If you’ve started wedding planning you may be starting to realize how expensive the big wedding day can be. Dress, venue, hors d oeuvres, meals, a band, cocktails, drinks, a photographer. The list can get longer and longer. It’s a lot of work. One of the most expensive parts of a wedding can be food. When you have high quality, catered food delivered to a large number of wedding guests, no matter how cheap it is by the plate it can add up quickly.

However, there are certain areas where you can begin to cut back on. Your wedding food is a great place to do this. While you may cut corners by renting a food truck for your wedding day, that’s not an option for everyone. Food trucks can be costly!

By catering your own wedding and bringing prepared food you can save money that can give you more to spend on other things or just reduce the overall cost of the big day. DIY wedding food options can still be delicious, enjoyable and to a high standard. Just without the high price tag.

Here are some of my favorite menu ideas to serve your friends and family at your wedding reception. First are some great ideas to serve plated to tables as entrees. Then some great salads and side dishes that you can serve at food stations for guests to help themselves. For dessert, I would recommend plates of fresh fruit with whipped cream, charcuterie boards and of course wedding cake be added to your wedding menu.

DIY Wedding Food

Crostini with Sun Dried Tomatoes & Brie

396 calories

Ingredients

2 oz Baguette - 120 calories
2 Tbsp Tomatoes, sun-dried - 34 calories
3 oz Cheese, Brie - 240 calories
¼ cup Leafy greens, spinach, raw - 1.75 calories
1 Salt, dash - 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Slice baguette into thin slices. Slice brie into thin slices.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper & spray it with an oil spray. Add baguette slices to the baking sheet.
Layer with brie, then spinach, then sun-dried tomatoes.
Bake for 5 minutes.
Top with salt & pepper.
No dairy? Use a dairy-free cheese, or top with guac & other toppings after baking. No gluten? Use gluten free bread.

Bowtie Meatball Bites

283 calories

Ingredients

½ cup Pasta, cooked - 100 calories
½ cup Leafy greens, lettuce, raw - 2.5 calories
3 oz Mini meatballs, turkey - 180 calories

Instructions

Cook pasta (bowtie shapes preferably!) as instructed on package.
Microwave meatballs from frozen.
Spear with toothpicks as shown in picture.
Gluten free? Use gluten-free pasta. No meat? Use a vegetarian meatball type, available at most stores.

Cucumber Goat Cheese & Prosciutto Bites

428 calories

Ingredients

1 Cucumber, small - 32 calories
2 oz Cheese, goat - 206 calories
2 oz Prosciutto - 120 calories
1 cup Blueberries, fresh - 70 calories

Instructions

Slice cucumbers into coin shapes. Top with cheese, prosciutto, and berries.
If you’d prefer 1/2 cup of blueberries and 1/2 cup of strawberries, that’s fine!
No prosciutto? Use additional cheese. No dairy? Use a dairy-free brand or additional prosciutto.

Brussels Pomegranate Salad

408 calories

Ingredients

1 cup Brussels sprouts - 56 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw - 14 calories
½ cup Pomegranate seeds - 87 calories
1 oz Cheese, Parmesan, shaved (oz) - 111 calories
⅛ cup Almonds - 105 calories
2 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) - 35 calories
½ Salt, dash - 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

Spray pan with an oil spray.
Cut off rough stem of Brussels and then cut in half (you can also buy pre-shaved Brussels sprouts for this salad if you find it in your store).
Stir fry Brussels sprouts ~15 minutes on low-medium heat until you see some browning.
Let cool in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
Mix with the rest of the ingredients.
Pomegranate seeds too expensive? Use any berry like blueberries
Dairy free? Use extra nuts.
Note: I like Trader Joe’s fat free vinaigrette – but Paul Newman, Whole Foods, etc. all have good light dressings.

Caprese Salad

344 calories

Ingredients

2 oz Cheese, sliced, mozzarella, full fat/ regular - 160 calories
½ Avocado, small - 116.5 calories
1 Tomato, medium - 22 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, lettuce, raw - 10 calories
2 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) - 35 calories
1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories
1 Basil, dash - 0 calories
1 Oregano, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

Slice tomato & chop avocado into small chunks
Mix all ingredients together
No dairy? Use extra avocado
Vinaigrette: I like Trader Joe’s fat free vinaigrette – but Paul Newman, Whole Foods, etc. all have good light dressings

Rainbow Lentil Salad

539 calories

Ingredients

½ cup Lentils, cooked - 115 calories
¼ Onion, red - 13.75 calories
½ Bell pepper, red - 18.5 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, arugula, raw - 10 calories
½ Cucumber, small - 16 calories
¼ cup Celery stalks, chopped in half - 4 calories
1 Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) - 119 calories
1 Tbsp Red wine vinegar - 3 calories
¼ cup Raisins - 130 calories
⅛ cup Almonds - 105 calories
1 tsp Garlic, minced (tsp) - 0 calories
0.3 Tbsp Mustard, grey poupon - 4.5 calories
1 Salt, dash - 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

Cook lentils as instructed in package.
Chop all vegetables (besides arugula) into small pieces.
In a large bowl, mix all ingredients.
No almonds? Feel free to use any other nut or seed you prefer (roasted & salted are fine!).

Shredded Chicken Israeli Salad

361 calories

Ingredients

½ Cucumber, small - 16 calories
½ Tomato, medium - 11 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, lettuce, raw - 10 calories
5 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw - 190 calories
½ Avocado, small - 116.5 calories
1 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) - 17.5 calories
1 Basil, dash - 0 calories
1 Oregano, dash - 0 calories
1 Salt, dash - 0 calories

Instructions

To make shredded chicken: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken in a small baking dish and cover with 1/2 inch of water; cover the dish with tin foil. Bake for 25 minutes. When done, shred with forks. Because this process can be a bit cumbersome, buying pre-shredded chicken is a-ok. Or, alternatively, cooking chicken on the stove top is fine too.
Chop cucumber and tomato into small pieces.
Assemble salad,
No chicken? Use 1 can tuna.
Note: I like Trader Joe’s fat free vinaigrette – but Paul Newman, Whole Foods, etc. all have good light dressings.