Fun Winter Wedding Food Ideas You Need on Your Menu

Take advantage of the chilly weather by enjoying these delicious seasonal bites.
chapelle johnson the knot associate editor
by
Chapelle Johnson
chapelle johnson the knot associate editor
Chapelle Johnson
Associate Editor
  • Chapelle writes articles for The Knot Worldwide. She covers all things wedding-related and has a personal interest in covering traditions and history.
  • Before joining The Knot Worldwide, Chapelle was an editorial intern for Subvrt Magazine.
  • Chapelle has a degree in English writing from Loyola University New Orleans.
Updated Aug 12, 2022

A major benefit of having a winter wedding is you get the chance to serve crowd-pleasing comfort foods and rich sweets. Winter wedding food ideas like warm cheese appetizers, soup shooters and creative food bars provide guests with hearty snacks in bite-size servings. After all those savory foods, make sure your guests satisfy their sweet tooth with go-to winter treats like a hot chocolate bar or individual berry cobblers. Here are 26 winter comfort food and drink options to help you create your winter wedding menu.

Winter Wedding Drinks

Want to use seasonal favorite flavors like plum, apple and eggnog? Then get into the winter spirit with a festive winter cocktail.

Sugar Plum Fizz Cocktail

Start your wedding guests off with this winter wedding cocktail idea. Use plums, a great seasonal fruit, as a nod to the winter season while serving a refreshing and elegant drink.

Eggnog

We love the idea of having eggnog as your winter wedding signature drink. This is a perfect non-alcoholic or spiked drink that every wedding guest of any age can enjoy. You can even give guests the option to add their own toppings like cinnamon, sprinkles or whipped cream.

Assorted Tea Bar

Whether you're having a sober wedding or simply want to offer a non-alcoholic drink option for your guests, having a tea bar is a unique cocktail hour addition. Serve peppermint herbal, chocolate chai and cinnamon spice teas to continue the winter theme.

Hot Apple Cider

Who doesn't love a hot apple cider beverage to get them cozy? This winter wedding cocktail idea can have alcohol (or not). Serve it as the first drink for your cocktail hour or the last drink to wind down your reception.

Shotski

Teamwork is important for this winter drink idea. Customize your shotski with your wedding date on the bottom or use it as a guest book for guests to sign after they take a shot. Bonus: Drinking from a shotski is perfect for photo ops.

Hot Chocolate Bar

You can't go wrong with a hot chocolate bar at your winter wedding. Offer marshmallows, whipped cream and cinnamon sticks as sweet hot cocoa additions.

Winter Wedding Food Appetizers

We rounded up a bunch of unique takes on the winter comfort food we all know and love. Present these delicious winter wedding appetizers during your cocktail hour or reception.

Bacon Breadsticks and Tomato Soup Shooters

Get creative with how you serve winter staples. Mini mugs make tomato soup a portable, easy-to-sip hors d'oeuvre. The bacon breadsticks are a tasty pairing with the soup, but make sure to have some breadsticks without bacon for your vegetarian or vegan guests.

Soup and Grilled Cheese

Take a classic cold-weather combo and shrink it down to cocktail hour size with these tomato soup and grilled cheese appetizers. You can stick with tomato soup or switch it up by having vegetable or French onion soup shooters instead.

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Sweet Potato Ham Biscuits

Sweet potato is a fall and winter staple that's the perfect food to add to your winter wedding food menu. Combine the sweet potatoes with savory ham on a warm biscuit, and you'll have a cocktail hour hit.

Mac and Cheese Lollipops

Put a playful spin on your mac and cheese appetizers by serving them as lollipops. This is a great food idea for a winter wedding reception or cocktail hour.

Mashed Potato Bar

There's a potato for everyone when you set up a potato bar at your reception. Offer tater tots, baked and mashed potatoes, french fries and stuffed potato skins. Shredded cheese, gravy and bacon are just a few of the yummy toppings you can serve. Trust us, there won't be any leftovers at this food bar.

