What’s New in Wedding Food and Beverage Trends for 2020

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A new year is upon us and, with it, comes new food and beverage trends! With the industry always changing, it is essential for caterers (and all event professionals, for that matter) to stay on top of the latest trends — as well as what’s heading out the door.

In 2020, you can expect the growth of certain trends from the past year, like a shift towards healthy and environmentally-friendly foods and a focus on custom dining experiences complete with interactive stations. However, there are also plenty of new trends coming up that you will want to keep your eye on. Here are just a few food and beverage trends to look out for.

Get clean

As people, in general, are seeking healthier lifestyles, the catering industry is experiencing the ripple effect of all the diets on the market — paleo, keto, gluten-free, plant-based, Whole30, and so on. Caterers must be familiar with the parameters of these diets in order to adhere to the limitations; however, that is not to say that a ‘clean menu’ can’t be filled with delicious and creative dishes. Consider meals like fully decked-out salads with bold flavors, spicy and filling proteins like lentils and tempeh, and lavish charcuterie boards with veggies and cheese.

Constructed food displays

It might sound crazy, but we are seeing traditional platters and plates making an exit as the standard way to display food. Instead, we expect creative and innovative grazing spreads on bare buffet tables filled with delicious bites like cheeses, meats, vegetables, fruits, jams, dressings, and dips. Likewise, edible centerpieces and other décor fixtures are a wonderful way to incorporate pre-dinner or dessert snacks into the event experience. Food is beautiful and, thus, makes for excellent décor! 

Cocktails with a twist

Just take a visit to any upscale bar and you will see that we are in the age of the handcrafted cocktail. Even the most basic rail drinks (hi, gin and tonic) are being elevated with assorted garnishes, bitters, and mixers. In the world of events, this will translate to an increased focus on close-to-home accoutrements, with herbs and fruits sourced locally — and even hand-picked from a venue’s garden. The intimacy of these curated ingredients speak to the event’s story and enhances the guest experience, no matter what beverages are passed around.

Gourmet bites

While plated meals will never go extinct, we are seeing less and less formality when it comes to dining at events. In lieu of seated dinners, clients are instead opting for snackable displays filled with bite-sized delicacies, like tacos, egg rolls, pastries, and mini quiches, which promote more socializing and mingling. It is also a way to include kids and young adults to an event for a casual and informal celebration.

As mentioned before, these are only a few trends on the horizon for 2020. There are surely many more to come, so keep doing your research and check back on our blog for the latest news about what clients are seeking in their event planning journey.