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Wedding catering in Melbourne

10 Wedding Reception Food Ideas
Melbourne Couples Love

From grazing tables and passed canapés to feast shared platters, plated dinners and live paella. Real formats, real pricing, and the right fit for every style of Melbourne wedding reception.

Choosing your wedding reception food is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make, and one of the most memorable parts of the day for your guests.

There’s no single right answer. It comes down to your venue, your guest count, your budget, and the atmosphere you want to create. A cocktail-style reception with grazing tables and passed canapés feels completely different to a formal plated dinner, and both can be done beautifully.

Here are 10 wedding reception food ideas HLB Catering offers Melbourne couples, with real pricing and format details. We’ve ranked them as a countdown from 10 to 1, so scroll through to discover the most popular format at the end.

Prices, menus and services listed below are current as at May 2026. Please contact us for the most up-to-date pricing on your event date.

No. 1
01
Most popular

Passed Canapés and Hearty Bites

Canapés are one of the most versatile and crowd-pleasing formats for a Melbourne wedding. A Welcome Canapés Pack at $21pp is the perfect way to keep guests happy and mingling during cocktail hour, especially right after the ceremony when you and your partner are off doing photos. It’s a light, social start that sets a great tone before the main service begins.

HLB Canapé packages:

Welcome Canapés Pack — $21pp. 4 hot or cold canapés, 30 to 45 minutes service. The ideal cocktail hour opener when combined with a main meal package. Includes at least one vegetarian option. For a full standalone cocktail-style reception, our other packages start from $48pp and offer unlimited canapé service across 2 to 3 hours. Our menu includes handcrafted cold bites (tuna tataki on Japanese rice cake, Cajun prawns on cucumber, gorgonzola tart with caramelised pear), hot bites (Moroccan lamb kofta with lemon labneh, wild truffled mushroom on potato rosti, arancini) and more substantial hearty bites like grilled halloumi sliders, slow-cooked pork belly bao and fish tacos.

02
Seated & social$90pp

Feast Shared Platters

Shared platters are one of the best ways to get people talking at a wedding. Generous, beautifully presented dishes land in the centre of the table and guests help themselves, which creates a relaxed, communal energy that’s hard to replicate with plated individual service. Every package starts with sliced artisan bread and butter on arrival, followed by a chef’s choice of canapés served on platters at each table. Mains and sides hit the table next, and the night finishes with dessert passed on trays by our wait staff.

What’s included — $90pp (minimum 60 guests):

Sliced artisan bread and butter to start. Chef’s choice canapés served on platters at each table. Your choice of 2 shared mains from: Angus Eye Fillet with red wine jus (GF), Pomegranate Lamb Shoulder slow-cooked with labneh (GF), Slow-Roasted Pork Shoulder with chimichurri (GF), Slow-Roasted Chicken Thigh with preserved lemon and white wine pan sauce (GF), Tasmanian Salmon with fresh herbs and lemon (GF), or Spicy Roasted Sweet Potato with tahini-soy and sesame (VEG, V, GF). 4 sides included: roasted potatoes with herbs and garlic, penne pasta al sugo, tomato and buffalo mozzarella Caprese, and garden salad (GF, V). Dessert passed on trays to finish: chocolate crémeux with raspberry coulis, coconut panna cotta with spiced pineapple salsa, or classic tiramisu. Professional wait staff and chef throughout.

When HLB is handling your full catering, we are also happy to cut your wedding cake and serve it on boards for your guests at no extra cost.

03

Grazing Table During Cocktail Hour

A styled grazing table during cocktail hour is the most popular way to open a Melbourne wedding reception, and for good reason. While you’re off taking photos, your guests have something beautiful to eat, drink and gather around. It sets the atmosphere, gets people mingling, and seamlessly leads into your next service. We bring everything and style it all before your guests arrive.

Our three signature grazing table styles for weddings:

Antipasto Table — $59.50pp (min 60 guests)

Our premium wedding grazing table. Jamon Iberico on stand, truffle salami, Italian truffle cheddar, French triple brie, Yarra Valley ash goat’s cheese, Gorgonzola Dolce and smoked Dutch. Homemade dips including roasted eggplant, yogurt labneh zaatar, smoked salmon and dill, and chicken pate. Premium crackers, grissini, parmesan crisps, fresh seasonal fruit, marinated olives and Australian native greenery throughout. This is the one guests remember.

The Mediterranean Way — $39pp (min 50 guests)

Styled in true Amalfi Coast spirit with fresh lemon vases, flowers and candles. Artisan breads, gourmet cheeses including a cream cheese log with pistachio and fig jam, cured meats, chickpea hummus with fried chickpeas, lemon yogurt labneh with Greek vegetables, marinated olives, mozzarella sticks, arancini, mushroom and rocket sliders, savoury bites, crackers, dried fruits and sweet treats to finish. Warm, generous flavours with genuine wow factor.

