Weddings are often one of the biggest events of one’s life. It’s a day that you’ll never forget and a big part of the planning is dedicated to the food and drinks you’ll be fueling you and your guests. Generally speaking, we want our guests to feel just as excited as we do about a wedding.
Many weddings have a time gap between the actual ceremony and the reception. During this time guests are often encouraged to mingle amongst one another and enjoy some delicious appetizers until the bridal party arrives. We’ve found 31 elegant finger food ideas that you’ll definitely want to include at your wedding. Whether you’re planning a simple backyard wedding or an extravagant one these recipes can help you build your own personalized appetizer menu. They’re relatively simple to make but will look gourmet which is why they deserve a spot at your wedding.
Having food options at your wedding is important as it ensures that all your guests and their different diets are accommodated. Pinwheels are awesome finger foods because they’re filled with loads of tasty ingredients rolled up into one delicious bite. This recipe is plant-based which makes it suitable for any guests that are vegetarian or vegan.
This recipe uses vegan cream cheese for the creamy filling. Then, sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, and garlic give the pinwheels a bold flavor. Pinwheels may be easier than making finger sandwiches because you can get about 10 individual appetizers out of each roll up.
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If you’re looking to serve your guests something more hearty and filling during cocktail hour, then you will definitely want to include these mini meatloaves. Since they happen to be conveniently made in a muffin tin, you will be able to make 12 to 24 at a time.
Ground beef makes up the base of this meatloaf recipe. Then, by adding crushed breadcrumbs, loads of seasonings and a few sauces, these delightful bites will come to life. While they have a lot of flavor on their own, you could serve them with a drizzle of a sauce of your choice.
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Jalapeno poppers are a fun way to heat up a celebration, no matter the occasion. In fact, they’re a great appetizer to offer guests.
However, these jalapenos aren’t your traditional store-bought pre-packaged fare. They are stuffed to the brim with appetizing cheese and delectable bacon.
Better yet, these jalapenos are incredibly easy to throw together. All you’ll need are fresh jalapeno peppers and cream cheese to give it that ooey-gooey additive center. Then to finish, wrap bacon around prior to cooking for a savory treat. Lastly, add a toothpick for easy accessibility and display on a nice tray for presentation.
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Puff pastry is an incredibly flexible ingredient. You can mold it to suit any situation. For instance, small treats that you can offer to guests.
In fact, puff pastry treats are quite delightful. That’s because they’re deliciously light and have a cloud-like texture. Add in some baked brie, pear and pecan, and this appetizer will surely stand out at a gathering.
To prepare this appetizer, start with some puff pastry. Then top said pastry with a piece of bold brie cheese and a slice of sweet Bosch pear. To garnish, you’ll want to add a toasted pecan and drizzle a balsamic reduction.
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To some, mushrooms may taste bland on their own. However, many would say those people are missing. With the right seasoning and perfect ingredients to pair, mushrooms can really impress. In fact, a good stuffed mushroom recipe can earn a place at any wedding. Good thing, we got a rather delectable one for you.
Preparing these stuffed mushrooms is as easy as filling a mushroom cap with a creamy garlic cream cheese filling. Top it off with a slice of parmesan cheese and bake until the cheese has reached a gooey consistency. Your guests will definitely eat these up quickly.
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Crostini may be hard and a little crunchy. But, it can make a great appetizer when paired with the right toppings. For instance, some braised short ribs. Plus, crostini is so filling and satisfying that it will tide you over until the full course.
This recipes takes simple ingredients and turns it into an elegant and rustic appetizer that your guest will eat up.
Begin by searing and seasoning your ribs in a heavy-bottom pan. While the ribs are searing, broil some bread lightly covered with olive oil in the oven. After toasting both sides for a couple minutes each, you should have some crusty crostini. Rub the crostini with garlic, then finished the appetizer with the braised short ribs on top.
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One bite appetizers are great for weddings. They’re easy to hold and being able to eat them in one bite leaves little to no mess.
Even better, they are so easy to make. All you need to is scoop out the potatoes with a teaspoon, fill them with tomato sauce, and top with cheese. Then pop the pizzas in the oven before cocktail hour and they should be ready well ahead of time.
