2025 Wedding Food Trends You Need to Have on Your Menu

One of the best ways to personalize your wedding day is to be intentional with your menu choices. The food you serve at your nuptials can tell a story about your relationship, family or future. To help spark inspiration, we rounded up our favorite wedding food trends that industry experts predict will be everywhere in 2025. From hyper-personalized menus to of-the-moment ideas, we have creative options for every couple. Work with your caterer, which you can find on The Knot Vendor Marketplace, to help make any or all of these wedding food trends a reality. (Side note: This isn't the only place you can find what's going to be hot next year. Check out all the 2025 wedding trends here.)

Wedding Food Trends 2025

Finding the top wedding food trends can be difficult if you don't know where to look and who to ask. That's why we spoke to numerous wedding pros to get the inside scoop on the trends in catering below.

1. Nostalgic Comfort Food
2. Mix of Passed Desserts
3. Wedding Food Stations
4. Family-Style Dinners
5. Elevated Late-Night Snacks
6. Postwedding Brunch Bashes
7. Authentic Street Food
8. Classic Plated Dinners
9. Large Grazing Tables
10. Intricate Food Station Design
11. Raw Seafood Bars
12. Themed Wedding Cuisines
13. Deconstructed Dessert Flights
14. Respecting Guests' Dietary Needs

1. Nostalgic Comfort Food

Photo: Randi Roberts Photography,Caterer: New York Food Truck Association

Meg Walker, founder of Made by Meg Catering and the operator of La Venta Inn, believes comfort foods will always be popular at weddings. "People want to indulge at celebrations, and once they're in the moment and at the wedding they won't be as focused about how healthy an item is and instead will want something that tastes absolutely delicious," Walker, a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef, says. Alex Sutherland, food lover and vice president of sales and marketing at Vestals Catering, thinks to-be-weds can take this wedding food idea to the next level by giving their guests an inside view into their upbringing or current culinary landscape with mouthwatering bites. "[Have] menus that hold sentimental value, like a pizza station that represents what the couple ate on their first date, a seafood display to commemorate a coastal engagement or passed chicken and dumpling spoons as a nod to grandma's best recipe," Sutherland suggests.

2. Mix of Passed Desserts

Photo: Courtesy of Windows Catering

One of the 2025 wedding food trends catering experts put on our radar is passed desserts. "Instead of serving a plated dessert many couples are opting to serve up an array of passed desserts similarly presented and served like passed hors d'oeuvres. This works out well since most guests aren't seated at their tables [the entire time during the reception] and [it] gives them a vast variety to choose from," Andrea Correale, known for her excellence in food service and founder of Elegant Affairs, says. Laura Napolitano, passionate foodie and director of sales and marketing at Abigail Kirsch at The Skylark, loves this new mode of serving sweets. "Clients are always looking to wow their guests with something different and memorable. I think add-ons of adorable passed desserts will make their way on wedding menus in 2025," Napolitano tells us.

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3. Wedding Food Stations

Photo: Courtesy of Butler's Pantry

Wondering what current wedding catering trends are moving into the new year? Surprise, it's food stations. "Stationed meal service is the most social and personalized form of food service, in my opinion. You get the luxury of having a variety of food offerings without it feeling overwhelming, and it enables the couple to easily and organically mingle throughout dinner service," Sutherland says. We believe this trend is here to stay because it's a fun addition to any food element, and your guests will have a more unique dining experience. "Expect to see food stations popping up during the dance portion of weddings. Instead of waiting for a single late-night bite, guests can swing by a hot food station whenever hunger strikes. It's the perfect way to keep everyone energized and dancing all night long," Carly Katz-Hackman, food enthusiast and chief sales officer of Pinch Food Design, adds.

4. Family-Style Dinners

Photo: James Rubio Photography

If you want to be a trendsetter, a question you should ask your potential wedding caterer before you book is if they can do family-style dining since it's one of the top wedding catering trends of 2025. Bridget Bitza, chief revenue officer of Butler's Pantry and admirer of these types of gatherings, says, "I think family-style catering will be big in 2025 with more couples seeking an intimate and non-traditional feel to their big day. Dinner parties were all the rage in 2024 and family-style catering is a great way to implement that close-knit dining experience into a wedding event. Family-style is typically where servers bring large platters of food to each table and guests serve themselves–it's a more interactive dinner service."

