Gone are the days of stuffy, formal plated dinners or over-crowded buffet ques at weddings; 2019 is all about simple, yummy bites with loads of flavour and finesse. Mount Amanzi takes a closer look at what guests want to eat:
1. Luxe Cocktail Hour
Everyone loves a refreshing spritzer and wedding guests are no different. 2019 has seen a rise in creative alcohol, and non-alcoholic, beverage stands, trucks and trolleys to be enjoyed as a transition between the wedding ceremony and reception. We love the idea of fun cocktail options prepared by flamboyant mixologists and adding a special touch by creating drinks featuring the bride and groom is a great way to get family and friends talking and excited about the evening’s festivities.
Trendy bridal couples are taking this idea a step further and finding more interesting options to use at these stations; milk and cookie bars reminiscent of childhood, pretty loose-leaf tea or freshly brewed coffee and a range of other beverages. So, while you and your betrothed are off taking incredible photos together, come up with a simple station to entertain guests; perhaps your favourite beverages as part of the selection as a personalised note?
2. Edible Décor
Food has always been involved at weddings in some way, shape or form; 2019 has taken the idea of food and “traditional wedding eating” and flipped it on its head with creative displays and artistic layouts which add to the ambience of the evening. Guests are wowed by displays and harvest tables which showcase colour, texture and style. Bridal couples have certainly fused “what to look at” with “what to eat” in a playful, intriguing manner.
The dessert table is the perfect place to add one final highlight of your wedding ceremony; opt-out of a plated dessert in favour of colourful sweet stations where guests can pick and choose their favourites or create intrigue with macaroon towers or doughnut walls. Harvest tables are another area to consider; the contrast between creamy, rich cheeses and tart fruits with sticky jam creates a space for guests to gravitate towards.
3. Simple Grazing
As already mentioned, plated or buffet-style dinners are out this year; more weddings in 2019 are taking on a more informal way of dining and we love the change! Open the possibilities and choices to guests with little eats throughout the evening, rather than one plate of food. If a plate of food is the way you want to go, try making it something unique or different to the usual.
Food trucks are one great way to provide guests with a delicious yet simple meal, while South African’s are opting for more spit braais and potjie evenings during winter. Cocktail Hour is the perfect opportunity for guests to nibble on fully-laden harvest tables with sweet and savoury treats or yummy slices of pizza. The golden rule is to keep the “grazing” social so guests mingle and get to know one another.
4. Fun Flavour
A major trend that has hit the South African wedding scene, and which ties in well with the concept of grazing, are late-night eats. The year so far has been brimming with bridal couples enjoying more intimate wedding settings, which typically allow for overnight stays or long weekend parties. If your guests are staying the night, that means they could be enjoying the music and dancefloor long after midnight.
This is a lovely time to surprise guests with tasty nibbles and is our favourite way to tie in South African flavour. Enjoy platters of mini boerewors rolls, cheesy braaibrootjies or phyllo bobotie cups – these treats all taste like home! Other options for enjoyment late in the evening could be mini sliders, hand-held wraps or pitas and skewers. Sweet treats can be featured here, too!
5. Local is Lekker
Locally-sourced usually means more; more flavour, more intrigue, more homely. Bridal couples can hone in on making their close-to-home wedding feel more traditional while keeping to modern trends, or introduce the bridal party to interesting local cultures and tastes if the wedding is at a destination. Either way, local, seasonal produce is a wonderful way to make your eats shine and sing with flavour.
Hosting your wedding at Mount Amanzi gives you an array of tasty choices for your special day, think kegs of special craft beer, traditional South African flavours and seasonally themed menus. Wedding favours from a local bespoke eatery or store could be the difference for guests enjoying a South African experience with you.
Wedding food is a way to cement admiration with guests, to highlight the special occasion with something personal and unique and an important part of the overall festivities. After all, “the way to {anyone’s} heart is through their stomach.”