While some wedding and event experts are citing 2013 as the year of the return to glamour and sophistication, other experts are expecting this year to be a little more fun and whimsical. Patterns, longer receptions and more personal events are all being cited as big trends to look forward to this year.




Another expected trend deals with local food. Many brides and party planners have strong ties to their communities and understand the importance of supporting small business. One way this is taking form is in the hiring of food trucks for catering.



Food trucks add a unique twist to your event that guests will not expect (I, for one, have never been to an event with a food truck) and one that they will more than likely love. A big complaint of a lot of couples and guests is that wedding food is boring. People get tired of chicken or fish, and a truly spectacular event has delicious food with some kind of fun presentation. Food trucks can offer a low-cost, highly customizable option for food that is just downright awesome in presentation.



There are several upsides to using a food truck:

1. Cost. In Cleveland, most companies have a $1,000 minimum (which is way better than some of the other minimums I've seen, which can range from $5,000 on up to the sky).

2. Options. There are a plethora of food trucks (especially in bigger cities) offering varying types of cuisines and methods of presentation.

3. Personalization. Many (if not all) food truck owners will work one-on-one with you to create a unique and personal menu for your day.

As with anything, there are also some cons:

1. Weather (especially in Northeast Ohio). In order to have a food truck (which has to be outside, obviously) you have to have weather that allows guests to wait for food.

2. Wait Time- Depending on how many guests you have, how many staff come with the truck, and the complexity of the food, there will be a wait. I guess this is a big deal, but I've never been to a wedding where I didn't have to wait for food.

My advice would be to have a food truck to complement other food options. This will cut down the wait time and the cost. For example, you could have a dessert bar, a bread bar, and maybe the food truck could be passing out little french fries or hamburgers. Who knows, the sky's the limit.