Top 10 Ideas for Winter Wedding Food Stations [& How To Decorate Them]

Wedding food stations are a great way to make sure guests at your wedding get exactly what they want to eat. The trouble is, so many stations fall flat because the food isn’t arranged in an appealing way. Not to mention, popular food station ideas that work for the traditional wedding season in the spring, summer and fall don’t work out quite as well at a winter wedding.

If you’re looking for ideas for wedding food stations that are perfect for winter weddings, look no further! Here are some of our favorites, as well as a few tips on decorating the tables so the food looks appealing to all of your guests.

Fondu Spread With All the Fixins: Equally Wed

Cheese Fondue

Looking for a fun, unexpected idea that will warm your guests up from the inside out? Consider a cheese fondue wedding food station! Melt different cheeses and have a variety of cheese-friendly munchies available for dipping.

Cheese fondue can get messy. Consider decorating the table with a chiffon table skirt. Then, place a disposable cover layer on top that can easily be wiped clean or thrown away.

Mugs of Soup Featuring Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches: Martha Stewart

Soup Stations

Nothing will warm guests like a soup wedding food station at your winter reception! Mix and match adventurous soup flavors, like Hungarian mushroom soup and Mexican Pozole, as well as favorites, like chicken noodle soup and Italian wedding soup.

Make your soup station unique by having guests serve themselves in personalized stainless steel mugs that double as guest favors, or set out pre-filled mugs full of soup. A toppings station with crackers, cracked pepper, and shredded cheese is a fun way for guests to customize their meal.

Tray of Roasted Vegetables: Hewitt Oaks

Roasted Vegetable Bar

There’s just something about roasted vegetables that screams cozy winter dinners gathered with friends and family. Bring this feeling to your wedding with a roasted vegetable bar.

You can roast just about anything! Set out what guests expect, like carrots and bell peppers, as well as things like broccoli, mushrooms, and onions. Set out crackers, bread, and consider meat-based proteins, like meatballs, to keep guests full. Pile up the vegetables on overflowing plates for a bountiful harvest appearance at your wedding.

Bowls Full of Fixins For a Potato Bar: Platings and Pairings

Potato Bar

There are so many ways to serve potatoes, and so many ways to dress them. A potato bar with mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, scalloped potatoes, fries, and more is perfect for your wedding reception, but it’s also a great choice if you need wedding food for getting ready with your bridal party.

It’s all about the fixins! Serve things like shredded cheese, ground hamburger, sour cream, and more in decorative bowls to make guests excited to come in for a closer look.

Decorative Bowls Filled With Nuts: Wedding Chicks

Nutmeat Spread

Nuts are a traditional winter food, so why not include them at your wedding with a nutmeat spread? Place various types of nuts in decorative bowls that are labeled with chalkboard signs so everyone knows what they are grabbing.

Nuts are a great wedding food you can make yourself. Simply set them out straight from their container, candy them, or cover them in brown sugar days ahead of your wedding. You can also cook baked goods that feature nuts. A nutmeat spread can be as simple or as complex as you want!

Mini Pot Pies on a Cupcake Stand: La Crema

Grab-and-Go Pot Pie Bar

Looking for an easy grab-and-go idea where serving isn’t necessary? Set up a pot pie bar!

A pot pie wedding food station can include any ingredient you can imagine, with vegetarian and vegan options easy to incorporate on the table. Make sure all flavors are properly labeled with signs, and consider using cupcake stands. Not only do they provide a decorative element to the table, they can separate flavors and provide you with more room to pile on the pies!

DIY Pasta Bar With Fixins: Rock Island Lake Club

Pasta Bar

Pasta can be a heavy meal, but that’s exactly why it’s perfect for the winter season! A wedding food station with pasta can include pre-made pasta dishes, while a pasta bar enables guests to choose the type of noodles, sauce, and toppings they want for their bowl.

Instead of putting everything in aluminum pans, place drained pasta, sauces, and fixins in decorative bowls. Dishes that need to be kept warm can be placed in decorative warming trays.

Wedding Charcuterie Spread: Purple Chocolat Home

Charcuterie Board

Charcuterie boards are a trendy wedding food station. They look great, and they ensure everyone gets exactly what they want to eat.

Boards look best when piled high with fresh fruit, crackers, pickles, peppers, cheese, sliced meat, and more. Give your board a personalized touch by incorporating fresh flowers, dried palm leaves, or mini gourds, depending on the theme of your wedding.

Wedding Guests Roasting Marshmallows: Madeline Rose Photography

DIY Sweets

A DIY sweets bar is a great idea whether you’re planning wedding food for 50 guests or wedding food for 200 guests. In the winter, stick to cold-weather favorites like:

• Smores bar
• Chocolate fondue
• Hot chocolate bar
• DIY caramel and candied apples

The more toppings, ingredients, and mix-ins you have on the table, the better! Use small place card holders and have a calligrapher write ingredients on the cards for a decorative touch.

Food Truck in the Snow: Prestige Food Trucks

Food Truck

Food trucks aren’t typically associated with winter weddings, but with a little forethought, wedding food trucks can be a great idea. Heated lamps are a must at a winter wedding with food trucks, as is a freshly shoveled and salted area for guests to stand while they order. Consider passing out shawls or blankets as favors to keep guests warm. If you have a large guest list and/or a large budget, consider hiring multiple food trucks to give guests more choices.