A Boracay beach wedding is always a wonderful idea to celebrate the union of a lovely couple. The magnificent sunshine in the background, the sound of blue waves gently crashing on the shore, and your entourage dressed in comfortable beach attire. While this may sound like the perfect wedding idea, it can also lead to some potential wedding disasters.

One such disaster is an unsatisfactory Boracay wedding buffet. Remember, a beach buffet is susceptible to heat. This set-up could potentially ruin your food; so it’s better to come up with buffet ideas that are appropriate for your chosen venue.

To help you with your dream wedding planning, here is a list of buffet table ideas for your beach wedding. This complete list includes appetizers, main dishes, desserts, and will ease your wedding spread concerns.

Appetizers

1. Shrimp cocktail

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Since you are at the beach, seafood should be part of your food station ideas. >Shrimp is high in nutrients but very low in calories; so you can be sure that shrimp cocktail will be a delicious yet healthy addition to your wedding spread.

To make a yummy shrimp cocktail, you need the following ingredients:

Shot glasses (depending on the number of your guests), jumbo uncooked shrimp

4 lemons, quarter-cut

1 pc. bay leaf

one teaspoon of salt

store-bought cocktail sauce

First, fill a pot of water. Next, include the fruits, bay leaf, and teaspoon of salt. Boil these ingredients together with the shrimp then place the shrimp in cold water and >remove the shrimp’s skin. Afterwhich, fill the glasses with cocktail sauce. Hang the shrimps on each glass.

2. Mini crab cakes

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Another great seafood addition to your Boracay wedding buffet is a crab dish. Like shrimp cocktails, mini crab cakes are easy to make. To make delectable mini crab cakes, you need the following ingredients:

Half a kilogram of well-drained crab meat

1 egg

1 Greek non-fat yogurt

¼ cup of chopped bell pepper

¼ cup of thinly-sliced green onion

1 teaspoon of lemon zest

1 cup of panko breadcrumbs

1 can of cooking spray

2 tablespoons of chopped parsley

2 tablespoons of chopped basil

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Form the mini crab cakes using a small ice cream scoop then line them up on the oven tray. Spray the cakes with cooking spray. Bake the cakes in 400°F or 204°C heat for 12-15 minutes. Lastly, make the sauce by mixing the yogurt, lemon juice, parsley, and basil. Serve together with the crab cakes.

3. Mini pizza potato skins

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Baby potatoes taste great and pack lots of fiber. Plus, they’d also look great in your wedding spread! It will taste even better and memorable with pepperoni pizza topping as part of your Boracay wedding buffet.

To make great-tasting pizza potato skins, prepare the following ingredients:

One pack of baby potatoes

2 tablespoons of olive oil

½ cup of pizza sauce

1 cup of grated quick melt cheese

48 pieces of mini pepperoni slices

Parsley, finely chopped for garnish

Preheat the oven to 220°C or 430°F. Bake the potatoes for 2 minutes then cut the potatoes in half. Scoop half of the potato for the cheese and pepperoni. Place them in the oven with the skin side up. Brush with olive oil, and bake for 10 minutes. Fill each skin with cheese and pepperoni. Bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese melts and the pepperoni turns brown. Sprinkle parsley and serve.

Main Dishes

4. Chicken barbecue

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The sweet and sticky chicken barbecue is your sure hit for a delectable Boracay wedding buffet. Everyone will enjoy this get-together favorite which you can also add to your no-fail food station ideas.

To make chicken barbecue, you'll need the following ingredients:

1 kilogram of chicken parts (mixed drumsticks, breasts, wings)

2 teaspoons of salt

1 teaspoon of garlic powder

3 cups of store-bought barbecue sauce

Heat the oven at 400°F or 204°C. Add salt and garlic powder to the chicken then roast the chicken for 25 minutes. While the chicken is roasting, simmer the barbecue sauce to reduce it. After that, brush the sauce onto the roasted chicken. Roast the chicken again at 450°F or 232°C for 10 minutes. You may also roast the chicken for another 10 minutes after brushing it with sauce. Serve and enjoy.

5. Pulled pork sandwiches

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A flavorful pulled pork sandwich is a good main dish for any occasion. It may also be a good meal to consider for your wedding spread since it is easy to make with easy-to-find ingredients.

To make pulled pork sandwiches, prepare the following ingredients:

32 ounces of pork shoulder or tenderloin

1 can of root beer

1 bottle of store-bought barbecue sauce

Hamburger buns

Pour the root beer and tenderloin in a slow cooker for 6 hours. Shred the pork once it is done cooking. After that, drain the root beer and add barbecue sauce. Stir the pork and barbecue sauce. Then remove the pork and place them in the hamburger buns to serve.

6. Grilled fish fillet

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You can also opt to add seafood as your main dish, to fit your sea-themed wedding. After all, freshly grilled fish fillets and the overlooking sea are good combinations for an enjoyable Boracay wedding buffet.

To make grilled fish fillets, you'll need the following ingredients:

4 slabs of fish fillet

4 teaspoons of olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 small branches of parsley, rosemary, and oregano

1 thinly-sliced lemon

4 large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil

Place each fish fillet on the aluminum foil. Season with salt, pepper, lemon, and herbs. Fold the aluminum foil on all sides. Heat your grill on high heat with the cover closed. Switch off the grill afterward, then place the aluminum foil. Close the lid for 10 to 15 minutes. Take the fish out and serve.

