Hosting your wedding in the summer makes for a lovely occasion; not only will your friends and family be gathered to celebrate your marriage, but you’ll get to do so under the golden glow of the sun and with vibrant flowers in bloom. With that said, planning any wedding is an intensive process, even more so when considering your event’s cost. To beat the heat without spending a fortune, discover Elysian Events’ summer wedding food ideas on a budget!
Choose a Local Caterer
Catering with a locally-owned company in your area will prevent you from spending as much on food. There will be lower delivery fees, given that the caterers don’t have to transport your meal as far. As an extra bonus, if the caterer sources their produce locally, you know that their meals have been cooked with fresh, in-season ingredients. This means your meal will be even healthier and more delicious!
Want to be even more budget-friendly? Talk to your caterer about whether they offer smaller wedding package options. Choosing a smaller catering package will allow you to save money on the wedding. That way, you will still have delicious and memorable wedding food with your loved ones without breaking the bank.
Opt for a Buffet Dinner
Plated meals, while they might be the most traditional choice for wedding dinners, aren’t the only available option. Buffets are great for saving money because they require fewer staff members to serve dinner. For plated meals, servers typically come out to serve each course of the meal. With a buffet, guests are encouraged to serve themselves at the buffet stations. You will save money by paying less for catering staff.
Need more convincing? Buffets host a variety of advantages over other dining options; being budget-friendly is only the beginning. Here are some other reasons to consider booking a buffet:
- Provide Varied Flavors: Hosting a buffet allows guests more options for dinner. In a plated setting, they’ll be limited to one main dish and a couple of sides; at a buffet, they can sample as many foods as they would like!
- Simple Set-Up: Grabbing dinner is a breeze with a buffet. Having all the food in one place provides a structured environment for each guest to grab their meal, and it also makes it easier when planning out how you will set up your reception venue.
- Meals that Last Past the Wedding: One of the benefits of buffets is that they provide large quantities of food for a reasonable price. If your guests don’t finish all of the food, you have the benefit of getting to take it home. You’ll get to savor the delicious flavors of your wedding even after the party ends.
As you can see, catering a buffet is one of the best summer wedding food ideas on a budget! It will surely provide delectable foods you, your partner, and your loved ones will adore.
Consider Non-Traditional Dessert Options
While traditional wedding cakes are known for being classic and elegant, they aren’t up everyone’s alley. They can also be quite expensive; they typically cost between $300 and $700, with cakes requiring specialty ingredients and substitutions—such as being vegan or gluten-free—often on the higher end. Some cakes even cost over $1,200!
If you want a more budget-savvy option (or aren’t a cake lover), consider these choices instead.
Cupcakes
For those who love traditional cakes’ delicious, fluffy tastes, cupcakes are a fun, versatile option for weddings! They cost less to bake than large cakes and provide more customizable flavor options.
And the versatility goes beyond flavors; cupcakes can also come in various display options! If you want to allude to the tiered structure of wedding cakes, choose a cupcake tower. For a more casual option, a cupcake table can be arranged.
Another advantage of cupcakes over regular cakes is that they are much easier to serve. With a typical wedding cake, guests are served one at a time while waiting for their slice. By contrast, when it comes to cupcakes, getting dessert is as easy as reaching for a cupcake from the display. Delivering sweet treats to your guests has never been simpler!
Beignets
In New Orleans, beignets are more than a delicious dessert, they are a lifestyle. Why not incorporate this delicious treat into your big day? Our beignet bar features mini traditional and espresso beignets, powdered and cacao sugar, cafe brülot sauce, pecan praline sauce, and a seasonal fruit sauce. This option allows you to tap into the culinary scene of New Orleans while giving it a unique twist. A beignet bar is not only a delicious option that provides guests with a handheld treat, but the bar component of it makes it really engaging for guests.
Fresh Fruit Platter
Instead of a baked dessert, why not cater a fruit platter at your reception? This provides a light and sweet dessert alternative full of fresh flavor. Fruit is an especially excellent option if your dinner is made up of heavier, more filling foods. Topping off the meal with a smaller dessert will allow guests to go home feeling refreshed and avoid the unpleasant sensation of being too full.
Serving a fruit platter for dessert is a particularly lovely option for summer weddings. If your caterer buys their ingredients local and fresh, you can be confident that the seasonal fruit options will be delectable, juicy, and full of rich flavors. For a healthier dessert option that defies tradition, saves money, and offers a sweet end to your meal, go for a fresh fruit platter.
Bread Pudding Bar
Another New Orleans classic is a bread pudding. At Elysian, we go one step further with our bread pudding and offer it as one of our bar options. Guests will have the option between cinnamon bread pudding, rum sauce, white chocolate ganache, mixed berry, and ginger compote along with spice pecans, and toasted coconut. Bread pudding feels as celebratory as cake but with a unique twist that is sure to make your day extra memorable for you and your guests.
Save Money on Bar Services
Providing bar services at your reception can take a toll on your budget. Therefore, if you are seeking summer wedding food ideas on a budget, check out these ways to save money on drinks. Serving delicious drinks doesn’t mean breaking the bank!
Book Bar Services through Your Food Caterer
When possible, it’s ideal to cater alcoholic beverages through the same company that’s catering the rest of your event. This can be difficult since not every caterer has a liquor license, but finding one who does is worth it. Hiring the same business for food and drinks can help save money on staffing.
Booking your bar service through your caterer has another significant advantage: your caterer can work with you to design specialty drinks and cocktails that pair beautifully with the dinner menu. The caterer knows how to expertly balance sweet, savory, and spicy flavors, ensuring that no one taste overwhelms your guests’ palates.
Try a Lemonade and Iced Tea Bar
If you are looking for an alternative to alcohol, how about serving a lemonade and iced tea bar instead? Offer a variety of fruity, in-season flavors to your guests with plenty of ice on hand. This will provide your party with sweet, refreshing drinks that will keep them cool under the summer sun. Add garnishes like lemon slices and mini fruit kebabs to drinks for even more drink customization. Your guests are sure to be delighted by your drink offerings.
For Summer Weddings and Beyond, Choose Elysian Events
Whether you’re still looking for summer wedding food ideas on a budget or know exactly what you want to cater, Elysian Events Catering has you covered for your special day! We are a family-owned business in New Orleans with over ten years of experience in the catering industry. In fact, the first wedding our owners catered was their own!
When you book Elysian Events for your event, you get more than delicious food; you are also guaranteed to receive exceptionally friendly service. If you’re ready to book Elysian Events for your wedding, get in touch with us today! We can be reached by phone, by email, and through our contact form. We can’t wait to make your day unforgettable!
