Unique reception food items that will take your wedding to the next level

A mashed potato bar, popcorn for snacking, an aesthetic doughnut wall and more unique foods to serve at your wedding

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Are you stumped over what food to serve at your wedding? 

You can always go classic, with dishes like steak, chicken and fish. 

Or you could take things way out of the box with a barbecue-themed meal with fried chicken, ribs, mashed potatoes and corn on the cob. 

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You could also go for the approach of using classic dishes, but intertwining food items with a more unique twist. 

When you are putting together your wedding menu, the first thing you need to do before you get too deep into planning is check your venue's food policy. 

couple holding hands

Consider these creative food items for your wedding menu.  (iStock)

Some venues limit couples to specific vendors. You'll want to make sure your venue allows whatever food items you're hoping to incorporate before you start putting together your menu. 

If you know that you are going to want to serve unique food at your wedding, this is an important question to ask in your venue search. 

So, what unique foods should you serve? That depends on you and your partner. 

Try to think of foods that mean something to you both. Perhaps food that is reminiscent of your first date together, something you always get on an anniversary or dishes you like making together. 

If you need some inspiration to get you started, here is a list of unique food items you could serve at your wedding that guests will talk about for years. 

  1. Doughnut wall
  2. Mashed potato bar
  3. Popcorn
  4. Mac and cheese bar
  5. Late-night fast food
  6. Make your own s'mores
  7. Ice cream truck

1. Doughnut wall

A doughnut wall is a unique way to serve dessert at a wedding. 

Not only does a doughnut wall provide a sweet treat for guests, it's also aesthetically pleasing. 

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Choose doughnuts with frosting that matches your wedding theme. You can even get you and your spouse's names written on the doughnuts in frosting. 

The "wall" that the doughnuts will be placed on can easily be made with a piece of plywood, painted in your desired color and round dowels spread out in even lines on the board. 

An arrangement of sprinkled doughnuts

Creating a doughnut wall for your wedding can be a fun DIY project for you and your partner.  (Dominika Zarzycka/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Then you just slip your doughnuts onto the dowels to create a beautiful display. On the wedding day, have extra doughnuts off to the side for refilling. 

You can design the board with flowers around it with your names at the top or a cute doughnut pun like "sprinkled with love." 

If you don't have time to DIY your doughnut wall yourself, you can also find one on Etsy. 

2. Mashed potato bar

A mashed potato bar is a fun, unique touch to a wedding reception. 

If you want to give the mashed potato bar a more wedding day feel, serve up potatoes in a martini glass. 

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Guests will love getting to customize their dish to their liking. Popular toppings to have at a mashed potato bar are bacon crumbles, shredded cheese, onions, chives and broccoli. Don't forget to also have sour cream for guests to add to their mashed potato masterpiece. 

3. Popcorn

Popcorn is great for snacking during a wedding reception. It also makes for a great wedding favor to give your guests if you'd rather take that approach. 

You can have popcorn prepackaged, ready for guests to grab at any point in the night when they want a quick bite.

Bags of popcorn

Popcorn makes a perfect wedding snack.  (Terry Wyatt/Getty Images for The Neon Highway)

You could also set up some seasonings on the table with the popcorn for guests to use. 

4. Mac and cheese bar

A mac and cheese bar is sure to be a favorite among guests. 

The savory comfort dish is made even better when delicious toppings are added. 

Toppings to consider for your wedding mac and cheese bar are bacon, chicken, bread crumbs, ham, olives and even cut up hot dogs. 

Of course, you'll also need a large assortment of cheese for guests to choose from. 

5. Late-night fast food

If you and your honey have spent endless date nights at a specific fast-food chain, let your guests in on your relationship by serving food from the restaurant you love at your wedding.

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Depending on your venue and the fast-food chain you choose, you could serve this as your main wedding meal or a late-night snack after a long night of dancing. 

Chick-fil-A, Raising Cane's, Chipotle, KFC and In-and-Out are just a few fast-food chains to consider. 

6. Make your own s'mores

If your venue has fire pits, guests can enjoy making s'mores once the sun goes down. 

A stack of s'mores

Making s'mores around a fire pit can create a nice cozy ambiance for your wedding.  (Vince Talotta/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

Make sure to have plenty of different chocolates to choose from as well as different crackers for guests to experiment with, like saltines instead of graham crackers, for example. 

This will give your wedding a fun, cozy vibe. 

7. Ice cream truck

An ice cream truck at a wedding is sure to get everyone excited. 

Having an ice cream truck will make everyone feel like a kid again as they enjoy their sweet treats.

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You could also have an ice cream bar at your wedding if you'd prefer, equipped with plenty of toppings for guests to make their own sundaes. 

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.

Ashlyn Messier is a writer for Fox News Digital. 

Authored by Ashlyn Messier via FoxNews May 17th 2024