Gourmet Grazing Stretch — from $590 for up to 25 people

A long-table grazing experience styled on food-safe paper with hand-selected local and international cheeses, expertly cured meats, premium dips, marinated olives, antipasto vegetables, seasonal fresh and dried fruits, nuts, chocolates, freshly baked breads and gluten free alternatives, all styled with herbs and Australian native greenery. Scales to any guest count. A sweet station add-on is also available. Your Grazing Stylist arrives 1.5 to 2 hours before the event, sets everything up, and leaves you to enjoy it.

We also offer the HLB Standard and Signature Grazing Tables — ask us about the full range when you get in touch.

04
From $90ppMin 50 guests

Plated Sit-Down Wedding Dinner

The plated sit-down dinner gives your reception a sense of occasion and structure that nothing else quite matches. Guests are seated, courses arrive in sequence, and the formality of the service elevates the whole evening. It’s the right choice if speeches, toasts and a formal reception flow matter to you.

HLB Seated Meal packages (alternate drop):

2-Course (entrée and main, or main and dessert) — $90pp. 3-Course (entrée, main and dessert) — $115pp. 4-Course (canapé, entrée, main and dessert) — $140pp. All packages include shared garden salad, freshly baked dinner rolls and professional wait staff throughout. Add-on: Petit Fours selection $15pp (4 varieties, 3 pieces per guest). Cheese Board $20pp with Australian and imported cheeses, lavosh, fresh and dried fruits and HLB’s signature fig and Earl Grey tea jam.

05
From $68ppMin 50 guests

The Wedding Buffet

A buffet gives guests the freedom to choose what they want and go back for more. When it’s done well, it feels relaxed and generous rather than casual. Our buffet setup includes fresh flowers, Australian greenery and candlelight, so the presentation matches the occasion. Our team serves and manages the station throughout.

HLB Buffet package:

From $68pp for 3 mains and 3 sides. Add extra mains at $12pp or extra sides at $8pp. Garden salad, pilaf rice, dinner rolls and butter included in every package. Choose 2 meat dishes, 1 vegetarian main and 3 sides. All crockery, cutlery and chafing dishes included. Mains include roasted scotch fillet with wild mushroom and truffle sauce, herb and garlic lamb rump (GF), miso and sake glazed pork leg (GF), sticky soy and ginger chicken (GF), baked barramundi acqua pazza (GF), and harissa stuffed eggplant (V, GF).

When HLB is handling your full catering, we are happy to cut your wedding cake and serve it on boards at no extra cost.

06
All-inclusive$75pp

HLB Signature Cocktail Reception

Our most complete cocktail-style wedding package. Canapés, hearty bites and bowl food served over three hours, all included in a single per-person price with no surprise additions. Guests eat well and keep moving. The atmosphere stays relaxed and social. This is one of the most popular formats our Melbourne wedding clients choose.

What’s included at $75pp:

3 canapés (hot or cold), 2 hearty bite options, 3 bowl food dishes. 3 hours unlimited service. Professional wait staff and chef throughout. We recommend at least one vegetarian option in the mix. Additional bowl food dishes available at $8pp per dish. Bowl food highlights include slow-braised lamb shoulder with romesco and pearl couscous, Korean fried chicken with gochujang mayo, miso glazed beef, seared scallops with nduja and sweet potato, and grilled Cypriot halloumi (GF, veg).

07
Showstopper add-on+$10pp

Live Paella Valenciana Station

There’s nothing quite like watching a chef cook a giant pan of paella in front of your guests. It creates a moment, becomes a talking point, and fills the venue with an incredible smell. As an add-on to any main catering package, it’s one of the most memorable things you can include at a Melbourne wedding reception.

Live Paella station details:

Traditional Paella Valenciana cooked live in front of your guests. Chicken, prawns, chorizo and seasonal vegetables. +$10 per person. Minimum 80 guests required. Available as an addition to the Signature Cocktail Pack, Buffet, Shared Platters or any main catering package.

08
Fully plant-basedFrom $69pp

A Fully Vegan or Dietary-Inclusive Wedding

A wedding where every guest eats well regardless of their diet is something we take seriously. Whether your whole wedding is plant-based or you have a mix of dietary requirements across your guest list, we build menus that don’t treat vegan and gluten-free as an afterthought. Every dish is labelled on the day.

