wedding 2025 | Serve what you love and do it your way

date posted: February 22, 2025

The only hard and fast rule about reception food is that it should be delicious and there should be plenty of it. Planning a Hudson Valley wedding, you’re in the mother lode of both delicious local ingredients and inspired expertise, so don’t be afraid to dream.

Some couples are taking an entirely different approach to reception meals, replacing the traditional sit-down dinner or buffet line with grazing tables and food stations offered throughout the reception so that guests can dance, talk, and eat, depending on their mood at the moment. Others love the elegance of an old-school plated dinner with carefully planned seating and uniformed servers. Some types of feasting work best with a buffet line; others are well suited to family-style tables, at which guests pass around the platters and bowls. Think about your tastes, your company, your venue’s layout, and the food you’ll be serving.

Think about your tastes, your company, your venue’s layout, and the food you’ll be serving.

Catering by Cucina Woodstock.

Catering by Blue Mountain Bistro to Go.

Catering by Chef Zach Berger. Photo by Above Weddings.

Catering by Jessie’s Harvest House.

Interactive food stations are lovely fun, leading to a lot of random mingling.

Catering by Gaby’s Cafe.

Catering by Masa Midtown.

Catering by Oyster Party.

Catering by Chef Deanna Inc. Photo by Rosy Red Photography.

Talk to caterers whose menus make you hungry, schedule tastings, and find somebody who gets your vision for the feast and has experience with the style you prefer. These days, many caterers have at least a couple of meat-free options in their repertoires; still others can whip out an entirely plant-based gourmet feast that will leave even ardent carnivores blissfully satiated.

Interactive food stations are lovely fun, leading to lots of random mingling. How about a buildyour- own taco bar, or a make-your-own-sundae bar for dessert? The possibilities are endless, from skewers to raw bars, from spring rolls and dim sum to salad bars loaded with fresh local fruits and veggies. A pizza station or hot dog cart with all the trimmings can be beyond delicious, with the right ingredients.

Themed cuisine repping one or both of your heritages—or any culinary culture that you happen to love—can inspire a food station or an entire menu, telling your love story to guests through the medium of flavor.

Themed cuisine repping one or both of your heritages—or any culinary culture that you happen to love—can inspire a food station or an entire menu, telling your love story to guests through the medium of flavor.

Catering by Rúna Bistro.

Catering by Main Course Catering.

Catering by Hickory BBQ.

Catering by Outpost BBQ.

Elevated comfort food served family style on large platters that guests can pass around themselves can turn a table of relative strangers into friends by the time dessert is served. A wellplaced craft station or two, where guests can make flower crowns, decorate photo frames or mugs, or contribute to a giant group drawing has a similar mojo; people blend well when they’re having fun together.

After a couple of hours of dancing and general exuberance, you know everybody’s going to be hungry again. Wrapping the party up with a hearty late-night snack like tacos, sliders, or pizza with fresh, fancy coffee is a gracious and tasty trend that makes a ton of sense.

ANGELA’S PIZZA RESTAURANT & CATERING

Lake Katrine, 845-382-2211, angelaspizzarestaurant.com/catering

Angela’s Pizza Restaurant in Lake Katrine has been family owned for more than 35 years. As the go-to place for great pizza, salads, wraps, and Italian specialties, we’re ready to serve. Let us bring our awesomeness to your next event!

BLUE MOUNTAIN BISTRO-TO-GO

Kingston, 845-340-9800, bluemountainbistro.com

Blue Mountain Bistro is committed to providing high-quality food and service both on the day of your wedding and the days leading up to it. When you choose Blue Mountain Bistro Catering for your wedding, you will be rewarded with raves from friends and family. Relax and enjoy yourselves, knowing that their creative, experienced staff is handling all the details of the day.

CATSKILLS CATERING

Catskills, 626-316-3973, catskillscatering.com

Beautiful food, born in the Catskills. Catskills Catering offers a true farm-to-table experience, blending artistry with the finest locally sourced ingredients to craft unforgettable dishes. Known for our impeccable food styling and gourmet catering, we set the standard for excellence at every event we serve.

CHEF DEANNA INC. WEDDING & EVENT CATERING

Catskills and the Berkshires, ChefDeanna.com

Our exceptional staff goes beyond what is expected to make your day the best day! We serve our food on cast-iron and vintage silver platters and vintage plates, so at no point during your event do you feel you are in an industrial production line. Our goal is to create a wildly beautiful and delicious experience that blends with the nature around us. Our ingredients are made by folks and farmers who love what they do, and Chef Deanna is convinced that matters.

