33 Pretty and Unexpected Wedding Menu Ideas

You'll receive lots of differing advice when planning a wedding, but most pros and planners are united on one thing—the food is important. If you've carefully curated a list of foods both you and your spouse-to-be love, you're likely incredibly eager to share the cuisine with your guests on the big day. Since so much work has gone into make everything from your hors d'oeuvres to your dessert table magnificent, why not introduce your food in style?

The following menus from real weddings completely paid homage to their next-level fare. From unique paper options, to unlikely mediums (like acrylic!), and larger-than-life banners, these menus weren't just menus—they served as eye-catching pieces of wedding décor. We were most impressed by the couples that truly embraced the unexpected. Some gave vintage doors, window panes, and cutting boards new life by calligraphing them with their full cuisine roster. Others went full-blown millennial and used geometric shapes and marble circles.

We think you'll be beyond excited by all of the creative options out there. From menus in tea towel, calligraphed palm leaf, and mirror form, the elevated options are limitless—and all are guaranteed to bring a touch of pretty personalization to your big day. Ready to see all of the fresh, inspired menus of the future? Find your own here.

Take a hint from this couple and display your signature cocktail list on clip boards.

Looking for a way to instantly make your wedding more mod? Lucite menus, calligraphed in punchy, retro-inspired colors, are the way to go.

Use an erasable marker to dress up a chic, distressed mirror—that way, you can wipe your "menu" off later, and display the mirror in your first home.

Perfect for a rustic, barnyard wedding, this food list was printed directly onto the reception tables.

If you're planning a garden wedding, embrace nature and top off a simple wooden menu sign with tufts of moss.

This marble slab serves as both menu and placemat.

We love how a calligrapher transformed this elephant ear leaf into a casual menu, perfect for a beach or destination wedding.

Easy enough to DIY, this brown paper scroll lists every part of the meal, from the appetizers to the desserts.

With a seating chart on one panel and the menu on the other, this greenery-draped door piece is doubly helpful.

Station one of these dainty circular hoops at each table, so guests always know what they're eating next.

A classic menu card—dressed up with gold foil—gets the royal treatment on an opulent stand.

If pictures speak louder than words, have an illustrator add little pictorials next to each dish for a completely unique "ingredient list."

Simple and stunning, this cutting board menu also serves as a functional keepsake—just turn it over and use it to chop veggies at home.

A blue-gray menu, printed with metallic text, pairs perfectly with gold flatware.

Cover circular menus with transparent wax paper, calligraphed with guests' names.

Bring a little intrigue (and info!) to your dessert station and add a geometric sign that lists all the treats and eats.

If you're set on presenting more traditional menus, but want to tie them into your theme or color palette, consider an ombré paper stock.

Print your wedding's fare onto linen napkins—all guests will have to do is look down onto their laps to check out the menu!

Pay homage to your love for everything carbohydrate by printing your entire menu onto paper bread sleeves.

Dress up a pretty menu sign with pastel florals. Bonus points if you ask your illustrator to recreate the flowers in your bouquet.

These wooden slabs subtly mimic coconuts, making them a perfect addition to a tropical wedding's décor.

If you've asked your guests to choose their meal via RSVP, they likely don't need a full menu. Instead, display just each personal order. We're loving this couple's interpretation, which involved black-and-white bold type.

Served atop a rose gold placemat, this petite marble menu is the definition of millennial style.

A pennant banner topped with a rose-studded garland of greens, like this one created by Whimsy Design Studio, is a pretty add to a simple door display.

Opt for mixed mediums (and time periods!) and frame a modern wooden menu sign with a vintage picture frame. Pretty calligraphy—this sign's was done by Lovelyfest Events—adds the finishing touch.

Everything about this neutral menu display, from the green-blue silver dollar eucalyptus spray to the matching door color, is picture-perfect.

Take notes from this bride, and embellish your chalkboard menu sign with florals and motifs from your invitation suite.

Serving simple cuisine? Offer up a major menu, like this calligraphed canvas display, for a fun juxtaposition.

Perfect for a Mediterranean affair, these tile menus (and table numbers!) add a bit of architecture to your tabletop.

Your menus don't have to be traditional in order to embrace your culture's customs. Add something that speaks to who you are—like these love spoons, typically given to brides and grooms in Wales.

Make menus bolder with big floral prints in opulent colors. A black velvet ribbon ties it all together, and also adds a bit of drama.

Want something classic, but less fussy? Opt for a small, circular menu printed only with transparents leaf details.

This menu was written on a vintage window frame and fit in perfectly with the wedding's natural décor and setting.