gin is not going anywhere with the rise of build-your-own-G&T stations and help-yourself cocktail bars.
“These give you a chance to offer up a variety of mixers and basic ‘ice and a slice’ alternatives – pink grapefruit, cinnamon sticks and even peppercorns,” says Roya Nathwani from Top Hat Catering.
Orange will continue making a splash, predicts James Shelbourne, co-founder of gin distillery Silent Pool. “Brands will move away from artificially sweetened flavourings, and we’ll see a rise in the rich and decadent – this is where orange will come into its own.”
Bowl Foods
Having experienced a resurgence, bowl food now means lighter, healthier dishes, like sushi and burrito bowls, are appearing as one of 2022’s top wedding food trends.
Eliza Caminada from The Social Pantry suggests that its rise in popularity – aside from its royal-wedding-menu status – is down to flexibility: “People always want to try something different, and with so many dietary needs to cater for, this style of eating allows guests to choose what works for them.”
“Plus, as more couples look to minimise waste, allowing guests to choose will help with this.” Choices vary from Hawaiian poké to noodles and falafel, but don’t be afraid to offer meatier options too; carnivores will go nuts for chilli and Korean steak bowls.
Farm-to-Table Wedding Food
Farm-to-table food is about making the most of the environment around you, be it growing your own ingredients, seeking out local suppliers, or sourcing produce from nearby farms.
And according to Eliza, this wedding food trend had already reached 2020 and 2021 couples.
One thing to bear in mind, however, is seasonality, so if your heart’s set on serving up pumpkin and squash-based platters, an autumn wedding is your best bet.
Vegan Wedding Food
Veganism is definitely on the rise when it comes to wedding food trends, and as it becomes increasingly popular, you’ll likely see it cropping up much more in 2022.
If you already follow a vegan diet, you should have a good idea of what to avoid, but if it’s a fairly new thing for you, things to watch out for are meat and poultry, fish and seafood, dairy, eggs and bee products, including honey, bee pollen and royal jelly.
Crowd-pleasing Canapés
While extravagant and experimental hors d’oeuvres may get your guest talking, you can’t beat a classic canapé when it comes to your evening wedding reception.
“Our clients love getting really creative with canapés, but we notice they do always like to have at least one crowd-pleaser on the menu, so we see a lot of Pork Belly and Mini Yorkshire puddings with Beef – and of course a classic Salmon Blini,” explains Jonathan Carter-Morris.
Late Night Wedding Food
As more couples choose to extend their celebrations to run over a two- or even three-day period, wedding parties are lasting much longer. This means your guests need to kept fed and watered throughout – both day and night.
Comfort foods are ideal for night-time snacking – think burgers, fish and chips, cheesy bites and sliders. Add a mix of sweet treats to balance out the savoury nibbles to keep energy levels high.
Wedding Grazing Tables
Communal feasting remains a wedding food trend for 2022. But we think it may have more to do with the displays being a real feast for the eyes.
“There’s nothing better than watching guests digging in, and talking about the delights before them as they do!” says Toria Smith, founder of grazing caterer, Grape & Fig.
Choose anything from speciality cheeses, cured meats and antipasti to dips, bread, crackers and chutney, dried fruit and nuts – the possibilities are endless.
Roya Nathwani agrees: “Grazing tables are designed to encourage guests to come back for more, and the abundance of food on show always creates a talking point, so get creative!”
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