15 Tips For Building Your Wedding Charcuterie Board

It's fair to say that wedding fare has transformed so much over the years. While the standard, sit-down dinner with fish, beef, and chicken options used to be the status quo, now new, innovative meal ideas are popping up. Don't be surprised if you go to a wedding that has a macaroni and cheese bar, where you can select and customize the toppings for your cozy bowl of pasta, or if your ho-hum prime rib has been replaced with breakfast-for-dinner. And, there's no meal as trendy, fun, and effective to serve at a wedding as a charcuterie board.

Now, wedding charcuterie isn't just a couple of cheese cubes, pepperoni rounds, and a cornichon or two. Rather, wedding charcuteries are designed to be ostentatious and as big of a deal as the occasion itself. Despite the grandiose nature of these boards, you can certainly try your hand at making one for your own special day. In order to learn the ins and outs of making these elaborate boards, we consulted an expert: Evan Inada, charcuterie director for Columbus Craft Meats. He shared some of his top tips for making a wedding day charcuterie board that both fits in with the nuptials and satisfies all of your hungry guests.

Anyone who has ever been in a wedding party or had a wedding knows that the actual ceremony and reception is a very small part of the entire process. In fact, most of the preparation happens in the bridal and groom's suites before the "I dos" are said. 

Rather than just serving charcuterie boards during the main part of your wedding ceremony, Evan Inada suggests serving smaller snacking trays to your wedding party as they're getting ready. "Not only is it beautiful, but it's an easy snack during the stressful wedding buildup," he says. It's also a great way to tide your wedding party over until the cocktail hour or the formal dinner (which, depending on the order of ceremonies, can be several hours away). While making an elaborate charcuterie board yourself is possible, you could also buy pre-made ones to make the process a little easier.

When you close your eyes and think of "charcuterie," the classic wooden board may come to mind. But Evan Inada shared that there are tons of other surfaces that you can consider building your board on. Not only should you opt for something that's sturdy, but also something that ties into the theme of your wedding.

"Slate and marble boards are excellent choices for weddings — they're elegant, timeless, and functional," says Inada. "Both materials have cool surfaces that help keep meats and cheeses fresh longer." Besides considering your price point for the board itself, you should also think about how the items on your board will contrast the color of the surface. For example, Inada shares that Calabrese, an Italian salami, would offer an excellent contrast to the dark slate. He also suggests using marble, as its sophisticated color is perfect for weddings.

Another suggestion Inada offers is to use parchment paper as the base of your board. That way, you can put your display directly on a cloth-lined table. When it comes time to clean up, the parchment just needs to be pulled up and thrown away. 

If you're making a charcuterie board for a very big wedding, you may find that it takes up significant amounts of table space. While this might be okay for a large venue, it may not be ideal for a small, intimate gathering where square footage is precious. Evan Inada shares that if you're struggling to build a space-efficient display, you should really consider building upwards rather than building outwards. "Building multiple levels for a grazing display really elevates the overall look of the spread and makes it more engaging and Instagram-worthy," he says. 

There are tons of different tools that you can use to stagger the look of your board, rather than just placing separate boards on stacked stands. For one, you can buy these clear acrylic display risers to help make different levels for large fruits, like grapes, which will free up some space on your table for meat and cheese. Or, consider saving space by using these Libbey stemless margarita glasses to serve your dips so that you can layer crackers underneath. 

The last thing you want is for your charcuterie not to match the theme of your wedding. "When it comes to weddings, the theme is more about color and style than a birthday or holiday would be," says Evan Inada. For example, you might be after something more rustic or something a little more sophisticated. You want your board to emulate those same concepts — otherwise, it will look out of place or like an afterthought. 

"A cohesive design enhances the board's role as a culinary and decorative centerpiece," says Inada. Though, matching the theme isn't just about serving your fare on wooden boards to emulate a rustic forest wedding or opting for marble for a black-tie affair. "Adding pops of the wedding colors with colorful linens, ramekins, plates, and utensils and decorative fruits, vegetables, or other inedible garnishes like candles or flowers [can tie it] it all together," Inada says. In other words, don't be afraid to balance the food that you're serving with purely decorative items. 

Is it cheesy to make a wedding cake out of cheese for your special celebration? Maybe, but it sure does taste good. Evan Inada recommends using Brie, chèvre, and aged cheese to create these edible cheese displays; you could even use herbs to create little floral garnishes on your cake. When you're stacking these cheeses, be sure to use the sturdiest cheese varieties at the base, then stack the softer cheeses on top.