The secret to achieving the perfect potato to pizza sauce and cheese ratio is to use baby potatoes. Otherwise, you may have too little potato and too much sauce leaving you with a saucy mess.
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Shrimp can make another great one-bite appetizer. These shrimp skewers are easy to put together. Better yet, they contain such a wide palate of flavors that everyone will enjoy them.
Make sure to soak the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes prior to grilling. This will help prevent the wood from burning. At the same time, whisk together the spices with lime juice and olive oil to create your marinade. From here, toss the shrimp in with the marinade and let it soak for 30 minutes to an hour. The final step is to grill the shrimp for two to four minutes per side.
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This particular platter is Greek-inspired and full of rich enticing flavors. If you’re not familiar with antipasto platters, they’re essentially made up of an assortment of:
Antipasto platters are especially great for cocktail hour at weddings because they offer an array of flavors and foods that will satisfy almost everyone. Plus, it’s fairly easy to put together. Just arrange all the food on a large platter or wood cutting board, and it’s ready to serve.
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If a platter feels like too much work or you would rather your guests have a singer serving snack, then antipasto skewers may be a better fit for your wedding. This snack takes on the flavors and ingredients that make an antipasto platter delicious and puts them onto a skewer for a stunning appetizer.
The great thing about these skewers is it uses all store-bought ingredients. So, the hardest work you will need to put into this appetizer is the assembly. If you want to add a little more flavor, feel free to drizzle some olive oil over the completed skewers.
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Deviled eggs are a timeless classic that many enjoy. As such, this appetizer quite often makes the menu at a wedding. Despite being a classic, serving plain deviled eggs isn’t going to wow your guests. So, spice things up with these Cajun avocado deviled eggs.
Better yet, making these specialty deviled eggs doesn’t require much additional work from a traditional recipe. Just make sure to include one avocado and some Cajun seasoning in the mixture of egg and mayonnaise. Once finished, feel free to sprinkle some paprika and chopped cilantro for more seasoning.
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Cucumber slices might lack excitement on their own. However, you can make one heavenly appetizer by combining cucumber with a slice of smoked salmon and a bold cream cheese.
Fresh dill and horseradish are what provides the cream cheese with its zingy flavor. Just make sure to mix the cream cheese is mixed thoroughly — preferably by a handheld mixer — before constructing the cucumber bites.
To construct the cucumber bite, spread one teaspoon of cream cheese and place a slice of smoked salmon on top. Then, insert a toothpick to hold all the delicate layers together.
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This appetizer is great for those searching ideas that take minimal effort but still hold a lot of flavors. These prosciutto Caprese bites will look stunning at your wedding and your guests won’t be able to get enough of them.
All this recipe requires is six simple ingredients and toothpicks to assemble. The salty prosciutto pieces pair perfectly with the bold bocconcini cheese balls and sweet grape tomatoes. String a basil leaf in between the layers to balance all the beautiful flavors. Finally, drizzle some balsamic vinegar and top with grounded black pepper for seasoning.
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With just five minutes of preparation time and 15 minutes of cook time, this delicious appetizer can come together quickly. Better yet, there is no need to break the bank on these tarts as it requires all store-bought ingredients.
These shrimp and goat cheese tarts begin with puff pastry as the base. Then, they are filled with garlic and herb goat cheese, cherry tomatoes, fresh thyme, and cooked shrimp. Once the tarts are filled, you can serve them cold or cook them in the oven. The tarts will taste amazing no matter how you serve them.
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Finger foods are great for grab and go appetizers. And dips serve as a wonderful compliment to them. In fact, this Cajun crab dip has the perfect spicy kick to really heat up your cocktail hour.
This crab dip is made up of crab meat, cream cheese, mayonnaise, shredded cheeses, and onion. Take all those ingredients and mix until it is all smooth and creamy. Then to give it the perfect kick, add in some hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and horseradish.
You can serve this dip with bagel chips or any crackers of your choice.
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This recipe takes the idea of spinach artichoke dip and turns it into the perfect single-serving appetizer that will fit in nicely during cocktail hour. The secret to achieving a perfect handheld snack is to use won-ton wrappers.
