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13 Food Ideas for Wedding Showers

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Wedding receptions typically require more formality than wedding showers. If you’re throwing your friend, a relative, or yourself a wedding shower, you have some flexibility to have fun or be creative with the food options.

The setting is much more relaxed at a wedding shower, so the food should match the occasion!

Wedding party. Hands holding glasses of champagne toasting.

Too often, the wedding shower is an afterthought. People focus so much on the wedding ceremony and the reception that the wedding shower gets thrown together and held in a backyard somewhere.

The good news is that you can make your wedding shower one to remember with some easy, terrific food ideas!

Changes to the traditional wedding shower finger-food lineup don’t have to be expensive, nor does it have to take up a ton of time. Follow these thirteen simple food ideas for wedding showers to make your party one for the books!

Switch Things Up and Serve Breakfast

Breakfast buffet table for party celebration

That’s right; you can serve breakfast and make your wedding shower instantly feel fresher and more fun.

Think about doing something like a Belgian waffle bar where guests can create something from an array of delicious ingredients. You can even style your waffles to be on theme for the occasion.

Whether your wedding shower is in the morning or at night, everyone loves a good breakfast bar.

Surprise Guests with Alcohol Infusions

Bakers are finding more ways than ever to add alcohol to cakes and pastries.

A single alcohol-infused cake is enough to get guests talking, but what if you had multiple cakes with different liqueurs and something like brandy-filled chocolates?

Boozing up any wedding-related event is always a good idea, and wedding showers often don’t get the attention they deserve in the fun department. Spice things up with a bit of sauce in your desserts.

Make sure to inform your guests which ones contain alcohol in case anyone’s not drinking.

Food with a Theme

decorated table with fruits and sandwiches on a beach resort party

Choosing a theme for any event is always a challenge. It can be a lot of work to bring the theme to life, and you don’t want things to fall flat.

Thankfully, food can play a big part in transporting you and your shower guests to another time or place.

For example, you can order some Bahamian food for your party to help with a beach theme. You could also create high tea sets with tiny sandwiches and pastries to elevate the shower experience.

Invite a Sommelier for Wine Pairings

Have you ever been to a wine tasting experience? Then you know how much fun wine pairing can be.

Make your shower interactive by inviting a sommelier to come and pair wines with whatever you’re eating. Your family and the rest of your guests will be talking about it for years.

Rent a Taco Truck

Taco truck and customers lining up buying tacos

You may not know this, but most taco trucks will gladly spend their day catering events. Many businesses book food trucks for corporate parties or launch events.

You can also book a truck to cater your wedding shower and completely take the food portion of the event off your hands. Guests can order whatever they want and get a professional dish served hot.

DIY Sushi Rolls

Yes, you can make a lot of pizza dough and have your guests make their own pizzas. It’s a great idea, but sushi is another terrific option if you’re looking for something new.

You can buy sushi–making kits online or at most local international grocers. Buy some for your guests along with the ingredients, and have them give the following rolls a try:

  • California Roll
  • Spicy Tuna Roll
  • Tempura Shrimp Roll
  • Veggie Roll

These are some of the more straightforward sushi rolls to make, and they’re delicious too!

Set of assorted sushi and sushi rolls

Make the Food About You

Do you have a memorable first date or first vacation as a couple?

You can bring back the past by having the same food at your wedding shower. It’s easier than having your favorite hole-in-the-wall spot cater for your larger reception, and you still get to tell your story to the people closest to you.

Desserts Are Always a Hit

desserts buffet for party celebration

If you’re looking for something easier on a smaller budget, then get baking and serve up a dessert bar for your friends and family.

Desserts like cupcakes, pies, cakes, doughnuts, and cookies are always a hit. Depending on your guest list size, you can make a dozen or so pies and serve only dessert and drinks.

A dessert bar provides a more casual setting so people can sit around talking or watch you open gifts while they grab another slice of pie.

The Tried and True Charcuterie Board

Colorful charcuterie, snack food on a wooden table

Charcuterie boards never fail. They look fancy, have great-tasting food, and are easy to build on a budget!

You can buy larger cutting boards or serving platters online for a bargain and elevate the entire shower experience with a variety of meats, bread, cheeses, and fruit to go with any wine or drinks you’ll be serving.

One of the best things about a charcuterie board is that it can sit out for several hours while the party goes on. You don’t have to stress about cooking times or things getting cold while you enjoy everyone’s company.

Grill It Out!

Happy friends enjoying barbecue party

If the weather’s nice or it’s the right time of year when you have your shower, then you can always have a great time with a BBQ.

If you’re not a grill master, then find someone to hold things down while you handle welcoming guests. You can do burgers or something lighter, like skewers with veggies.

Go for a Light Tasting-Menu

If you’re inclined to do a bit more planning, you can make your shower fancier and give guests more of a culinary experience.

You can arrange plates with things like bacon-wrapped shrimp, cucumber sandwiches, watermelon bites with feta cheese, samosas, or fresh buns soaked in butter.

Put the food on a table for grazing or have caterers walk the dishes around at intervals.

A Formal Table Meal

One of the problems with parties like wedding showers is that it’s challenging to plan how much food you need.

Most people either end up with mountains of leftovers or run out of the best items early in the party. Host a seated meal at a lovely, done-up table to avoid that and make your shower a bit more formal.

Send out some catered food options to your guests ahead of time and let them choose what they want. It will generate a bit of buzz before your party, and you’ll get as much food as you need.

A Classic Crab Feast

steamed blue crabs on the table for party

Have you ever had a crab feast? It’s a fun, interactive eating experience that tastes amazing!

A big advantage of doing something like a crab feast is that it will pace the party because picking and eating crabs takes time!

The setup doesn’t take much time or money, either. All you need are some tables outside, paper tablecloths, and plenty of crabs.

Your guests can sit and talk about the upcoming wedding, and everyone will remember your non-traditional shower.

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