Fall is a really magical time of year! Pumpkins and the smell of pumpkin spice are everywhere, the weather is cozy, and nature is gorgeous with the orange leaves!

Fall weddings can be unique and different from weddings in other seasons, and embracing the season is definitely recommended!

One of the key things for embracing the season is choosing the right fall wedding menu – having fall flavors on your big day will make it so much more magical, and it will really make autumn weddings what they can be!

Oftentimes fall food and fall flavors are connected to comfort food – mashed potatoes, apple cider, tomato soup, hot chocolate, etc. So, you want to make the comfort food suitable for your wedding, and it will be a win-win situation!

You can even come up with fall-themed appetizers and snacks for the cocktail hour, let alone for the main meals.

Fall Wedding Menu Ideas

Let’s get into fall food ideas – fall appetizers, fall main meals, fall desserts, etc., BUT elevated so it’s wedding food as well.  

Some of these are less traditional, but would be very interesting and fit the ‘cozy’ theme (like having pancakes at a wedding – it’s not usual, but people have done it when it fits a theme!)! 

Salmon, Asparagus and Sweet Potato

391 calories

• 1 Potato, sweet, medium, 5 inches – 112 calories
• 2 cups Asparagus spears – 54 calories
• 4 oz Salmon filet – 200 calories
• 1 Tbsp Cheese, Parmesan, grated (Tbsp) – 25 calories
• 1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
• 1 Oregano, dash – 0 calories

DIRECTIONS

1. Poke holes in potato with a fork, microwave for 4 minutes on both sides. 
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Bake salmon, asparagus, and potato for 20 minutes. 
5. Once cooked, top asparagus and salmon with cheese and seasonings.
6. No dairy? Add a little oil.

Tomato Gnocchi Soup

The rich flavors from this soup will make the perfect appetizer for your fall wedding menu. Pair this with grilled cheese sandwiches or a goat cheese salad you’ll have a multi-course meal completed with perfection.

354 calories

• 1 Cauliflower gnocchi, frozen, 1 serving – 140 calories
• 2 cups Creamy tomato soup – 200 calories
• 2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 14 calories
• 1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook gnocchi as instructed on package.
2. Heat soup on stovetop in a pot on low heat, ~8 minutes.
3. Add in spinach and gnocchi for 2-3 minutes.
4. Top with pepper.
5. Serve immediately.

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut squash soup is one of the best fall wedding food ideas that your guests will love. The warm colors go perfectly with the fall theme. The rich butternut flavors and the warm pumpkin seeds on top make this the perfect wedding appetizer.

Potato Leek Soup

Another amazing soup for your fall wedding is the potato leek soup. It’s rich, creamy, and so tasty.

If you want to go a less traditional route, you can even serve potato leek shooters as mini appetizers.

Grilled Chicken with Butternut Squash

486 calories

• 2 cups Squash, butternut, chunks, fresh (uncooked) – 126 calories
• 2 cups Leafy greens, butter lettuce, raw – 14 calories
• ⅛ cup Peanuts (cups) – 96 calories
• 4 oz Chicken breast, grilled – 175 calories
• 1 Tbsp Vinaigrette, regular (more than 50 calories per 2 tbsp) – 75 calories

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line cookie sheet with tin foil, Spray with oil spray. Line butternut squash chunks and chicken breast in a single layer. At 15 minutes, flip chicken over & mix around butternut squash. Bake for 30 minutes
2. Mix ingredients and enjoy!
3. Feel free to switch out lettuce for any other lettuce variety that you prefer 

French Onion Soup

504 calories

• 2 Onion, yellow – 110 calories
• ¼ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 84 calories
• 2 cups Broth, chicken or beef – 70 calories
• 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil – 240 calories
• 1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories
• 1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories

DIRECTIONS

1. Add oil to pot.
2. Slice onions.
3. Saute onions 10-15 minutes on low heat, until cooked down.
4. Add in broth and seasonings.
5. Cover & let simmer at least 5 minutes.
6. Transfer to a bowl and add cheese, let melt ~2 minutes before eating (if you like!)
7. No dairy? Use a dairy-free cheese.
8. Note: A large amount of onions can promote gas in some people. If you know this is you, swap out this recipe for another.

Easy Pumpkin Pancakes

308 calories

• 2 Egg, large – 144 calories
• ¼ cup Pumpkin, puree, unsweetened – 20 calories
• 3 tsp Cinnamon – 0 calories
• ⅛ cup Pecans (cups) – 94 calories
• 1 Tbsp Maple syrup – 50 calories

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, and cinnamon.
2. Spray a non-stick pan with an oil spray.
3. Add a VERY small amount of batter to pan, flip with turner when you can easily slide turner under it. You’ll make a LOT of pancakes!
4. Top pancakes with maple glaze syrup and nuts.
5. These pancakes are very savory – if that’s not your preferred pancake style, search for “banana pancakes” in the meal search! You can also add cinnamon sticks for added fall flare.

