Your wedding reception is a special occasion filled with celebration, love, and of course, great food. And what better way to start the festivities than with a delicious spread of canapés? Canapés are a perfect way to welcome your guests and set the tone for the rest of the night.
Planning a canapé reception can seem daunting, but with a few tips, you can ensure that it’s a success. Here are some useful tips to help you ace your wedding canapé reception:
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Consider Dietary Restrictions
We will always provide alternatives for your guests with dietary restrictions. However, if you know you have lots of guests with dietary requirements attending, then consider choosing an option that would suit them too. Many of our canapés will suit multiple dietary restrictions and our chefs are always happy to make recommendations if you need a little help.
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Think about Variety
Offering a variety of flavours, textures, and colours is key to a successful canapé reception. Consider incorporating a range of ingredients and styles, from light and refreshing options to more substantial bites. This will keep your guests engaged and excited to try everything on the menu.
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Keep it Bite-Sized
Remember, wedding canapés are meant to be bite-sized, so make sure your offerings are easy to eat in one or two bites. This will allow your guests to mingle and socialize without having to put down a large plate or fork and knife.
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Sweet canapés
Sweet canapés are the perfect way to conclude a canapé reception on a sweet note and make for a seamless transition to the main wedding meal. To add a unique touch, consider serving a sweet canapé at the entrance of the dining room where your guests will be seated. However, it’s important to note that sweet canapés work best in longer receptions where there is a larger variety of canapés being offered to avoid overwhelming guests with too much sweetness.
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Pair with Drinks
When planning your canapé reception, it’s important to keep in mind the drinks that will be served alongside your bite-sized offerings. You want to make sure that the flavours of your canapés complement the flavours of your drinks. This extra touch will create a harmonious and enjoyable experience for your guests.
For lighter, more refreshing drinks like spritzers or mimosas, consider pairing them with lighter canapés such Mini prawn cocktail with smoked paprika, Skewer of cherry tomato, basil pesto and mini mozzarella, or Smoked salmon blini with crème fraîche and caviar. These canapés will complement the lightness of the drink and refresh the palate.
For richer, more complex cocktails like an Old Fashioned or Martinis, heartier canapés like Mac and cheese bites with ketchup and crispy onions, Buffalo pork meatball skewers with sour cream, or Seared rump steak and horseradish cream profiterole can hold their own against the bold flavours of the drink. The rich and savoury canapés can also help balance out the alcohol in the cocktails.
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How many should you choose
To ensure your guests are well-fed and happy, it’s important to time your canapé reception correctly. Consider the time of day and the duration of your reception when deciding how many canapés to offer. For instance, if your reception is scheduled during or near lunchtime, offering more canapé options would be ideal.
For a 30-45 minutes reception, consider 3 types of canapé allowing for 5 per person, or 4 types of canapé allowing for 6 per person. For a 60-90 minutes reception, consider 6 types of canapé allowing for 8 per person, or 8 types of canapé allowing for 10 per person.
Some of our most popular wedding canapé options include ;
- Chorizo skewers glazed with Pedro Ximenez sherry vinegar – GF
- Smooth Chicken liver parfait toast with red onion marmalade and
chives - Pea and truffle bruschetta – VE
- Smoked salmon blini with crème fraîche and caviar
- Crispy tater tots with beer and bbq sauce – VE
- Seared rump steak and horseradish cream profiterole
Check out our menu for a long list of tried and tested canapés.
By following these tips, you can create a canapé reception that’s not only delicious but also memorable. And when your guests leave raving about the food, you’ll know you’ve aced your wedding canapé reception.
