How to Plan Food and Drinks for an Outdoor Wedding? (6 Ideas)

Planning food and drinks for an outdoor wedding can include serving light appetizers, such as fruit platters and vegetable crudité, cold sandwiches or wraps, grilled meats or seafood skewers, salads, and other seasonal dishes.

For drinks, consider offering a signature cocktail for the event, along with beer and wine options. Non-alcoholic beverages like iced tea or lemonade are also popular choices for outdoor weddings.

Planning a wedding is no easy feat, especially when it comes to food and drinks. When hosting an outdoor wedding, there are even more considerations to keep in mind.

From finding the right caterer to selecting the perfect drinks for your guests, it can be overwhelming trying to come up with ideas that will make your special day memorable. To help you out, here are some tips and ideas for planning food and drinks for an outdoor wedding.

Provide a Variety of Food Options

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drinks outdoor wedding

When planning drinks for an outdoor wedding, it is important to provide a variety of options. This includes alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as hot and cold drinks.

Depending on the time of year, you may want to offer seasonal favorites such as lemonade or iced tea in the summer months or hot cocoa and cider in the winter months. It is also important to consider any dietary restrictions that your guests may have when selecting drinks; for example, providing vegan-friendly options like almond milk or coconut water.

You should make sure there are plenty of non-alcoholic choices available for those who do not drink alcohol or prefer not to at your event. Be sure to provide enough ice so that all beverages stay cool throughout the day!

Serve Seasonal Dishes

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salads outdoor wedding

Serving seasonal dishes at an outdoor wedding is a great way to ensure that your guests are getting the freshest and most flavorful food. Seasonal dishes can be tailored to the time of year, taking advantage of local produce and ingredients that are in season.

This will also help keep costs down as seasonal ingredients tend to be more affordable than out-of-season items. Serving seasonal dishes allows you to create unique menus that reflect the current season and its flavors.

For example, if it’s summertime, you could serve light salads with fresh fruits or grilled vegetables; for winter weddings, hearty soups or stews would be perfect for keeping guests warm and cozy.

Create Signature Cocktails or Mocktails

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signature cocktails outdoor wedding

Creating signature cocktails or mocktails for an outdoor wedding is a great way to add a unique and personal touch to the event. Signature drinks can be tailored to the couple’s tastes, as well as their wedding theme and colors.

They can also be used to reflect the season or location of the wedding. For example, if it’s summertime, you could create a fruity cocktail with fresh fruit juices and herbs like mint or basil.

If it’s wintertime, you could make warm spiced drinks with whiskey or brandy. Mocktails are non-alcoholic versions of popular cocktails that still have all of the flavor without any alcohol content.

This is perfect for guests who don’t drink alcohol but still want something special at your outdoor wedding reception. You can use ingredients like sparkling water, ginger beer, fresh juices and syrups to create delicious mocktail recipes that everyone will enjoy!

Set Up an Outdoor Bar Area With Seating and Shade

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outdoor bar for wedding

Setting up an outdoor bar area with seating and shade is a great way to provide drinks for guests at an outdoor wedding. This can be done by setting up a bar table in the shade of a tree or other structure, such as an umbrella or canopy.

The table should have enough space for bartenders to mix drinks and serve them to guests. Seating should also be provided nearby so that guests can sit down and enjoy their drinks in comfort.

It’s important to make sure that the area is well-lit so that bartenders can see what they are doing, and it’s also important to ensure there is plenty of ice on hand for keeping beverages cold.

Provide Coolers Filled With Ice for Drinks to Stay Cold Throughout the Day

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coolers outdoor wedding

Having coolers filled with ice is an important part of planning drinks for an outdoor wedding. The coolers will help keep the drinks cold throughout the day, even in hot weather.

It’s best to have multiple coolers so that you can store different types of beverages and easily access them when needed. Fill each cooler with plenty of ice and place it in a shady area if possible.

This will ensure that your guests have cold drinks all day long!

Rent Glassware and China for a More Formal Look

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Rent Glassware outdoor wedding

Renting glassware and china for an outdoor wedding can be a great way to add a more formal look to the event. Glassware includes items such as wine glasses, champagne flutes, beer mugs, and other types of glasses that are used for serving drinks.

China refers to plates, bowls, and other dishes that are used for serving food. By renting these items instead of buying them outright, you can save money while still having a beautiful presentation at your outdoor wedding.

It is much easier to transport rented glassware and china than it is to transport large amounts of dishes from one location to another.