Fresh Figs and Bread

Figs are another seasonal favorite making it a great wedding food idea for winter. Present your wedding guests with thin fig slices over cheesy bread or with roasted figs wrapped in prosciutto.

Bread Bowls and Assorted Dips

At this rustic buffet table, the newlyweds presented mouthwatering hearty dips like spinach artichoke and steak tartare. Add any of your favorite dips to your bread bowls with pita, French baguette, or pretzel bread to help guests scoop up the goodies.

Brie Cheese Cake Wheel

This decadent brie cake wheel is a great winter wedding food menu selection because of the brie's buttery and earthy flavor. You can top your brie cake wheel with homemade jam and dried figs or salami and sugared cranberries. Don't forget to provide crackers or pretzel crips for guests to eat the brie with.

Seared Scallop Spoon

Cold winter waters produce the most succulent scallops making them the ideal winter wedding food. You can keep it simple and serve individual portions of scallops by themselves. But if you want to step it up a notch, we suggest you top them off with a creamy lemon caper sauce, put them on a bed of polenta or pan-sear them with butternut squash.

Filet Mignon

If it's in the budget, filet mignon is a versatile and delicious treat that can be served any season. Filet mignon with winter vegetables is a tasty pairing that will satisfy you and your wedding guests.

Fried Chicken

Another food that can be offered in any season is fried chicken. Sides that go with this Southern delicacy are mac and cheese, coleslaw and or slow-cooked green beans. Don't forget to have a table full of hot sauce options for your spice-loving wedding guests.

Mushroom Ravioli

Mushroom ravioli is a filling and delightful meal for your vegetarian and non-vegetarian guests. Consider putting the mushroom ravioli with pumpkin or butternut squash to really elevate this warm winter dish.

Personal Chicken Pot Pies

A newlywed couple included personal chicken pot pies to their winter comfort food-inspired menu. You can't go wrong with this simple but hearty dish.

Brick Oven Pizza

Pizza doesn't only have to be for casual events or a late-night snack. Steal this winter wedding food idea for your menu if you're having a rustic or outdoor wedding. The smell of smokey wood and fresh pizza is sure to put a smile on everyone's face. Make sure to offer different pizza toppings so kids and picky eaters have something they'll enjoy.

Grilled Octopus

Want to give your wedding guests an experience they'll never forget? Give them grilled octopus. Add polenta to your plate of octopus, and you've got a classic tasty Italian dish.

Winter Wedding Food Desserts

Last, but not least, the sugary treats for the big day. These winter wonderland wedding food ideas will satisfy every sweet tooth.

Peppermint Candy Sticks

Put these festive candies on your dessert table for your wedding guests to nibble on or use as peppermint stirrers to put in their hot chocolate. If you like DIY-ing, this dessert can be a fun DIY wedding project for you and your partner before the big day.

Christmas-Themed Dessert Table

Have fun with your winter wedding by having a Christmas-themed dessert table. We promise you that Santa won't be the only one trying to grab a bite of these sweet goodies.

Sugar Frosted Spice Cake

This gorgeous spice-flavored naked cake has layers of blackberry jam, cream cheese and orange zest frosting throughout. Spice cake is the perfect way to embrace the winter season since it typically includes cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. If you opt to have this winter favorite at your wedding, don't forget to save yourself a piece.

Individual Berry Cobblers

The newlywed couple had individual berry cobblers presented in miniature cast iron pans for their rustic wedding. Ask your wedding caterer to put your favorite winter berries, blackberries a common choice, in the cobbler to make a flavorful and warm winter dessert.

Flavored Marshmallows for S'mores

Are you having an outdoor wedding and want to include something unconventional? Let this assortment of unique marshmallow flavors inspire you. Have a bonfire during your reception with a s'mores table nearby so your guests can make different yummy creations.

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