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Trendy Foods Heat Up

By Timothy R. Schulte

Unusual offerings are making a big splash at the modern wedding.

Beef
Chicken
Fish
Vegetarian

Looks familiar, doesn't it? One of the biggest decisions that goes into your wedding plans is which traditional dinner option your guests will choose. If you don't want to bore them with same-old options, stray from the blasé and offer something that will impress your guests, as well as their palate, says Sharon Naylor, wedding expert and author of "1,000 Best Secrets for Your Perfect Wedding."

"The idea is to give guests something that they don't normally have at a wedding," Naylor says.

Here are Naylor's tips for trendy wedding cuisine:

APPETIZERS

Mashed potato bar. Servers fill your martini glass with your choice of mashed russet or sweet potato, mixed with your choice of ingredients: guacamole, mushroom sauce, marinara, and bacon bits.
Unique seafood, hand-packed on serving trays. "People like the waiter walking around serving them," Naylor says.
Artichokes with breadcrumb stuffing and a selection of dips.
Designer sausages.
Sushi. Differing varieties, including rolls with brown rice, appeal to vegetarians and health-conscious individuals.
Palate cleansers. Mandarin oranges, cantaloupe and pineapple. "Very inexpensive," she says.
Move away from the cheese tray, as it's hard to keep the cheese cold.

MAIN COURSE

Combination platters. With braised scallops, crab cakes and beef medallions, these are the biggest thing going on, says Naylor. "In the old model you actually have to buy enough for people to change their mind," she says. "They save about 30 to 40 percent."
Exotic meats. Australian lamb, buffalo and venison are increasing in popularity.
Pastas. "Take it out of the cocktail party and have a Florentine stuffed shell in the main course," Naylor says. A pasta dish with a shrimp sauce is a way to implement seafood into the main course, and it's as pleasing to your budget as it is your guest.
Salmon with a jazzed-up presentation, like a crust of potato flakes.
Meat or seafood kabobs.
Vegetarian lasagna or a cheese quiche.
Coffee- and espresso-flavored martinis are big, as are classic drinks, such as Scotch. Martini menus are popular, with varying levels of strength.
Also consider whether you will use individual, family or Russian serving style.

DESSERT

Naylor suggests moving away from large desert table and offering a desert station with these options, in addition to wedding cake.

Ice cream or gelato bars, and mousses.
Chocolate fondue fountain. Use unique dippers, such as rum cake, Oreos and fruits.
After-dinner drinks, like Irish or Jamaican coffees.

CHILDREN

There should always be a kid's menu, with favorites like chicken fingers, pizzas and popcorn shrimp. Make it fun for them by serving it platter-style like the adult dishes.
Fruit juice mixers. Something that dresses up drinks and makes them fun.

By mixing up you menu options, you'll not only amaze your guests with what you serve but also amaze yourself by how much money you save.

"That's the goal," Naylor says. "By virtue of doing something unique and different and working with your caterer it look like you spent more."