Well, you could always opt for the traditional fare- chicken, fish, or steak if you’re having an afternoon reception. But since you’re wedding is at a somewhat untraditional time, why not take advantage!  I mean, who doesn’t love breakfast & brunch foods? I’m talking omelette stations, belgian waffles, fresh fruit, specialty coffees- yummy! Fresh lemonade, iced teas, or smoothies with great garnishes would be a fantastic complement. (How cute are those cinnamon rolls on a stick? YUM!)

Mmmm- krispy kreme!!! Those are favors pictured, but maybe you could have those sitting out before your morning ceremony for your guests to munch on while they wait. The ricotta doughnuts (bottom right corner) could be a DIY favor-they are pretty simple to make and delicious!

Other favor options include the homemade granola featured above- I LOVE this idea! Just think of the cute packaging you could have too! There’s also jam with scones. This would be such a memorable take-home from a morning wedding. I’ve also seen fresh, local fruit favors that would be fitting.

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Coffee is an integral part of any brunch and I think that the earlier your wedding is, the better the coffee should be (that’s coming from someone that likes coffee!).  If you’re not really into coffee- maybe you could just opt for regular coffee and accompaniments. Or, you could spice it up a little with details like these:

1. Iced Coffee Frappe with cotton candy foam 2. Sugar cubes placed on rose petals 3. Chocolate Foam flowers 4. Caramel coffee warmers (they keep the coffee warm and melt into gooey goodness!) 5. Fancy sugar 6. “Toasting” mugs

And let’s not forget the mimosas! For an afternoon or morning affair, you could really skip the alcohol all together without any normal person feeling slighted. But mimosas or champagne are great, budget friendly options if you do want to serve alcohol. Just my opinion, but I skip the boos and go for sparkling drinks (italian sodas, spritzers, etc) or some kind of unique, color-coordinated punch.

Tomorrow, I’ll share my ideas for decor.

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Photo credits: appetizer (Martha), fruit (unknown),granola (Martha), iced tea (Ward Centers), mimosa (Stacey Bode via Sweet French Toast), lemonades (Style Me Pretty), doughnuts (the knot), mason jars (Style Me Pretty), icy drinks (Justin Marantz via Style Me Pretty), scones (Martha) cinnamon roll sticks (Zoe Bakes via OneWed), waffles (A Davis Photography), ricotta doughnuts (Simplesong), coffee pics 1-4 (martha), 5. Soiree Special Events 6. Birdsong Photography via PolkaDot Bride

The candy buffet. So what if it’s been done hundreds, maybe thousands of times. A candy buffet done right is always a hit. There’s one name that seems to come to mind nowadays when you say candy buffet in the wedding world- and that’s Amy Atlas.

Really, these are dessert buffets, but you get the idea. Amy has a truly artistic way of presenting delectable sweets to match any affair. Love her work!

But what other types of fun buffets could you do? Cake buffets are rising in popularity, and even cookie buffets. Take a look at these ideas:

1. Cake buffet~ Mmmm! This can be done with various cheesecakes as well.

2. Candy apple buffet~ How fun is this? You could attempt a DIY with this.

3. Towering cookie buffet~ I like this different take on the cookie display.

4. Popcorn buffet~ Yummy!!! And this one seems like a definite crowd pleaser- something for those with a sweet tooth and those that would rather have a salty snack.

5. Ice Cream buffet~One of my favorites! Who doesn’t want ice cream for dessert? This one doesn’t double as a favor though- that’s probably the only downside.

6. Truffle/ Chocolate buffet~ Depending on your choices, this one could get pricey quickly. The one pictured happens to be a homemade truffle buffet, though.

7. Hot Chocolate buffet~ This one looks so good to me- Perfect for a winter wedding! Those are containers of different chocolates and goodies that get melted down on the spot. This is the kind of stuff that you should think about when you are opting not to serve alcohol. Fancy drink options that will have everyone talking!

8. Donut Buffet~ I didn’t even know this existed! But it’s a unique idea- maybe for a morning wedding?

9. Pie buffet~ If you don’t like cake- don’t have it! Pie is just as sweet!

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Now…I must say…as much as I love a dessert/favor buffet, they are not necessary if you’re on a tight budget. Don’t get swept away by the Amy Atlas tables and candy buffets you see on the knot. These things can put a huge dent in a small budget.

But, if you have your heart set on a candy/cookie/popcorn/whatever buffet and you’re on a tight budget, try going the homemade (or local undiscovered baker) route and stick with cookies, candy apples, or other things that you can handle in your own kitchen.

And be creative with your containers- they don’t have to all be the same. Start looking early for bargain glassware at yard sales, on craigslist, ebay, and resellers on wedding sites. It can be done!

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Image Credits: 1. Creative Cuisine, 2. How Sweet It is, 3. Rebecca Thuss via Little Miss Planner Blog, 4. Robert McClory via theknot, 5. For the love of Weddings, 6. Nat Caron via theknot.com, 7. Desperately Seeking Crab, 8. pr0digie flickr stream, 9. The Perfect Palette

I came across these yummies while preparing my next post for today- I just had to repost them on here! They’re so cute! Especially the “french fries.”

Yes- that’s a cupcake, with a brownie burger, and sugar cookie fries. Need I say more? These are from Bakerella. You can view the complete process and download templates for the paper products on the Bakerella blog here. These are to die for! More sweetness on the way…