Emerging Trends - The Late Night Snack

The "late night snack" emerging trend is something I'm seeing a lot of at weddings. Truthfully, I hope it is here to stay! This phenomenon started because guests were leaving weddings a little too tipsy and a little too hungry, especially after drinking and dancing the night away.

If you think about it, having a snack for guests in the wee hours makes perfect sense. Most wedding banquets happen around 7PM with the cake cutting immediately following. (This is the usual protocol here in the mid-west, time-lines for these occasions vary by region.) Then you have 3 hours or more hours of partaking in spirits and dancing. It is no surprise that guests start to get the munchies!

The fun cuisine that I'm seeing served as "late night snacks" are simple comfort foods punched up a notch. Pizza is a very common and budget friendly option, only instead of the classic pepperoni brides are going a little more fancy. Like Greek pizza on a thin crust with feta cheese, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and chicken, all drizzled in olive oil. Yum!

I've done a number of different late night snacks and the great thing about them is you can stick to the same cuisine you offered for your dinner or you can go in the complete opposite direction. I've planned a wedding with a traditional steak dinner but the couple opted for a chips and salsa bar as their late night snack.

We brought out mild, medium, and hot salsa, Pico de Gallo, black bean and corn salsa and guacamole's. We also provided sour cream and shredded lettuce. Then served the different salsas with white, yellow and blue corn ships. The salsa was scooped into over-sized martini glasses and the chips were served in baskets. Needless to say, it was a huge hit.

Other clients have wanted to do something a little more substantial. So we had mini pulled pork sandwiches with sea salt and vinegar potato chips available after midnight. You can always save your guests that late night trip to MacDonald's and serve mini cheeseburgers with fries!

Whatever cuisine you decide to serve, having a late night option available is really a great idea. Comfort food is popular because it is inexpensive and most guests really enjoy a simple snack. If you want to make it more adventurous, talk with your chef about doing a gourmet version.

I truly hope I've inspired. Happy planning!