By: Danielle Rothweiler for GalTime.com

After the dress, food is right up there in terms of what's most important on the wedding day. One of the hurdles brides face is either getting into a venue that has amazing food or finding a place that will allow us to bring in a caterer of our choice.

When couples commit to a venue that has in-house catering, they typically have to choose between a seated dinner or a buffet. The issue with a seated dinner is that many couples don't want to be forced to decide between "chicken, beef or fish" with a side of veggies and potatoes. The problem with a buffet is that it really isn't formal enough for some and the vision of guests standing in lines is not always appealing.

The answer? Stations and a cocktail-style reception. Everyone knows that cocktail hour is the best part of the wedding, and a major trend is to make the entire evening one big cocktail hour. This means, no plating of a salad and main course, but rather different types of food all throughout the evening. Couples get creative by offering food from different portions of the world, including a sushi bar featuring a sushi chef. It isn't about scooping food from a chafing dish onto plates, it's about trying new things and socializing. Frequently there will be passed appetizers, as well, so that the tables of food aren't crowded all night.

Bigger isn't always better

With the couples that are lucky enough to use a preferred caterer, they can take advantage of different types of trends including making big things, smaller. It's not just mini-quiche anymore, but mini lobster rolls, mini dumplings, mini milkshakes, everything! This is great for a cocktail hour style reception so that you can offer more options without people filling up on one or two things.

Another trend takes place during dessert because not every couple wants the traditional wedding cake. It's not just subbing out the cake for cake pops, but about offering a full sweet table. Combine the trendy candy bar that we've seen for years along with desserts like shooters, cookies, pies, basically anything you can imagine. The best thing about this table is that it allows guests to enjoy whatever they want and maybe try something new, instead of being stuck with a piece of wedding cake that they probably won't eat. Couples are pairing the sweets with coffee and espresso bars as a perfect way to wrap up the perfect evening.

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