Summer Indian Wedding Menu – What foods to Serve and What to Skip

With summer right around the corner, here’s all that you need to know about planning the menu for your upcoming BIG DAY in summer.

Summer is one of the best times to have a wedding. The powder blue skies, abundant sunlight make for gorgeous wedding photos. But, on the flip side, scorching temperatures can put a dampener on your special day.

Here, in this post, we help you with the wedding party menu planning for your summer wedding. We not only tell you what foods to serve but also highlight the foods that don’t work well for a summer reception.

Without further ado, let’s get started!

What works for a Summer Wedding:

01. Drinks and lots of Drinks

With soaring temperatures and dried throats, nothing is so in-demand during a summer wedding as drinks. Make sure your guests are hydrated by offering them plenty of drinks. You can even set up mobile bars serving refreshing cocktails and mocktails to beat the heat.

The unique idea is to hire a nariyal-paani guy, who can serve your guests with fresh tender coconut juice directly from the fruit. Check out with your caterer to find out if they can accommodate this.

Look for a caterer who is open to critiques and new ideas. They should not just focus on the foods they serve but also ensure that the menu fits the theme and overall idea of your event.

02. Ice-creams and Golas

When it comes to golas, instead of offering full-sized ones that melt quickly, provide your guests with bite-sized golas that can be relished with a few bites. This prevents a lot of mess. Try different flavors and let your guests choose the one that they love.

The same goes for ice-creams. Instead of serving large cups and cones, offer smaller scoops that can be devoured, without spoiling the wedding finery of your guests.

03. Fruit Bar Stations

This one’s sure to be a hit at your wedding. Cut and serve a variety of fruits. Let your guests choose what they want. Fruits are a great way to cool off during summers. Serve seasonal fruits like mangoes, watermelons, pineapples, and much more. Also, include healthier options like cucumber, carrot, zucchini to beat the summer heat.

You can take your fruit bar to the next level by providing several toppings like maple syrup, honey, chat powder, and plenty more.

04. Iced Teas and Cold Coffees

Lemon, peach, raspberries, strawberries are a few fun flavors to try out for iced teas. Serve it chilled in a tall glass, with plenty of ice cubes, and you’ll have your guests wanting more and more.

Ok, you don’t want your coffee-loving guests to feel left out, while fellow tea-lovers cool with glasses of iced tea. Make them reach coffee heaven, with chilled glasses of cold coffee. Chocolate syrup, Nutella, marshmallows make for fun toppings.

05. Lassi

There’s nothing that spells summer like Lassi. Soothing and refreshing, this is the perfect way to end the meal, mainly if you’re serving Indian cuisine at your wedding. While mango lassi is a perennial favorite, you can try new innovative flavors like dry fruit lassi, chocolate lassi, pina-colada lassi that will leave your guests wanting more.

06. Thandai and other Chilled Desserts

When it comes to serving desserts at your summer wedding, always go for chilled ones. Thandai is a right choice. Though mostly served during Holi, you can twist the recipe to fit your wedding menu. This chilled milk made from almonds and saffron makes for a sweet, hearty ending to the meal.

Other options include chilled shahi tukadas, gulab jamuns with ice-creams, jigarthanda, crème caramel, and chilled puddings and jellies. Ask your caterer to try innovative flavors with traditional desserts to add the Wow factor to the menu.

What doesn’t work that well for a Summer Wedding

1. Spicy BBQ meat

While there’s no arguing the fact that BBQ wings and ribs are universal favorites, they don’t work well on a hot, sultry summer afternoon. What more, it is difficult to serve them, and your guests may not want to spoil their wedding finery with dipping sauces or pose for photos with juices flowing down their mouths.

2. Hot Soups

No one wants to dig into a bowl of hot soup when the temperature is soaring outside. Instead of hot soups, you can opt for cold soups that work well as appetizers.

3. Chocolate Fondue

This one’s a wedding favorite and is a big hit with guests of all ages, from kiddos to the Instagram addicts. But then, this can turn quite a bit messy, especially during summer. Because of the high temperatures, the chocolate never hardens and can become a globby mess before people can eat it.

Instead of chocolate fondues, you can set up an ice-cream bar, with a wide variety of toppings that includes plenty of chocolates and candies.

4. Cheese Plate

While this may feel fancy, it’s a big no for a summer wedding. After all, no one wants to eat a melted cheese plate.

5. Hot Beverages

While Indians love their garam chai and coffee, it doesn’t strike the right cord at a summer wedding. Instead of serving hot tea and coffee, opt for iced tea and cold coffees.

6. Heavy, Creamy Indian Desserts

When it comes to wedding meals, desserts are, of course, the highlight. But, creamy, decadent sweets like hot jalebis, porridges, and halwas aren’t that welcoming at a summer wedding.

7. Vadas and other Greasy Oily Foods

No one wants to eat a plate of greasy, oily, deep-fried snacks, especially during hot summers. Instead, opt for light-eats and healthy options that are baked. A salad bar with toppings makes an excellent choice.

Make use of the tips mentioned above and provide your guests with a refreshing respite at your summer wedding.

Final Thoughts

One of the most challenging decisions you’ll while planning your wedding is deciding the party catering menu. What with hundreds of guests and thousands of preferences, it can be indeed a nightmare to satisfy everyone.

Worry not! This is where Captain Joe comes in! One of the most trusted and innovative wedding caterers in Gurgaon, we help you tackle your wedding menu planning with expertise. We make sure that your guests walk away with full tummies and delicious memories that last for years to come.

Give us a ring at +91-989-998-8185 to start with the planning of the Indian summer wedding menu for your BIG day!