Dewey LoSasso, corporate executive chef at Bill Hansen Catering and former personal chef to Donatella Versace, agrees with the interactive aspects of the experience and says it fosters a sense of community among guests. "Sharing platters helps break the ice at weddings. Passing food around the table creates interaction among family and friends," LoSasso says. "As for entree sharing, how perfect is it that instead of a waiter walking around and taking orders (and worrying about who gets what when the food arrives), you now get a journey through the whole menu. You have platters of plantain crusted yellow tail snapper medallions, sliced prime New York strip steak, porcini roasted creamer potatoes, roasted brussels sprout leaves with crispy basil and lime. The dynamics at the table change because everyone is sharing and dining together, and they're engaged and present," LoSasso adds.

5. Elevated Late-Night Snacks

Photo: Courtesy of Butler's Pantry

Late-night wedding food trends, like fast food deliveries to the wedding after-party, have been popular for a while, but you'll see a new spin on the tradition in 2025. "I predict we'll see a slight change towards more elevated takes on classic late-night snacks to take the trend to the next level. Foods like a loaded truffle fry bar, gourmet popcorn in a classic popcorn box with flavors like miso caramel, french onion and white cheddar and salted espresso-chocolate and build-your-own ramen bars amp up the late night snacking," Bitza says. Another route you can go with your late-night snacks is sprinkling nostalgia into the mix. "We did a play on cereal by incorporating it into different dishes like cornflake crusted chicken skewers, Fruity Pebbles milkshake shooters, and Rice Krispy Treat ice cream sandwiches," Bitza tells us. If you can include these treats in your wedding catering cost, don't hesitate because we guarantee it'll keep the mood high.

6. Postwedding Brunch Bashes

Photo: Kate Pease Photography

Want to know about more hot wedding food trends for 2025? Then, go ahead and put postwedding brunches on your moodboard. Freshly named "recovery brunch," newlyweds are continuing the celebration after the big day with loved ones with tasty breakfast and lunch offerings. Chicken and waffles, grazing tables, smoothie bowls and more are stars at this postnuptial feast. We love this idea because you can have a more intimate hang with your VIPs after the beautiful (but sometimes hectic) experience of the day before. Whether you want to keep it casual and dine in the backyard of someone's home or book a restaurant for a true boozy brunch affair, the choice is yours.

7. Authentic Street Food

Photo: Courtesy of Pinch Food Design

You'll see plenty of new food trends on catering menus in 2025, but street food is a current craze that isn't going anywhere. Every country and culture has its version of street food that's full of unique flavors and spices. Street food, typically made by street vendors, can be savory or sweet delights made into handheld portions for easy transport. "Street food will definitely continue to shine as a top wedding food trend in 2025. Classic options like taco bars, dumpling stations and hot dog or pretzel stands bring a casual, crowd-pleasing vibe to any celebration. Food is meant to be enjoyed, and a street food moment never goes out of style," Katz-Hackman says. But remember, you don't need to transform these types of dishes into fine dining masterpieces. When you're trying to find a wedding caterer that can pull off this trend, keep it simple and delicious and we promise you your guests will love it.

8. Classic Plated Dinners

Photo: JENNY FUTOGRAPHY Wedding Photographer NY

Many catering wedding trends come and go, but plated dinners are making an unexpected comeback. "A plated multi-course meal with premium options is a classic for a reason. People are realizing it costs the same as a trendy dinner station but a plated meal is efficient, delicious and a crowd pleaser because it gets people on a dance floor faster," Walker says. Plated dinners can also bring you and your loved ones closer. "The most meaningful conversation you're going to have at a wedding just may be with the person seated next to you at dinner because the host intentionally chose to put you next to them," Walker says. Think of plated dinners as a great opportunity to help your guests get to know each other better. Put icebreaker questions on each reception table or add printable wedding games to help increase the comradery.