The dip is made from spinach, marinated artichoke hearts, and lots of cheese. Don’t skimp on the cheese as it makes the dip irresistible. Make sure to crisp up the won-ton wrappers prior to adding the dip so they will hold their shape. Then, once the dip is added bake for an additional five minutes until the cheese is hot and melted.
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Watermelon is a delicious and refreshing treat, especially during the hot months. While watermelon is delicious on its own, you can easily make a gourmet appetizer by combining a few other food items, such as these watermelon brie bites. So, don’t miss out on pleasing your guests by making a spot for this one-bite appetizer at your wedding.
Assembling this appetizer is as easy as creating layers of watermelon, arugula, and brie. Then to make all the flavors pop, add a sweet balsamic vinegar drizzle that you’ll prepare prior to assembling. To complete this delicious package, use a toothpick to hold everything together.
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A vegetable pizza is light and delicious. Better yet, it is a great option for vegetarian guests.
Start by preparing the bottom layer of the pizza. First, roll out the dough onto a baking sheet; make sure the sheet is at least nine by 13 inches. Then, pinch the edges of the dough to form the crust. The final step is to bake the dough for 12 minutes at 375 degrees F. Once the dough is finished cooking, let it cool for 15 minutes. A mixture of cream cheese, mayonnaise, and ranch dressing is added to give the pizza flavor and to hold all the veggie toppings. To finish the pizza, add chopped fresh veggies and sprinkle cheddar cheese on top.
Since vegetarian pizzas are meant to be served cold, they can be prepared well ahead of serving.
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If your guests did not flock to the vegetable pizza, they may enjoy these veggie bites instead. Using baked sweet potato slices as the base, these bite-sized appetizers are absolutely scrumptious. We promise that your guests won’t be able to eat just one. Even better, these sweet potato bites are allergy friendly.
If you want to achieve perfect and evenly sliced sweet potatoes, we recommend using a mandoline slicer. Bake the sliced sweet potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes at 425 degrees F. Once the sweet potatoes are done baking this appetizer is finished with a spoonful of fresh avocado and sprinkled bacon to garnish.
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Whether you serve prosciutto and cheese cubes on a platter or prosciutto wrapped brie bites, your guests will definitely thank you.
Before wrapping up each bite, you will need to cook the walnuts on a skillet with jam, sugar, salt, and rosemary at medium heat. Make sure to stir until the sugar is melted and the walnuts coat the entire mixture. Once they’ve been toasted and coated, add a walnut to each brie cube and then wrap with prosciutto. Secure with a toothpick and place back on the skillet. Let them broil on high heat until the cheese melts, which will take about five minutes. Then serve and watch your guests gobble these bites up.
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Make sure to add this dip to your appetizer menu as it can be made well ahead of time. Plus, the recipe only requires five ingredients. Considering your time is precious when preparing for a wedding, the five minutes needed to prepare this dip is a godsend.
All you will need is chopped green onion, shredded cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, real bacon bits, and slivered almonds. Once you have all the ingredients, just mix it all together. Then, leave the dip to chill for at least two hours. See only five minutes of actual work.
Once the dip is ready, serve with crackers of your choice.
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Finger sandwiches or roll-ups are often a crowd favorite at weddings. These ham and cheese rollups combine classic flavors into a delicious appetizer that will delight even the harshest critic.
Begin by rolling out your crescent dough, then pressing it into a 13 by 18 inch rectangle. Top the rectangles with layers of thinly sliced black forest ham and swiss cheese. Starting from the long side of the dough, roll it up as tight as you can. Make sure that the ends are pinched together, and the seam is facing down. Once that is all set, cut the rollup into 12 pieces and place on a baking tray. Prior to baking, make sure to whip up some poppy seed dressing. Pour the sauce over the rolls and then bake, uncovered, in the oven for 25 minutes.
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This scoop-able appetizer is fun, delicious, and full of flavor. In summation, it is the perfect single serving treat.
Make sure to use store-bought guacamole as it will save you a lot of time and effort. The only hard work required for this recipe is whisking together the savory sauce for the shrimp.
