Catering  for  every  taste  and  age  group  can  be  one  of  the  biggest  challenges  facing  a  bride-to-be.  But trends are moving  away from traditional sit-down wedding breakfasts, to more informal,  budget-friendly and creative ways of satisfying hungry guests. All hail the wedding buffet stations!

Taster stations
Director  of  Guides  for  Brides  wedding  directory,  Alison  Hargreaves,  recognises  that  offering an  array  of „taster‟ stations can prove to be an imaginative and artistic way to feed hungry mouths. It‟s a clever way to incorporate different tastes, customs and cultures into your menu. “When planning  a  wedding,  where  the  food  is  a  little  less  conventional,  it‟s  worth  checking with your venue  first  to  see  what  they  are  able  to  do,”  says  Alison.  “Some  venues  may  have restrictions  or  extra charges for bringing in catering options that they may not offer.”

Informal catering
Some wedding venues  are only too happy to provide a blank canvas for a gastronomic bride and groom. Mark and Louise Bradley, owners of Dodmoor House near Weedon in Northamptonshire, host around 120 weddings a year and have seen the trends in catering evolve over the six years since its opening.“We  often  find  that  those  couples  who  are  stretching  to  afford  the  venue,  need  to make  savings elsewhere,”  says  Mark.  “We  always  use  caterers  who  are  flexible  and  inventive with  their  food,  so  that couples  feel  they  are  getting  something  a  little  different  and  personal  to  their  tastes  and  financial situation.”“Budget  isn‟t  always  the  reason  behind  the  more  informal  style  of  catering  like  BBQs  and  buffets,”  he adds.  “Lots  of  couples  are  looking  for  something  alternative  and  more  and  more  are  shying  away  from the  set  traditional  three-course  meal.  At  recent  weddings,  we‟ve  seen  make-your-own  burger  bars,  pick „n‟ mix sweet shops, crepe machines and ice-cream vans.”

If you‟re looking for unique ways to feed your wedding guests, here are six ideas to wet your appetite…

6 unique ways to feed your guests

Cocktail hour
Food in cocktail/shot glasses, late night snacks and dessert tables for wedding receptions heavily focused on dancing and good times.

Bowled over
Bowl food or walking buffets fill the gap between canapés and a full-on wedding feast. Usually served by waiters, it‟s slightly more substantial than a mouthful but has the added bonus of giving your guests lots of choice.

Picture perfect
Planning  a cinema themed big day?  Serve your guests mini hotdogs, flavoured popcorns  and nachos!  A tasty  treat, especially if you‟re theming food around  your favourite movie or providing entertainment for guests during the evening.

Fairground attraction
For outdoor celebrations, create  your own festival or  carnival  atmosphere with coconut  shy, hoopla  and traditional food trucks serving burgers, hotdogs, baked spuds, doughnuts and even candyfloss.

It’s a classic
Celebrate true British food with your own take on a classic pub, complete with personalised home brew. Serve  your  guests  fish  „n‟  chips,  seafood  or  even  pie  and  mash.  How  about  a  sausage station  complete with locally sourced mustards, relish and sauces?

Extra time
If budget and imagination allow it, those added extras can create a real wow factor to your wedding feast – bespoke drinks stations like coffee bars, cocktail masterclasses, or wine and beer tasting for the adults. Sweet  tables,  edible  favours  like  homemade  chutneys  and  pickles,  bottles  of  home brew  and  ice-cream stands always go down well.