7. Grilled or Sauteed Vegetables

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Offer more healthy grilled food, like vegetables, to go with your grilled or baked meat. Put summer vegetables, like mushrooms and corn, and place them in vegetable skewers for grilling. You can also saute them, then place them in a food warmer. Vegetables are good additions to your main dishes because they cater to those who want healthier options.

Desserts

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8. Pineapple upside-down cake

Pineapple upside-down cakes are packed with the nutrients of pineapples and are equally tasty. Add a retro vibe to your beach wedding spread with this fruity dessert. To make pineapple upside-down cake, you'll need the following ingredients:

4 tablespoons of unsalted butter

½ cup of light brown sugar

1 can of pineapple rings

1 bottle of cherries

1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

¼ teaspoon of salt

1 cup of granulated sugar

8 tablespoons of unsalted butter

2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350°F or 176°C. Melt the butter and sugar and add in a cake pan. Arrange the pineapple slices and cherries in the cake pan. Using a hand mixer, mix all the dry ingredients (sugar, flour, baking powder, salt) and add the wet ingredients (eggs, butter) next. Spread the batter on the cake pan. Bake the cake for 45 minutes. When cooked, invert the cake onto a large plate to serve.

9. Coconut Macaroons

Did you know that coconuts have healing wonders? They are good thirst-quenchers, and their meat is packed with lots of flavors! So make soft and bite-sized coconut macaroons out of them. Surely, these mini desserts will make you and your guests want more of these bite-sized treats in your Boracay wedding buffet.

To make coconut macaroons, prepare the following ingredients:

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

1/2 slice of butter

1/3 cup of sugar

2 white eggs

1/2 vanilla extract

2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

1 cup of shredded coconut

Mix butter in a bowl, then add sugar. Add eggs one at a time, and add the condensed milk and vanilla extract next. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and shredded coconut. Then add the egg mixture into the bowl and mix it, again. Scoop the mixture and place it into the mini muffin pans. Heat the oven to 350°F or 176°C and bake the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes. Allow the macaroons to cool, then serve.

10. Lemon cookies

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Give your wedding spread a summer vibe with a touch of lemon. Lemons are now easy to find in groceries; so healthy lemon cookies are easily good dessert additions to your Boracay wedding buffet.

To make lemon cookies, prepare the following ingredients:

½ cup of softened unsalted butter

¾ cup of granulated sugar

2 tablespoons of light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 tablespoon of lemon extract

2 tablespoons of lemon zest

1 tablespoon of honey

yellow food coloring

2 cups of flour

Pinch of salt

2 teaspoons of cornstarch

1 tablespoon of baking soda

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Confectioner’s sugar for garnish

Combine and mix the butter, sugars, egg, and lemon extract. After that, add the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda. Next, add the lemon juice and mix it for 1 minute. Using a cookie scoop, mold the cookie pieces. Place them in a tray and chill for at least 3 hours. Then, preheat the oven to 350°F or 176°C. Spray the tray with cooking spray and bake for 10 minutes. Dust with confectioner’s sugar and serve.

Drinks

11. Buko lychee juice

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Buko is a go-to drink during summer anywhere in the Philippines. Now add the tropical taste of nutrient-packed lychees and it’s a refreshing treat to consider for your food station ideas. To make buko lychee juice, you'll only need the following ingredients:

2 cups of young coconut meat

4 cups of coconut juice

1 can of lychees

Ice

⅔ cups of sugar

Mix the ingredients in a large pitcher. Don’t forget to include the canned lychees’ syrup in the mixture. Stir the drink well. Then chill it in the refrigerator for hours. Serve the buko lychee juice in tall glasses with ice.

12. Melon or Cantaloupe Juice

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Melon is another favorite summer drink. It has a bonus benefit of maintaining good eye function. So, it’s a nutritious and inexpensive drink that you should consider for your buffet table ideas. To make melon or cantaloupe juice, you'll need the following ingredients:

1 piece of melon/cantaloupe

1 cup of white sugar

12 cups of water

½ teaspoon of vanilla extract

Ice cubes

Milk (optional)

Slice the cantaloupe in half. Make cantaloupe pieces using a melon baller or fruit grater. In a large pitcher, add the cantaloupe pieces, water, sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix the ingredients and put lots of ice. Serve and enjoy.

13. Sago at gulaman

Sago’t gulaman is a popular Filipino beverage and is also called palamig. It wouldn’t hurt to add this Filipino favorite to your Boracay wedding buffet, plus it’s a drink that’s easily lovable for its sweet, refreshing taste. To make sago’t gulaman, prepare the following ingredients:

3 cups of medium tapioca pearls

1 sachet of gelatin powder

3 cups of brown sugar

1 tablespoon of vanilla extract

3 cups of water

Cook the tapioca pearls and gelatin according to package instructions. Then place the brown sugar in a pot and caramelize it in low heat. After that, add water and vanilla extract. Switch off the heat and let the mixture cool. Combine the ingredients in a glass and serve.

Whatever your menu may be, your Boracay wedding buffet is only one aspect of your wedding plans. Don’t over-prioritize it. Just make sure you also give ample attention to the other aspects of your wedding, like the venue, guests, and—of course—your wedding look!

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