photo by Liz Banfield

 One of the most popular topics that remains at my speaking engagements or questions we receive are how to look at food serving and displays in new and different ways. So, we’re sharing some ways we have styled food or incorporated it into the decor… Like above- for a wedding with stations and over 400 guests, we had to make the food accessible and interesting. We took a garden fountain from a hardware store, sealed and treated it with food safe materials, and then turned it into a cocktail shrimp focal point.

photos by Corbin Gurkin and  Liz Banfield

We find cocktail hour and passed hors d’eouvres an easy place to get creative. Of course, the trays you use can be customized and you’ve seen us talk about printing paper liners to fit your look.. but ask your caterer about different ways to present the food. Here, mini tacos are served in lime wedges that can also be used to squeeze atop the taco for a bit of extra flavor, chicken and waffles are much more elegant in mini waffle cones; and ceviche in scallop shells makes such a pretty presentation.

photo by Corbin Gurkin

I feel like a big part of my job is to make sure that guests have a fun and and seamless experience. So, again, for receptions where the guests aren’t served a plated dinner, finding easy and creative ways to serve the food is important. Here, shot glasses are pre filled with hummus and veggies for a quick pick up option.

photos by Nickie Stone and Corbin Gurkin 

photos by Liz Banfield

Another popular item we are playing with are cheese or antipasta displays during cocktail hours, or even as late night food around the dance floor area.  We have been using different pieces of furniture to create a display, which works well for a self serve function. We have also built tall lucite tables with butcher block tops for some cocktail hour antipasta displays, I love how guests can access them from all angles.  And we have a marble topped push cart that we use often for serving, so doing a classic glamorous cheese cart after dinner is one of my favorite things to do!

photos by Tec Petaja

I love this new twist on a classic celebration food- caviar.. For a recent cocktail hour, we recently designed a beautiful  self serve station including all the varieties of accompaniments, and even chilled vodka.

photo by Elizabeth Messina

Sometimes food can make an impact just being used in an unexpected way… For a bride whose father grew watermelons- we had our ice sculptor put slices in ice for a pop of color on a seafood display.

photos by Tec Petaja and Corbin Gurkin

Speaking of seafood displays, oysters are a long standing wedding food, especially in Charleston when we can get local ones. They can be a challenging food to serve because you have to find a nice way to present them and to deal with the shells when finished. We built wooden oyster tables that allow us to serve oysters on the half shell over crushed ice – of course with mini tabasco bottles and lemon wedges… Catering here by Cru Catering.

photo by Liz Banfield

This couple chose pies over a traditional wedding cake.. Individual pies in an array of flavors were displayed on tiered stands, with printed flavor flags!

photo by Virgil Bunao

For one wedding, a bride wanted to have a self serve champagne station with different mixers and embellishments… A rented bakers rack made a pretty and unexpected buffet set up. If guests have to serve themselves, then better make it thoughtful, right?