So, you’re planning a small wedding and now you’re wondering what to do about the food. Food is an important aspect of your special day so you’ll want to be sure to plan carefully and ensure whatever you choose fits in with the overall vibe of your event.
There are so many options when it comes to serving dinner at your small wedding, from hiring a private chef to hosting food trucks to supplying the food yourself, and we’ve rounded up some of the best small wedding dinner ideas so you can be sure you’re considering all your options as you plan this part of your wedding.
When I was planning my wedding I really wanted something special for the food. My husband and I really enjoy good food and I always imagined an amazing meal would be a part of our day. Unfortuntately, my private chef dreams didn't come through but we still had amazing food (see how we did it for less $500 below!) that our friends and family still talk about today. Hopefully this guide will give you some of the guidance I didn't have so you can be sure to have the an amazing wedding dinner.
✨ Click here to download a copy of the Micro Wedding Planning Checklist & Guide ✨
What is considered a small wedding
First, many couples wonder, what is a micro wedding? A small wedding is generally defined by the guest list size, specifically when an event is 50 guests or less. Smaller, more intimate gatherings are gaining popularity as more and more couples look for a way to reduce planning stress and costs, and to have a truly meaningful wedding.
How To Plan a Small Wedding Dinner
Food is one of the first things you should consider once you have your venue booked. It’s important to know that food and beverage are typically one of the biggest spending items for a wedding and while having a small wedding can offer huge cost savings in terms of your overall budget, you’ll want to plan carefully to take advantage. Follow these steps to plan your small wedding dinner.
What Food To Serve At a Small Wedding Reception
First, you might be wondering what to even serve at your micro wedding. Just because you’re having a more intimate celebration doesn’t mean you need to skimp on food. In fact, cutting your headcount can make your dollar go much much further in terms of food and beverage (spend the same amount of money for something really special), or you can choose to go with a less expensive option which we’ll cover below. Here are some examples of what you could serve.
- Plated, coursed meal served up by a private chef
- Plated, passed, or buffet-style meal served by a micro wedding caterer
- BBQ, buffet-style brought in from a local restaurant
- Taco bar, cooked by you
- Food trucks
- Picnic-style for really intimate weddings or elopements
Consider Your Overall Wedding Theme
Before choosing your small wedding dinner, consider the overall wedding theme you have in mind and if you’ve chosen food as one of your non-negotiables when planning your small wedding budget. While a lot of people say that your guests won’t remember the meal, it’s also possible that choosing something totally offbeat from your overall vibe could make it make it more memorable than you’d like.
Choose Your Venue for Your Small Wedding Dinner
Commonly we see couples choose to have their small wedding ceremony in a unique location that’s not suitable for a reception and if that’s the case, you’ll need to begin exploring the best venue for your small wedding dinner. Fortunately, with a small guest list, you’ll have many options to choose from:
Find Out What Food Options Are Available
Once you’ve nailed down your reception location, you’ll need to understand your food options. If food is an important factor in your wedding, I recommend considering what your options are before you book your venue. Quick sidebar: we did not do this. We rented our VRBO in the mountains without considering the food choices would be incredibly limited (if not completely unavailable) within our budget. Whoops. See how we handled it below.
If you’ve chosen a more traditional wedding venue, chances are they’ll provide a caterer or a list of preferred caterers and food options. If you’re hosting your reception at a non-traditional space, such as a private home, a bowling alley, then your options may be more open depending on the location.
You’ll want to decide what serving style fits your wedding vision, as well. Some options include:
- Coursed
- Plated
- Self-serve or buffet
- Build-Your-Own
- Sit down or casual grazing
Know Your Headcount
Having a sense of your headcount is crucial. A ballpark is ok, but there’s a big difference between feeding 10 people and 50 people so you’ll want to narrow down your guest list by the time you get to this step.
Choose Your Food
Now that you’ve nailed down your small wedding dinner venue, explored your food options, and considered your theme, you’re ready to choose what you’ll serve for your intimate wedding dinner. Here are some things to take into consideration:
- Headcount: Providing food for 10 people is a lot different than 50 so know your count
- Budget: Similar to above, know how many people and how much you’re willing to spend. That’s likely going to be pretty informative regarding your options.
- Time: If you’re thinking about doing any part of it, you’ll want to carefully consider the time you’ll need to make everything and then prep it
- Available resources the day of the wedding: This is a biggie. Someone is going to need to look over the food station. Our wedding planner actually provided an extra person at a low hourly rate to keep food and beverages stocked which was a total life saver.
- Wedding theme: Make sure whatever you choose fits in with your vision
Unique Small Wedding Dinner Ideas
Dinner is one way to make a very small wedding special. There's something so memorable and intimate about sharing a good meal with your closest family and friends. Here are just a few ideas you might consider for your intimate wedding.
- Coursed meal served up by a private chef
- Wood fired pizza bar
- Fresh pasta bar
- Taco bar
- Buffet style catering from your favorite restaurant
- Food trucks
- Individual charcuterie boards
- Grazing table
png.png)