CHEF ZACH BERGER

Instagram: @food_master_flex chefzachberger@gmail.com

Former owner of Cultura Paraiso in Cusco, Peru, Chef Zach Berger is back in the Hudson Valley focusing on his love of culinary adventure as a private chef and caterer. With passion for food and travel, Zach brings flavors from regions all over the world while keeping his roots in the Hudson Valley very dear to him—using all the fresh, local ingredients and flavors that our region has to offer. Zach has created relationships with local farms and local makers to truly give you a culinary experience from the heart and home. Email for more info about private dinners, events, pop-ups, or any other questions.

CUCINA WOODSTOCK

Woodstock/Rhinebeck, 845-679-9800, cucinawoodstock.com , marketstrhinebeck.com

We will accommodate your event with every attention to detail and style. Cucina in Woodstock and Market St. Restaurant in Rhinebeck are both available for a buyout, or we can cater at any location of your choice. The Barn at Cucina is a restored 19th-century barn with original beams, long rustic harvest tables, and splashes of modern décor. The Barn is fitting for rehearsal dinners, weddings, cocktail events, and dinner parties.

GABY’S CAFE

Ellenville, 845-210-1040, gabyscafeellenville.com

Bringing authentic Mexican flavors to your special day. We cater delicious weddings and small in-house events with fresh, vibrant dishes. Our full-service bakery creates stunning wedding cakes and any dessert imaginable. Let Gaby’s Cafe cater your celebration and create a truly unforgettable culinary experience.

HICKORY BARBECUE

Kingston, 845-338-2424, hickoryrestaurant.com

As a full-service caterer offering complete party planning, Hickory can provide trained servers, kitchen staff, and bartenders for a perfect wedding. From a simple backyard barbecue to a special wedding, Hickory can help with all the details. Many of their dishes are available as certified organic, grass-fed, vegetarian, and vegan— just ask. Linen and equipment rentals are available. Likewise, they can also provide floral, cake, bar, and other services.

JESSIE’S HARVEST HOUSE

Tannersville, 518-589-5445, jessiesharvesthouse.com

Jessie’s Harvest House Restaurant & Lodge is a warm and cozy place to gather, featuring a delicious menu full of locally sourced ingredients, a friendly tavern, and rustic country lodging. Located just outside of Tannersville’s main strip, the dining room is spread out over the ground floor of a charming home with a menu full of small and large plates that offer a great modern twist to classic American dishes.

MAIN COURSE CATERING

New Paltz, 845-255-2600, maincoursecatering.com

Main Course is a full-service caterer that can coordinate all wedding aspects, including customized menus, décor, linens, and rentals. Under chef Bruce Kazan’s innovative leadership, a team of talented professionals creates the finest in catered events. Main Course, a leader in the sustainable food movement, uses small Hudson Valley purveyors to provide the freshest local organic produce, free-range poultry, line-caught fish, and hormone-free meats.

MASA MIDTOWN

Kingston, 845-514-2214, masamidtown.com

Traditional and creative Turkish cuisine that will wow your guests. On- and off-site catering available for seated parties up to 75 and cocktail parties up to 100. From appetizers through dessert, we meet various dietary requirements

OYSTER PARTY

New York, 646-468-4545, oysterpartybk.com

At Oyster Party, we are experts in curating personalized raw bars for our clients. With over 10 years of experience, we are confident that we can work with you to create a raw bar experience that you and your guests will be talking about for years to come. Completely self-sufficient in setup and service, we are an easy add-on to any wedding!

RŪNA

New Paltz, 845-419-5007, runanewpaltz.com

Let us cater your dream wedding, either at your location or smaller parties in our historic restaurant. RŪNA’s diverse menu whispers romance: French, Indian, North African cuisine, and more, all prepared to perfection.

THE LITTLE MOBILE KITCHEN BY DAVID FOUNDED

Barrytown, 845-481-2050, davidfounded.com

Make your upstate weekend even more memorable with local foods prepared by The Little Mobile Kitchen. Perfect for your arrival party, “morning after” breakfast, or after-party munchies. Menu highlights include challah French toast, bacon-egg-and-cheese sammies, lamb balls with raisin pesto, smoked eggplant dip, pepper jelly lamb sliders, and harissa-dressed farro salad. All dishes are made from locally sourced farms and makers.