To assemble this appetizer, you’ll scoop a spoonful of guacamole into each Chinese soup spoon. In a separate bowl, coat the shrimp in the delicious sauce. This appetizer is finished by placing a shrimp on top of each heaping of guacamole.
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Meatballs are great appetizers for big events such as a wedding. This is because you can make them in large batches without a lot of effort. For spicy cranberry barbecue meatballs, you only need three simple ingredients: meatballs, spicy barbecue sauce, and a can of cranberry sauce.
To make things even easier, you can prepare this appetizer in a slow cooker. However, be sure to check the sauce every so often to make sure it doesn’t burn. When you are ready to serve the meatballs, all you need to do is add a toothpick to each meatball for the perfect single sized serving.
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Following the meatball trend, this recipe uses chicken instead of beef for a delicious one-bite appetizer. These chicken meatballs are smothered in a sweet and spicy sauce that will get all your guests excited for the night of festivities. Add in some homemade firecracker sauce — which you can make with some hot sauce, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, apple cider vinegar, and salt — and your guest will have a hard time resisting the call of these meatballs.
Once again, when the meatballs have finished cooking, add a toothpick to each meatball to make it an easy grab and go snack for your guests.
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If you love variety — especially when it comes to a food table — then you’ll definitely want this smoked mozzarella fonduta served during cocktail hour. It’s smokey, ooey, gooey, and extremely alluring.
The secret to achieving a smokey flavor is to use either smoked provolone or smoked mozzarella cheese. Both of which you can often find in the specialty cheese section of your local grocery store. The dip has a creamy texture supplied from the cheese and sour cream. Moreover, the fonduta is seasoned with Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, and a few other delicious ingredients.
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Prosciutto wrapped asparaguses are a great low carb addition to your appetizer menu. Moreover, these asparaguses are brushed in a dreamy garlic butter that makes the flavor highly addictive.
Prior to baking, you’ll want to brush each asparagus with garlic butter, then wrap them in prosciutto and season with pepper. You can cook the appetizer in oven, grill them on the barbecue, or fry them on a pan. No matter the method, it will only take four to five minutes for this dish to fully cook. To get the best results, make sure to serve the asparagus immediately after you finish baking.
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While cheeseballs on their own can be quite delicious, they are a little too plain for such a special event like a wedding. Spice up this dull appetizer with a recipe for pimento cheese and bacon mini cheeseball bites.
First, you’ll need to make some pimento cheese. Do that by mixing together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic salt, onion powder, cayenne, grated cheese, and diced pimentos. Then refrigerate the mixture for at least four hours. Next, you’ll roll the cheeseball in a mixture of diced bacon, chopped pecans, and minced jalapenos. Once again, refrigerate the finished cheeseballs. Finally, serve each mini cheeseball with a pretzel stick.
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We’ve talked about shrimp skewers and shrimps in a Chinese soup spoon and now we’re showing you another fun way to display and serve shrimp as an appetizer to your guests. The fun thing about this treat is it combines a cocktail and an appetizer into one.
If you aren’t familiar, gazpacho is a Spanish style soup that is often made from tomatoes and other vegetables and is served cold. This is why this soup makes for a great cocktail. This recipe combines ingredients from a traditional gazpacho with flavors of a Bloody Mary for a fun appetizer. The vodka is definitely optional but we highly recommend it!
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Veggies and dip are a classic combo, especially for parties. Instead of displaying veggie trays and risk having double dippers, serve your guests these green goddess veggie dip cups. Plus, your guests will definitely enjoy the more personalized touch.
The biggest part of assembling these cups is making the dip. First, place the herbs in a blender. Run the blender until the herbs are completely processed. Add lemon juice, garlic, mayonnaise, yogurt, sour cream, goat cheese and anchovy paste as you continue blending. Once everything is completely processed, taste the dip and add salt, pepper, and extra lemon until it tastes just right.
Once the dip is done, scoop some into your cups and top with vegetable sticks of your choice.
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Buckle up, friends. This is about to blow your minds! Charcuterie. Kabobs. It’s all the deliciousness of charcuterie without the mess and lingering around (read, crowding) the table. We guarantee it’ll be the talk of the town at your next event! But the best part is that it takes next to no effort despite looking like something you might find at a high-end restaurant or catered event.
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