How to Plan the Perfect Cocktail Hour for your Dallas Wedding

An Elevated Southern Classic: Shrimp & Mini Grits Cakes with Tasso Cream Sauce

What is a cocktail hour? A cocktail hour or social hour is the time between the wedding ceremony and dinner reception for guests to relax, enjoy some drinks, appetizers, and mingle. For most traditionally structured weddings, the cocktail hour is a pivotal part of the timeline for a couple's special day. It's essential to ensure your guests are well taken care of while they wait for the celebration to begin. Our experienced team has over 25 years of expertise in the food and beverage industry and we love sharing helpful planning tips with our DFW wedding clients. Here are three tips for planning the perfect Dallas wedding cocktail hour.

Offer Passed Appetizers and a Paired Cocktail Menu

Offering Passed Appetizers to your guests is an easy way to elevate the experience while keeping guests satisfied before the big feast. To make your wedding planning run a little smoother, select a full-service caterer like Ferah that offers both catering and bar services. Having one vendor manage both means less planning for you and therefore less stress as you prepare for your big day. Keep scrolling to see some of Chef Burak's favorite cocktail hour combos:

• Passed Appetizers:

  • Bacon-Wrapped Stuffed Dates with Chipotle Aioli (gluten-free friendly)

  • Beef Tenderloin Crostini with Garlic Aioli

  • Shrimp & Mini Grits Cake with Tasso Cream Sauce

  • BBQ Brisket Nachos (gluten-free friendly)

• Mixologist-Prepared Cocktails & Mocktails:

  • Watermelon Mojito Mocktail

  • Poblano Margarita

  • Golden Old Fashioned

Explore all our appetizers and cocktails here.

Watermelon Mojito Mocktail

Select The Right Vendors

Selecting vendors you can trust to provide outstanding hospitality to your guests is essential and will ensure a memorable experience.

Having a hard time selecting a caterer? Look at their online presence! The best way to see if a caterer is reputable is to see what your community is saying about them. Check their website's gallery of photos from real events, socials, Google Reviews, and their website for social proof of their services. 

Ferah Catering & Events is a professional, insured, full-service caterer that offers both catering and bar services. Each client will work with a personal catering concierge to help guide catering planning for their wedding. With 25 years in the business, Ferah's team brings expert knowledge to the table for every wedding we are a part of.

To learn more about Full-Service Catering, check out our blog post on the subject.

Engage Your Guests

Cocktail hours are notoriously an hour or longer, depending on how quick the photographer captures post-ceremony shots. Providing something for your guests to engage with is a great way to build anticipation for the big celebration. One of our favorite ways to engage guests during the cocktail hour is to provide an Action Station.

Here are some of our favorite Chef Action Stations:

• The Risotto Action Station | Watch our expert chefs craft custom wild mushroom & asparagus risotto bowls for each guest with custom toppings and enhancements.

  
  

• The Guacamole Station | Your guests will enjoy a show as our expert chefs make delicious guacamole right in front of them using an authentic molcajete.

Ferah Catering's Goal

Our goal is to take the stress out of your food and beverage planning with one vendor managing both services. We are a one-stop shop for all your catering needs!

Providing great food for a catering event is, in our eyes, the bare minimum. With over 25 years of luxury full-service catering and event expertise, our leadership team is passionate about creating great experiences for our clients and their guests, from start to finish.

Contact us today for a custom quote.