Of all the weddings and parties one attends, what do you think stays longer in their memory? It is usually the food. Whether the food was appetising or not, people remember it long after the wedding is over. Good food is always appreciated. Moreover, great food is often remembered even on the taste buds. It is, therefore, essential to plan and serve the best possible taste to delight your guests' palette. Of course, one has to keep in mind the number of guests and the feasibility of every food preparation. Planning must begin in advance with your caterer. Discussing a backup menu with him would be wise. Also for a change, you could include these out-of-the-ordinary ideas in your wedding menu to add a twist to the regular menu.

1. Exotic soups

Discard the usual soup menu and try the exotic but tantalising soups like the chilled pineapple litchi soup or the tomato and basil soup. It would be a delightful surprise for your guests as soups are generally expected to be served hot. In the summers, especially this will be a welcome surprise. You could use some creative ideas to serve them as well. Visual appeal matters a lot at parties buffet table.

2. Refreshing themed cocktails

If you are particular about every detail of your wedding theme, why not match the cocktail colours with your wedding dress or theme colours? For example, if you are going for the Royal Theme for your wedding you can have deep red, maroons, golden and royal blue coloured cocktails. If you prefer a more colourful Hawaiian or carnival theme, you cocktails could be aqua or light blue, mint green, pink, purple or yellow. Bits and pieces of crunchy and citrus fruits in the cocktails will be well appreciated. Discuss with your caterer about your expectations so that you do not face any surprises there.

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3. Mehendi cookies

How about having your wedding cake and cookies with a mehndi theme? It is appealing to the eyes and adds so much colour and beauty to your wedding. This is one centre of attraction, which your wedding guests would want to take a selfie with. You would definitely not want kids getting cranky at your wedding since Indian weddings can be long drawn and kids do not have the patience to sit through it quietly. Therefore, you could also think about serving doughnuts with creative toppings- sugar dust, gems, candies, choc chips, honey drizzle, cream and jelly and white chocolate to keep the kids entertained.Before you order your wedding cake, go through your baker's catalogue. Discuss your theme and ideas with him/her. Your baker could surprise you with a new creation to suit your theme exclusively.

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4. Chocolate bar

Who doesn't love chocolate? "Chocolate is health food for the soul" - says Miranda Gray. Plan with your caterer for a chocolate bar to be stationed at an accessible spot for guests. Also, plan a short but delicious chocolate drinks menu, which your guests will not be able to resist. Alternatively, you could include or replace the chocolate bar with coffee desserts. Coffee and chocolate will help keep up the energy levels of your guests at your wedding and make the dancing merrier. Offer variations in toppings and accompaniments in the form of whipped cream, chocolate chips and more.

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5. Pani Puri shots

Just the thought of chaats gets the mouth, watering. Imagine what the delectable sight would do to your guests. Get creative and serve Pani Puri in shot glasses. Think of alternative chaats served in frosted stylish glasses. Arrange with your caterer to have someone prepare and serve the chaats as per preference. They say small bites keep the conversation flowing. This allows for your guests to mingle with each other in between tingling bites of chaats.

6. Kulfi

Time to play with desserts! An Indian variation of the Ice cream, Kulfi is a hot favourite. Get creative with the flavours. Keep variations in this one. Some Kulfi flavours include mango, pista, badam, malai, avocado and cranberry. As a treat for the fans of alcohol, allow them a dash of it in their desserts. You may ask your caterers for a chilled Irish coffee kulfi!

7. Ice Cream Sandwich

Popular among people of all age groups, ice creams never go out of the "most loved desserts" list. A variation - the ice cream sandwich offers ice cream lovers a temptation more difficult to resist.

8. Snow Cones

Summer is here! We all love that refreshing snow cone or ice gola which takes us back to our childhood. Your guests would enjoy the welcome respite from the heat and have fun at the same time. This is probably only one of the few foods that are common across all cultures, which can be such an effective "ice breaker" or your guests to mingle well.

9. Calligraphy Cake Toppers/ Cake surprises

Would you not want your wedding cake to be special and unique? Instead of the usual bride and groom cake topper, you could personalise your cake topper with calligraphy lettering. It could be just your names or a symbol of your love or something from your special memories. You could even surprise your guests with a different cake altogether. For e.g. Rasmalai cake, Zebra Cake, Rainbow Cake, Berry and Lemon Cake, White Chocolate Raspberry Cake, Apple berry cake Orange Almond Cake, Mango Pista Cake, Blueberry Banana Cake and Chocolate Orange cake.

10. Get creative with the cocktails

Have a corner with comfortable seating and a barman at his best creative self. Ensure that the bartender understands his role well before you hire him. Keep the drinks flowing but not let it go out of hand. Cocktails like the Flaming Volcano (vodka and a brew of liqueurs with an apricot dipped in rum at its tip), the top of which gets engulfed in flames when the tip is lit will be entertaining to your guests in more ways than one. A pretty wonder, this White Cosmopolitan is as appealing to the taste buds as it is to the eyes. White Cosmopolitan is a Vodka based drink with a bright orchid shaped into a sphere of ice, which floats in the glass.

11. Cotton Candy

Add that little element of carefree fun and colour to your wedding by introducing the cotton candy. Arrange with your caterer to station a cotton candy counter to cater to all those with a sweet tooth. Do not be surprised if you find grown-ups at the counter too! There is truly no age limit to enjoy this light delicacy.

12. Barbeque

Be it an evening wedding or a terrace party, a barbeque is a sure shot hit among guests. That spicy hot taste and tempting aroma can draw your guests to it like bees to honey. Consider a barbeque with mashed potatoes and a chilled drink in hand-truly worth relishing! Try it and your party is sure to be a success.

13. Waffle or different style Ice cream cups

Give this a thought. Your party or wedding is in the summer season. You have ice creams on the menu and you serve that in single cones or cups. Sounds ordinary? Imagine serving dollops of ice creams in waffle baskets or large 5 scoop cones? What a delight that would be for kids and grownups alike! You could have a spread of exotic flavours like Cheese Cashew Caramel, Wild Berry Lavender, Black Jamun, Jamun-Mango Mix, Blueberry Roasted Almond, Mixed Berries - Blueberry, Blackberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Rice & Raisin ice-cream, Dates & Apricot Ice-cream, Cinnamon, Green Tea and Variyali Ice-cream, Lemon-Ginger and Mint etc. To make them come back for more.

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