C is for Catering: Menu, Buffet & Food Trends 2025

Catering shapes the mood, timing and budget of your wedding. It determines how relaxed the celebration feels, how guests move around — and what ends up on the bill. Studies show: venue and catering are among the largest cost blocks, with average values in the mid four‑figure range. A recent analysis names roughly €7,200 for the venue and about €3,800 for catering on average in 2025; in 2024 venue plus food and drinks combined were close to €7,800.

Menu vs. Buffet vs. Finger Food – what suits you?

A plated menu feels formal, structures the evening and makes costs and service predictable. Ideal if you have speeches and program items fixed into the schedule. A buffet offers flexibility, encourages movement and choice — useful for mixed guest profiles or when the venue has multiple areas. Finger food/flying dinner keeps the flow relaxed, works great with food stations or outdoor settings; it does require sufficient roaming service. Popular are hybrid formats: e.g., a short starter flying service, main course served family‑style at the table and later a dessert station. Interactive stations ("build‑your‑own" bowls/tacos, live cooking) enhance the experience and will be seen more often in 2025.

Practical tip: Think from the schedule. If your timeline is tight, a menu is efficient. At relaxed garden parties or barn receptions, a buffet or combination often feels more natural. For mixed age groups, family‑style at the table is a good compromise: social, without the crowding at a buffet.

Trends 2025: regional, plant‑based, alcohol‑free — and experience‑oriented

• Regional & seasonal: Many couples opt for short supply chains and producers from the local area — more sustainable and often stronger in flavor.

• More veggi/vegan: In Germany, surveys show around 8% are vegetarian and about 2% vegan — plan for these needs early, ideally with clear labels at the buffet and full‑value vegan mains.

• No/Low‑Alcohol: Alcohol‑free alternatives are in demand — almost 79% of couples already offer 0.0 sparkling wine/wine or mocktails; for around one in four guests the celebration is entirely alcohol‑free. Plan signature mocktails or an alcohol‑free sparkling wine welcome.

• Interactive food experiences: Live cooking, food stations and "build‑your‑own" concepts bring movement and individuality to the menu. This fits especially well with open space concepts and outdoor celebrations.

Plan the budget smartly — without sacrificing enjoyment

Reference values help set the framework: For 2025, depending on the concept, rough ranges communicated are — premium buffet about €50–100 p. P., plated menu about €60–150 p. P. Drinks vary widely depending on the package. Important: these are guidelines; season, region and quality drive differences.

Don’t allocate your budget purely by gut feeling, but by priorities: If a formal multi‑course dinner is important to you, save more on decor extras. If you want maximum freedom of movement, invest in an extensive buffet with two to three strong signature stations. As a rule of thumb: a realistic buffer of 10–15% prevents stress in case of additional needs (e.g., weather, late‑night snack, extra service). Study findings confirm that venue, food and drinks make up the largest share — so plan these items first.

Organizationally, a digital tool helps: in the to‑do list you can structure allergies, vegetarian/vegan and kids’ portions and set deadlines for menu finalization or tastings. That way you won’t forget special requests and can give the caterer concrete numbers. [Zur To‑do‑Liste] (https://wedset.app/de/todo)

If you want to know why a centralized planning solution saves time and makes quotes more comparable, take a look at the overview of features and workflows. [Warum das sinnvoll ist] (https://wedset.app/de/why-wedset)

Optionally deepen your timing with this guide to the day schedule and block kitchen time windows (plating, service). [Ablauf planen] (https://wedset.app/de/magazin/a-wie-ablauf-hochzeitstag). For the numbers behind your celebration the Budget Guide 2025 is worth a look. [Budget im Griff] (https://wedset.app/de/magazin/hochzeitsbudget-kosten-im-griff-2025).

Key questions for caterers — compact

• Seasonal/regional menu proposals? Vegan alternative as a full main course? • Service ratio: how many staff for your format/guest count? • Logistics: arrival, on‑site kitchen equipment, power/water, refrigeration? • Drinks: package vs. consumption‑based, own wines/beer allowed, corkage? • Sustainability: reusable service, food‑waste concept, donations/takeaway boxes? • Timing: final menu approval, tastings, deadlines for allergies/guest list.

Keep guest groups in mind

Children benefit from kid‑friendly main dishes and an early mealtime. Older guests appreciate short distances, seats near the buffet and service rounds with water/coffee. For allergies/intolerances you need clear labeling and a contact person at the buffet. Agree in advance how vegan and gluten‑free options will be integrated equally — not as an "add‑on", but as standalone dishes.

Conclusion

The right catering is a mix of atmosphere, logistics and budget. If you consider format, trends and guest profile together and document your wishes clearly, you’ll make relaxed decisions — and your guests will remember a menu that suits you. With clear priorities, realistic benchmarks and a structured to‑do list you’re on track.

Research check: The central statements are supported by current industry surveys and platform reports for 2024/2025 (costs, vegetarian/vegan, alcohol‑free alternatives, interactive stations). No further research necessary; figures remain marked as orientation values.