Stovetop Apples with Yogurt

These sweet and savory apple slices are perfect for a brunch wedding reception served as a side dish or topping for pancakes.

• 1 Apple, medium – 95 calories
• 1½ Tbsp Butter (Tbsp) – 155 calories
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon – 0 calories
• ¼ tsp Pumpkin seasoning – 0 calories
• ¼ tsp Vanilla – 0 calories
• ¼ tsp Salt – 0 calories
• 8 oz Yogurt, plain, Greek, 2%, from tub – 170 calories

DIRECTIONS

1. Dice apple.
2. Melt your butter in a small pan on the stove top.
3. Cook your apple until you see browning, on low heat.
4. Top with cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and salt, and mix together.
5. Eat on top of yogurt.

Easy Salmon Sheet Pan with Rainbow Veg

• 4 oz Salmon fillet – 200 calories
• 1½ cups Squash, butternut, chunks, fresh (uncooked) – 94.5 calories
• 1½ cups Brussels sprouts – 84 calories
• ½ Onion, red – 22.5 calories
• 1 Tbsp Mustard, regular (brown, deli, etc.) – 15 calories
• 1 Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) – 119 calories
• ¼ tsp Pepper, ground – 0 calories
• ⅛ tsp Garlic salt – 0 calories

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil & spray it with an oil spray.
3. Chop the ends off the Brussels sprouts and halve each one. Chop up the squash, and onion into medium sized chunks. Add all ingredients to a large bowl.
4. Add oil, mustard, pepper, and garlic salt to the bowl. Mix contents so that all is coated.
5. Add the bowl’s contents to the baking sheet in a single layer. Also add salmon, and top salmon with additional pepper and garlic salt.
6. Bake ~40 minutes, mixing contents halfway through.

Chickpea Sheet Pan with Brussels & Sweet Potato

This can be the perfect side dish for your protein, or even the main dish for any guests who don’t eat meat.

• 2 cups Brussels sprouts – 112 calories
• 1 Potato, sweet, medium, 5 inches – 112 calories
• ½ cup Beans & legumes, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), cooked – 134 calories
• 1⅓ Tbsp Olive oil (Tbsp) – 158.27 calories
• ¼ tsp Salt – 0 calories
• ¼ tsp Pepper, ground – 0 calories

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut off Brussels’ hard ends & halve each one, or buy pre-shaved or cut Brussels.
3. Chop raw sweet potato into small chunks.
4. Line a baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper & add oil.
5. Line veggies and chickpeas in a single layer on the baking sheet. Mix around so all contents are covered with oil.
6. Bake for 45 minutes.
7. Top with seasonings.
8. Note: 1 ⅓ Tbsp = 4 tsp oil.

Roast in the Oven

Nothing screams fall wedding reception entree more than a warm, hearty roast. This comforting dish is a classic way to bring in seasonal flavors and offer guests just what they need to feel satiated during the festivities.

• 6 oz Beef, chuck roast (stew meat), raw
• 3 Carrots, whole, large
• ½ Onion, yellow, large
• ½ tsp Thyme, dried
• ⅛ tsp Garlic salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Note: this recipe works best when making multiple servings at once.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F.
3. Add meat to an oven-safe pot that has a lid. Season meat. Cover with lid, bake for 1 hour per pound of meat.
4. When you have 1 hour left, add in rough-chopped vegetables (keep pot covered in oven).
5. Shred meat with forks before serving.
6. Enjoy!
7. Note: Season liberally if you prefer!

Pumpkin Truffles

• 2 Tbsp Almond butter, unsweetened
• 1 Tbsp Pumpkin, puree, unsweetened (Tbsp)
• 2 tsp Maple Syrup (tsp)
• 1 Tbsp Coconut flour
• ¼ tsp Pumpkin seasoning
• ¼ tsp Cinnamon
• 0.3 Tbsp White chocolate chips, Tbsp

DIRECTIONS

1. Note: This recipe works best when making multiple servings at once.
2. Mix together all ingredients besides white chocolate.
3. Make ball shapes (1 serving = 3 balls).
4. Melt white chocolate in the microwave in 15-second intervals until smooth.
5. Drizzle on top of balls.
6. Refrigerate for 15 minutes before eating.
7. Storage: 4-5 days in the fridge, up to 6 months in the freezer.
8. No nuts? Use sunflower seed butter.

Pumpkin Pie

When building your dessert table for a fall wedding, don’t forget about this classic seasonal and holiday staple. Pumpkin pie is the perfect addition to any fall celebration, especially weddings. Other pie alternatives can also be pecan, sweet potato, or apple pie.

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake

This isn’t a traditional wedding cake by any means, but if you’re looking to add something delicious and fall-themed to your dessert table, it’s a great option. The caramelized apple slices make it perfect for fall, and super delicious.