Fall Wedding Cocktail Hour Menu Ideas

The period of time immediately following a wedding ceremony and before the official start of the reception is a busy time for newlyweds. During this time, they are hustling behind the scenes taking wedding photos and preparing themselves to enjoy the food and dancing at the reception. Guests are typically taken to the reception hall or other area for an interlude, or a cocktail hour during this time to socialize and have light appetizers and beverages. When planning a fall wedding, there are many ways to incorporate seasonal foods and drinks into the cocktail hour. Here are some ideas for fall wedding cocktail hour planning, to help you and your caterer started on the menu.

Warm your guests up from the crisp autumn chill with hot beverages. Children and those who don't drink alcohol will enjoy mulled apple cider served with cinnamon sticks. The Hot Toddy is a popular warm adult beverage that can be made in a variety of ways to suit individual tastes. This article has recipes for eleven different Hot Toddy variations. Here is a recipe from Martha Stewart for a ginger apple cider that uses brandy, which would be perfect for a fall wedding cocktail hour. When choosing cold beverages, non-alcoholic drinks include peach iced tea and sparkling apple cider. Serve one or two signature cocktails instead of a fully stocked bar to save money. Try chocolate or apple martinis, Amaretto cocktails, or other drinks that use apple, pear, or chocolate liqueur. Many craft breweries release fall seasonal beers that will keep beer-thirsty guests happy. Full-bodied Oktoberfest, or Maerzen beers or beers that have pumpkin or spice flavors are usually widely available at beer specialty stores in bulk during the fall months.

Guests will enjoy making their own s'mores at a table set up as a s'mores making station. Other fall appetizer ideas are butternut squash turnovers, stuffed grape leaves, pot stickers, butternut squash soup, apple spice hummus, and pumpkin cheese balls. Sites such as Recipegirl.com and Parties That Cook offer a number of gourmet appetizer recipes from which to draw inspiration. Be creative and take advantage of fare typically associated with fall, such as smoky cheese flavors, spiced or caramelized nuts, harvest fruits and vegetables, and hearty, rich foods.

Sources:
Cocktails at About.com
Martha Stewart Weddings
Parties That Cook
Recipe Girl