More couples today are opting for weddings that are feasts for both the eyes and palate.
“I’m seeing a big uptick in couples thinking of weddings in a different way — more as a beautiful dinner party or restaurant supper club experience,” said Cameron Forbes, founder of Forbes Functions, a New York City-based boutique event-planning company.
“Food and beverage have become storytelling tools and a central part of guest experience, akin to entertainment, florals and décor.”
And, in New York City, where people are food savvy, “Traditional wedding food is dated. Rather than the underwhelming chicken or fish banquet meal or older model of passed hors d’oeuvres, with a seated, plated meal and big cake, a lot of couples want restaurant-level creativity.”
The impact of social media on weddings is also influencing the trend, said Forbes.
“Couples are considering how things will photograph online,” she added. “They want a way to tell their story and get more personal — to curate moments for guests to interact and enjoy.”
Instagram influencers have changed the entire event world, echoed Brandon Grimila, co-founder of Promises Kept Events in Esopus, New York. The culinary collective focuses on seasonality, locality and service for any size or event. Grimila’s chef background includes stints at the Culinary Institute of America and Manhattan’s Bar Boulud and the Dutch eateries.
“We’re scanning online trends and photos all the time,” he said. “Someone styles their shots to make them look good. For us, making a lot of food on a plate look good is an important piece. People eat with their eyes. Presentation is all you’ve got.”
His business was born out of COVID, when people weren’t able to gather. “Once restrictions lifted, communal dining grew more popular,” said Grimila. “We only do family-style dining, with food cooked on location over a wood fire.”
A hunger for gourmet wedding food prompted Sonya Feinstein, 31, and her husband, Vic Gainor, 32, of Brooklyn, to host their wedding weekend at Hotel Lilien of Tannersville in the Hudson Valley last October. Grimila’s team catered the reception.
With 120 guests, “We wanted our reception to feel like a great dinner party, with people passing plates around communal tables,” said Feinstein. “We talked about our relationship with food, as I’m Jewish and my husband’s Italian. Our biggest holidays revolved around food.”
Grimila tapped into Feinstein and Gainor’s ancestries and included porchetta with orange marmalade, roasted fennel, and charred Treviso as a main entrée. Potato pancakes with fig jam, caramelized onion, and Taleggio espuma were served as an appetizer.
For dessert, Feinstein had a friend pick up 1,000 rainbow cookies from Fortunato Brothers bakery in Brooklyn, which were assembled with Sfogliatelle and biscotti on cake stands.
“There was no sit-down dessert or cake. It kept everyone on the dance floor,” said Feinstein.
For parting favors, “We gave out rooster legs — chocolate-covered pretzels with bits of popcorn and caramel from a specific bakery in Vic’s hometown of Spring Lake, NJ. His dad brought them up for the dessert table,” said Feinstein.
“Garnishes are also godly — and a cute way to add a little extra something to the show.”
Noah Cohon, owner of catering company Privé
For those desiring a foodie-inspired wedding, Feinstein recommended you “have fun, trust your creativity and the vision of your chef.”
Budget accordingly, as top cuisine commands top pricing. Grimila’s affairs for over 100 guests start at $180 per person on average, he said.
But if you want to eat well without breaking the bank, “You don’t need a Michelin-level budget,” said Forbes. “Don’t try to make everything super fancy. Prioritize one or two moments guests remember, instead of upgrading the entire meal.”
To elevate late night snacks, there are food trucks and specialist vendors.
“I’m seeing Mediterranean mezze platters, action stations with carved meats, French-inspired bread and butter service, cacio e pepe Parmesan wheels, raw bars with live oyster shuckers, coastal sushi omakase hand roll bars and custom-filled cannolis,” noted Forbes.
In mixology, customization is also becoming king, claimed Noah Cohon, owner of Privé, a catering company in NYC.
“Sometimes it looks like… an incredible whisky tasting speakeasy for the groom to enjoy with his friends,” he said. “Other times, we weave different heritages together by blending bottles and brands. Garnishes are also godly — and a cute way to add a little extra something to the show.”
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