9. Large Grazing Tables

Photo: Melissa Stimpson Photography

,Caterer: Buck & Bloom

If you haven't seen a luxurious grazing table on Pinterest yet, you're missing out. Grazing tables are a food-on-the-table trend that are like charcuterie boards to the second power. "[Grazing tables] will always be a staple at weddings because it allows your guests to take how much of what works for their diets, and it's photogenic when maintained properly by the on-site caterer. Having an easily accessible quick snack is a great idea for guests who enjoy grazing, especially to have prepared and laid out immediately following the wedding ceremony, whether that's during a cocktail hour or placed on the table settings as the first course of the dinner reception," Walker says.

Also, just because one of the latest food trends for weddings looks similar to charcuterie boards doesn't mean you can only add cheese, crackers and fruit. Add sushi rolls, doughnuts or buffalo cauliflower to your grazing table. Feel free to personalize your grazing table as much as you want and see the beautiful, edible art installation come to life.

10. Intricate Food Station Design

Photo: Courtesy of Elegant Affairs

One of the latest food trends for weddings is switching up how we present our food. Putting a heavy focus on food station designs involves considering how it can fit in with the celebration's decor and theme. "Couples want their weddings to be more experiential than ever, and I don't see that slowing down anytime soon. A lot of couples want to use foods as natural decor pieces, like citrus table arrangements, stone or dried fruits as the name cards, bushels of herbs included in floral or plant arrangements and more. We also predict that these could also become interactive elements for the guest, such as picking your own herbs for your dish or getting your pasta tossed in a cheese wheel display," Bitza says.

11. Raw Seafood Bars

Photo: Erin McGinn Photography

Who doesn't love 2025 catering wedding trends that involve food being prepared in front of you? Raw seafood bars are eye-catching and let your guests know they're about to indulge the freshest food. "We love an oyster moment and we think it's time they have a reimagined renaissance. With Pinch Food Design, you won't have to fuss with those giant tabletop ice baths. We've built the trench into our custom table, creating the perfect tableau for your fresh oysters, clams or shrimp…basically all things chilled and delicious," Katz-Hackman says.

12. Themed Wedding Cuisines

Photo: Courtesy of Windows Catering

Isabelle Rodriguez, director of marketing at Windows Catering and a fan of cohesion, tells us that food menus with one cuisine need to be on the wedding catering trends 2025 list. "Finally, we're seeing a shift towards themed cuisines, with couples opting for one distinct cuisine to set the tone for the entire event, rather than mixing multiple culinary styles," Rodriguez says. Want a visual of this trend? Rodriguez goes in depth about it using Window Catering's own work as an example. "In our New American cuisine displays, we focus on blending traditional American comfort foods with innovative presentation and flavors, which makes it perfect for weddings seeking a balance between familiarity and elegance. For instance, in this photo, you can see a lavish spread that feels celebratory yet rooted in classic American fare. Highlights include carved meats, seasonal salads and artfully arranged hors d'oeuvres that nod to American bounty. We add whimsical touches—such as seafood in miniature boats and vegetables styled like edible sculptures—to elevate the traditional flavors," Rodriguez explains. So instead of having Thai food for your cocktail hour and French cuisine at the reception, talk with your caterer about making a menu that tells a tasty and cohesive story.

13. Deconstructed Dessert Flights

Photo: Courtesy of Butler's Pantry

There are a lot of new wedding food trends out there, but this one takes the cake. "I think we'll see more interactive food components in 2025 to drive conversation and engagement throughout the wedding, including something like a deconstructed dessert flight. This could be a chocolate molten cake with cocoa powder and cocoa nibs on the side with a whipped cream cart rolling throughout the tables with options for guests to choose from, including classic, raspberry, espresso, and meringue with a table toasting for an extra wow-factor. For a full-service, have the servers dress the cakes based on guest preference," Bitza says.

14. Respecting Guests' Dietary Needs

Photo: Sarah McKenzie Photography

,Caterer: Crave Cupcakes

Yes, you read that correctly. One of the latest wedding catering trends is catering to guests' dietary needs. "Couples are more conscientious on their guests' dietary restrictions and lifestyle choices. We are seeing more than ever a need to create a balanced menu to accommodate these guest's needs and preferences, allowing all guests to feel truly comfortable and catered to with flavorful options regardless of dietary choices and restrictions," Caitlin Lennox, food enthusiast and director of catering sales for Abigail Kirsch at Tappan Hill Mansion, says.