Vegan Wedding Tips: What Vegan Canapés Should I Have?
Canapés are perfect for keeping your guests going until the wedding breakfast is served and lets be honest, a drinks reception wouldn't be complete without some nibbles! They're a great opportunity to showcase some creative catering whether it's through flavour or presentation.
However, what comes to mind when you think of vegan canapés? Although we are seeing a huge rise in vegan catering at events, some are still sceptical, with many falling for the misconception that vegan canapés can be bland or boring. We have seen a real shift towards vegan weddings and most couples typically want to offer at least one vegan option to make sure all of their guests are considered and catered for. With this in mind lots of caterers, including ourselves, have really fine tuned their vegan options. A couple of our most popular vegan canapés include: savoury shortbread, garlic & coriander hummus, house dried tomatoes, our moroccan falafel, riata, mint cress and our cavolo nero, sweet potato purée, toasted pumpkin seed, pickled red onions, which is pictured below.
Our cavolo nero, sweet potato purée, toasted pumpkin seed, pickled red onions vegan canapé
Some couples worry that their guests might be a bit underwhelmed without meat and disappointed with vegan only choices. Our top tip is...Don't tell them! If you're food is colourful and inviting, most people won't even realise they're missing out on meat, let alone consider snubbing it. If it's important to you to have an all vegan menu then why not consider it? Most guests will embrace trying something new.
If canapés aren't for you, another great option during your drinks reception is to have a grazing station. Beautifully displayed and filled with delicious nibbles, they are the perfect showstopper for any drinks reception and make a brilliant talking point. You could incorporate food that reflects you as a couple to help make it feel really personal and unique to you. For more ideas on how you can personalise your catering, please see our recent blog. Having a bespoke touch to your catering adds an extra element of personality to your wedding. For example, you may have holidayed in Italy and want an olive oil tasting bar with different bottles infused with chilli, garlic or rosemary accompanied by a basket full of focaccia and olives.
An image of a grazing station during the drinks reception last summer, image from Ben Minnarr
With the variety and accessibility of most foods these days, vegan options do not mean limited options. It just means you can showcase the best produce without being overpowered by meat. If you're stuck for inspiration, make sure you talk to your event manager who will be delighted to help.
