From glass jars beautifully packed with charcuterie meats and cheeses to picnic baskets filled with delicious treats and champagne, these creative ideas for catering help ensure social distancing and limit the sharing of utensils.
7 social distancing friendly catering ideas for weddings:
Picnic baskets
Rather than hiring out function venues at hotels for wedding receptions, people are having picnic lunches with their closest friends and family. The celebration can be held anywhere that allows you to lay out a decorative set-up.
Each guest will receive their own wicker picnic basket packed with jars of preserves, fresh fruit, baguettes wrapped in wax paper and tied with twine, summery pasta salads and bottles of champers for toasting. Couples can get creative with their food offerings and how they’re presented. Napkins and cutlery can match their colour scheme and the whole basket can be finished with sprigs of rosemary and baby’s breath for an extra special touch.
Jarcuterie
Grazing tables and cheese boards were popular for a long time, especially at weddings and parties, but that was before Covid-19 came along and the thought of food sitting out and being touched by multiple people sent shivers down our spines.
Jarcuterie are miniature versions of charcuterie boards with all the same flavours and elements, including individual wheels of camembert, buttery breadsticks, fresh fruit and slices of charcuterie ruffled and secured onto skewers. With all the colourful foods served in clear glass jars and set out on a table, the overall effect is very rustic, yet elegant.
Mini cakes
Usually at wedding receptions, a three tiered masterpiece of a cake that’s iced to perfection is the real show stopper. However, leaving out such a tempting dessert that’s sure to be ogled, touched, cut and nibbled at by naughty children is not the best idea during a pandemic.
Of course, the bride and groom can have their own wedding cake to cut together, take pictures with, and even save for their one year anniversary. These individual cakes will be miniature versions of the official wedding cake mimicking certain elements, and although they will be far less ornate, they’ll still taste equally as delicious. This is exactly why cupcakes and mini wedding cakes have grown in popularity.
Dessert jars
Most weddings have trendy dessert tables that are covered with treats from macaron towers to chocolate fountains. However, these layered dessert jars are just as aesthetically pleasing and they’re delicious. From layers of cake, berry jam and white chocolate mousse to berry crumbles with pools of custard or scoops of ice cream and tiramisu dusted with cocoa powder - when placed in a jar, these desserts can all be sealed with a lid and taken home as gifts.
Food boats
Hot curries and rice or traditional pieces of roast meat with all the fixings, hot meals can be served in these trendy bamboo food boats. With matching cutlery, it’s a more sophisticated version of how take out meals are often boxed up, except all packaging and utensils are completely biodegradable. The downside of buffet catering is that it involves the sharing of dishing out utensils with multiple people and food sitting out for the duration of the meal. This is a safer option as the foods will be pre-portioned.
Skewers
From salad to fruit, sweet pies, cakes and meat, there are a ton of delicious wedding foods that can be served on a stick for easy grazing. Display the skewers on tiered stands or on platters with fresh herbs as garnishing to complete the look.
Boxes
Take away boxes - make them glamorous? Pre-packed meal boxes are a super trendy way to serve guests, especially if you want to limit contact. They can be filled with mains and desserts too.