HLB vegan and dietary options:

Vegan Canapés package — $69pp. 3 hours unlimited service. Canapés, hearty bites, professional staff (min 40 guests). Vegan Buffet — $75pp. 3 mains and 3 sides including Thai green sweet potato curry, roasted pumpkin tagine, spinach lentil dhal (min 50 guests). Vegan Seated Meals — from $90pp (2-course) to $140pp (4-course), full alternate drop service. All standard packages include at least one vegetarian option per category. Gluten free, halal, dairy free and kosher friendly options available across all menus.

09
$26ppMin 60 guests

Dessert Grazing Table

A beautifully styled spread of handcrafted petit fours and sweet treats that takes your reception to another level. It doubles as a dessert service and a centrepiece moment. Guests come to it, graze and go back for more. The full cheese section means there’s something for guests who prefer savoury too.

What’s on the Dessert Grazing Table:

Mini chai sticky date puddings, pistachio and caramel petit tarts, mini lime pies, triple chocolate brownie cylinders, raspberry and white chocolate ganache in mini waffle baskets, passionfruit panna cotta with blueberry salsa (GF), lemon mousse in chocolate cups, cherry and coconut baked cheesecake. French doughnuts and Spanish churros with caramel. Cheese variety, crackers, gluten free crackers, grissini, lavosh, pretzels, fruit crackers, nuts, fresh and dried fruit. Fully customisable to your taste and dietary requirements.

Minimum 60 guests. Styled on rustic wooden boards with fresh flowers, Australian native greenery and candles.

10
$35ppMin 40 guests

Brunch or Afternoon Tea Wedding

Not every wedding needs to be an evening dinner reception. A brunch wedding or afternoon tea can be just as beautiful and meaningful, often more relaxed, and significantly easier on the budget. Our Brunch and Afternoon Tea table includes a full coffee and tea station, so there’s one less thing to organise.

HLB Brunch / Afternoon Tea Table — $35pp:

Baguettes, mini croissants, dinner rolls and sandwich bread. Cured meats, cheeses, savoury bites: sausage rolls, mini pies, mini quiches, cheese bread, empanadas. Sweet treats: Belgian waffles with maple syrup, French donuts, Danish pastries, freshly baked scones with whipped cream and jam. Yogurt station with honey yogurt, poached berries and passionfruit coulis. Fresh seasonal fruit. Spreads: Nutella, peanut butter, honey, jam and butter. Full coffee and tea station included. All styling, serviceware and eco-friendly disposables included.

Minimum 40 guests required. All styling, boards, stands and eco-friendly disposables included.

Not sure where to start?

Which format suits your wedding?

Relaxed and social

You want guests moving, mingling and having fun rather than sitting at tables all night. Best formats: Signature Cocktail Pack ($75pp), Grand Canapés ($59pp) or a combination of grazing table plus passed canapés.

Formal and special

You want a proper sit-down dinner, speeches in sequence and a sense of occasion. Best formats: Plated Seated Dinner (from $90pp) with a Welcome Canapés Pack ($21pp) to open proceedings.

Premium but relaxed

You want high quality food and beautiful presentation without rigid structure. Best formats: Antipasto Table ($59.50pp) for drinks, then HLB Signature Cocktail Pack ($75pp) for the reception. Add the Live Paella Station for a wow moment.

Budget conscious

You want great food without overspending. Best formats: Buffet ($68pp with 3 mains and 3 sides) or Standard Grazing Table ($29.50pp) as the centrepiece, with Mini Sambos ($6.50 per piece) as late night snacks.

What our clients say

Real events. Real reviews.

★★★★★

“The food across all three days was absolutely delicious, beautifully presented and incredibly generous. The presentation and overall setup were impeccable and really elevated the experience for everyone attending. Everything felt polished, professional and thoughtfully executed.”

AgoraGynaecology Clinic, Melbourne — Google Review

★★★★★

“Lucas, Angela and the whole team from HLB Catering were amazing. They brought such a great energy to our event and made everything feel effortless. The food was delicious and beautifully presented. Our whole team couldn’t stop raving about it.”

R.S.Melbourne Event — Google Review

★★★★★

“The food was fresh, well presented and very well received. Communication with Leo before and on the day was seamless and reassuring, which made everything feel easy and stress free. Would definitely recommend and will be using them again.”

L.M.Melbourne Event — Google Review

Frequently asked questions

Wedding catering questions, answered.

Everything Melbourne couples ask us when they’re comparing catering formats and working out their budget.

How much does wedding catering cost per person in Melbourne?

What is the most popular wedding catering style in Melbourne?

Can you cater for dietary requirements at a Melbourne wedding?

Do Melbourne wedding caterers provide staff and setup?

What is a wedding grazing table and how much does it cost?

What food should I serve at a Melbourne wedding reception?

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