As likely as one may be to attend a number of rather conventional weddings in a given year, one may also find themselves enjoying nuptial ceremonies of rather unorthodox nature. Vows spoken at noon followed by a modest reception dinner around sundown might be a perfectly acceptable arrangement for couples and their families from coast to coast, and from border to border.

For many others, however, weddings and their ensuing festivities are taking shape in ways both inventive and unconventional. For the standard and the daring alike, a first-rate menu is simply essential. With food options front of mind, give some thought to these seven late night wedding treats. Whether planning your wedding and reception or advising a friend or family member on their own, the inclusion of a few signature dishes for a twilight reception will surely be well received by inevitably hungry guests.

When considering these seven late night wedding treats, keep in mind that a skilled and celebrated catering chef will be more than willing to collaborate with their clients in the designing of a clever, delicious, and memorable reception menu. The suggestions listed below (each certain to do well with reception attendees) are each highly subject to special modifications, based upon the culinary and/or dietary considerations of a given couple and their families/guests. Look at these highly recommended seven late night wedding treats with an open mind; each is open to reimagining, particularly when prepared by a first-rate culinary artist.

Late Night Wedding Treats

1. Miniature Sandwiches

The sandwich ranks highly among food aficionados, casual diners, and dinner guests for its simplicity and filling properties. Capable of housing within its bread slices all manner of meats, cheeses, vegetables, and condiments, sandwiches tend to effectively assuage hunger while also satisfying the palates of even a more selective herd of guests. Consider exploring a few clever options for the deceptively conventional finger food. In terms of convenience and ingredient potential, miniature sandwiches will keep late evening wedding guests perfectly satisfied and rightly impressed.

2. Sushi

Healthy, taste-laden, aesthetically pleasing, and hugely popular amongst American diners, a few sushi platters will enrich the atmosphere of any wedding reception, regardless of the overarching culinary theme of a given wedding reception. Particularly suitable as an appetizer, sushi ranks among the most cherished of reception snacks, as it often as pleasing to the eye as it to the taste buds. Like miniature sandwiches, sushi is endlessly configurable and can be prepared with virtually any combination of ingredients and in a seemingly infinite number of designs. Don’t exclude this one from the wedding treat roster.

3. Tarts

Whether packed with fruits, vegetables, meats, or a spread of some sort, the tart is a perennially beloved presence found in classy lunch buffets, continental breakfast platters, and large gatherings along the lines of a party or wedding reception. What many find most appetizing and deserving of appreciation about the tart is its diversity of both ingredient options and its healthful potential. Often falling under the “dessert” heading, tarts might just as well be packed with broccoli, beets, or fresh blueberries.

4. Vegetables Platter

Reception guests are likely to part ways with dietary discipline the longer a wedding reception intrudes into the later evening hours. Afford the stronger-willed among them a viable option in the form of an artful vegetable tray. In addition to finger food convenience, vegetable platters tend to provide guests with a welcome alternative to less healthy fare. A round of carrots, broccoli, asparagus, and cauliflower will make for a terrific visual addition to any wedding reception feast while keeping fiber and antioxidants accessible for those so inclined.

5. Cupcakes

Prepared in ways both adventurous and conventional, cupcakes are rarely met with disappointment amongst party guests. Whether attending a low-key birthday party or a high-concept wedding reception, a few trays of cupcakes will keep the unwashed masses from rebelling against their hosts. Available in more variations than there are stars in the night sky, cupcakes will energize one’s guests well into the late evening hours.

6. Dark Chocolate

Populate the tables with a few handfuls of classy dark chocolate. The deep, rich taste will stimulate palates throughout the reception hall, while cacao’s purported health benefits will assuage those feelings of guilt which invariably accompany indulgent dining choices so closely associated with wedding cuisine.

7. Espresso

If one plans upon keeping reception guests dancing through the night and into the early morning hours, keep an espresso bar firing on all eight cylinders throughout the duration. A bit classier than one’s standard cup of joe, espresso (and its various premium coffee cousins) will ensure sustained activity levels throughout the night while perhaps counteracting the effects of those other beverage varieties known to populate an occasional wedding reception.

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