Food Trucks for Wedding Catering

Are you wincing at the idea of trying to make a sit-down banquet interesting for your guests? If you're not the first of your friends to get married, you may have to exercise your imagination in order to stand out in a sea of overcooked chicken breasts and broccoli florets. Why not delight your guests with the novelty of food truck catering instead?

Food trucks are a growing trend, but they aren’t the perfect answer for every wedding. Casual or offbeat weddings will fare best with food truck fare. Park a food truck by the edge of your garden reception; or better yet, your pool party. You may also decide to combine serving styles with a truck serving appetizers, and a conventional seated dinner later in the evening.

Depending on your menu, your wedding catering could come to as little as five or six dollars a person. This being a special day, though, you may want to splurge and impress your guests with more than the bare minimum.

The Menu

You can hire a traditional food truck for a casual affair, or look for a truck that serves gourmet twists on the expected food truck items. Instead of beef tacos, look for menu options like filet mignon strips, avocado, and caramelized onions. Instead of plain chicken, go for duck confit carnitas, fresh mint, and chipotle tamarind sauce. Add grilled shrimp or marinated mushrooms. Be creative. For burgers, experiment with Kobe beef and creamy gorgonzola cheese, or roasted red peppers and marinated salmon.

Since most food trucks have fixed menus, you probably won't be able to arrange foods specific to your event as you would with a conventional caterer. You can, however, print custom menus giving the truck's regular offerings names based on your personal lives–like where you met, your favorite songs, etc. You may also be able to get the truck to come up with a few new snacks or drinks customized for your wedding.

Consider hiring two trucks: one for dinner and one for dessert, or several trucks serving assorted tapas. Dessert trucks can perform functions as simple as handing out slices of the wedding cake, or they can serve more elaborate treats like signature sno-cones with exotic fruit juices. You can also use one truck as a bar. Having multiple stations will help disperse your guests so you don’t end up with a long waiting line. Be sure to pre-pay the trucks for this approach, though, as most vendors will not appreciate being put in the position of having to compete with other trucks to attract the same group of customers.

If you're taking the step of hiring a food truck, why not go all the way with your theme? For dessert, serve cupcakes or candy in the shape of your food truck's offerings. Cupcakes and marzipan candy are especially versatile and can be sculpted into almost any shape. For mini-hamburgers, split the cupcakes horizontally and add icing "patties" and "lettuce." Sprinkle a few sweet sesame seeds on the upper "bun" for the perfect finishing touch.  For mini-"tacos," slice éclairs lengthwise and add diced candy in the shapes and colors of taco fillings.

The Experience

Even if you find a truck with the menu of your dreams, also pay heed to the aesthetics of the vehicle itself. No one wants a battered old jalopy parked on the edge of the lawn (unless you're cultivating a junkyard wedding theme). Avoid trucks with heavy exterior advertising, as well. Look for a tasteful vehicle model and paint job. Vintage food trucks, if you can find one, make a cute splash.

Your food truck is more than a kitchen. Use the novelty the truck provides as a prop in your wedding or engagement photos. You can pose with the truck, leaning across the hood, or perched on stools outside sipping a shared soda through two long straws. Have "Bride" and "Groom" customized chef hats made so you can take pictures "cooking" side by side in the truck kitchen. If you're renting the truck for the whole day, the truck's operator should be happy to help you come up with the perfect ideas for romantic shots.

For an extra personal touch that will look great in photos and at the reception, inquire about fitting the truck with temporary vanity plates with you and your fiancé's names on them–then use them for your own car later.

Spruce up your food truck by writing in temporary chalk on the windows: "Just Married" or anything cute and romantic. You can also ask the truck's operator about attaching balloons in your wedding colors. (Just don't stick tin cans on the back when it drives away!)

Will you be having a small gathering? Seating around the food truck is your best bet. Set out enough stools in front of the truck, or in the immediate area, for your guests to sit comfortably while they munch their food. You won't have a fancy seated dinner, but you can embrace the unique dining opportunity you have.

The Logistics

Finally, the logistics of hiring a food truck are worth taking into consideration. You will need to plan well ahead of time just as if you were reserving a venue, to make sure the truck has not been hired by someone else on your big day. Also keep in mind that food truck vendors generally take Sundays or Mondays off, so you will need to offer a higher price to hire a truck on a day off or holiday.

You will also need to consider how much the food truck makes on a usual day when making its normal rounds. If your wedding or event can't offer a matching or greater amount of money, it might not be worth the food truck's while to commit to your party. A general rule is to hire one food truck for every 200 guests who will be attending, but the operator of your truck will be able to give you specific numbers that work for their business model.

As with hiring any wedding vendor, it pays to go with someone you trust. Ask people you know and research Internet forums to find reputable and professional food truck caterers. The truck kitchen should be as spotlessly clean and well organized as any hotel kitchen. Treat your food truck caterer like a conventional caterer and arrange a tasting first so you can sample the menu. Don't forget to arrange beforehand if you will expect the truck to provide plates, napkins, and any necessary utensils.

With the right food truck, your wedding or event will stand out in your guests' memories as a festive and unconventional affair. You can put your own stamp on your event and serve up a delicious experience as well as delicious food.