Salami roses are also a cute decoration that doesn't take too much work on your part (so long as you watch a how-to video on YouTube beforehand). If you're after something more plant-based, try slicing up a strawberry into a rose instead. These little accents are not only inexpensive to make, but they are also an easy way to make your board seem more wedding-like and less like something you would serve for a more casual occasion, like a birthday party or a girl's night. 

The "what" you put on your charcuterie board is just as important as its design. Evan Inada says that the most important formula that you can follow when you're assembling your board is "meat, cheese, acid, crunch." This breakdown offers the perfect amount of textural and flavor contrast to make every bite a success. 

While the cheeses and meats are self-explanatory, "acid" and "crunch" may be a little more abstract. As far as acidic ingredients, you may want to consider adding some pickles, relish, or olives to your board. The crunch factor can come from tasty crackers or crusty pieces of sourdough, though you could also integrate crunchy veggies like carrots, celery, and cucumbers, and fruits like grapes to satisfy this part of the equation. Not only do all of these selections boast a quality taste and diverse texture, but they also come in many different colors and shapes — which will help to diversify the look of your board. 

While you might love a stinky blue cheese, not all of your wedding guests will. The key to making an approachable charcuterie board is to focus on approachable components — mainly when it comes to meats and cheeses. As far as proteins, Evan Inada recommends using "versatile and well-loved" options" like Italian dry salami, sopressata, Genoa, and prosciutto. If you buy sticks of cured meat, you can easily slice them up thin and serve them on your board for easy eating. As far as cheeses, Inada suggests Brie, Gouda, and mild cheddar. They're cheeses that are hard not to love. 

While there are some cheeses that are great matches for a wedding charcuterie, there are also some selections that you should skip. Very odorous cheeses, like blue and taleggio, for example, may not be conducive to packing the dance floor later on in the evening. Moreover, you'll also want to avoid meats and cheeses that are especially spicy, as they may catch your guests off guard — and not in a pleasant way. 

Food? Check. Board? Check. Utensils? Uh ...

Utensils are the last thing you want to forget on your wedding day (besides the dress and the rings, among other things). Having the right utensils for your charcuterie board is just as important as having the perfect selection of meats and cheeses. "Essential tools include a variety of cheese knives for different textures, small tongs for handling meats and fruits, and ramekins for spreads and loose items like olives or nuts," Evan Inada says. Luckily, you can buy many of these items for your special day on Amazon. 

In order to cut back on some of the mess, you can also slice your hard cheeses and meats ahead of time. This will also reduce the amount of time that people are standing in line for charcuterie, which will stave off congestion in a smaller venue. You could also try your hand at a shotcuterie board to make your selections a little bit easier to handle. This concept involves placing all of your charcuterie staples — like the meat, cheese, acid, and crunch — all in the same shot glass or container so your guests can grab it and go. Since these bites are pre-made, they are easier for your guests to enjoy as they mingle, which makes them ideal for a cocktail hour.  

There is a lot happening on your wedding day. The last thing that you're going to want to have to worry about is refilling your charcuterie board. Instead of having to move the remaining bites of cheese and meat around to try and make something artistic with leftovers, Evan Inada recommends having a second board on standby so you can easily swap it out once it's starting to look bare. 

Another thing that's helpful when assembling your charcuterie board is to have all of your meats and cheeses pre-sliced ahead of time. Cheese tastes better at room temperature, but if you want to stave off foodborne illness, you're going to want to keep things chilled until you're ready to serve it. This is tricky, though, because you don't want to put the entire board in the fridge with the crackers on it since they will be soggy. If anything, leave the crackers and bread aside and refrigerate the rest of the board to keep it fresh. 

One of the most important things you have to consider when you're setting up a charcuterie board for any gathering is how much food to put on it. Evan Inada recommends serving about 2 to 3 ounces each of meat and cheese per guest, along with a similar amount of accompaniments, like crackers, preserved fruit, veggies, and the like. The exact number of varieties of cheese and meat to serve will depend on how many guests you have. In general, try to serve three to five different types of cheese, a couple of different varieties of meat, and several different kinds of crackers and other munchies. The more varieties you offer, the more likely a guest is going to find something that they like. You may also want to consider serving pork-free proteins to ensure that there's something for all of the guests at your celebration. But you also have to balance not going overboard with your meat and cheese budget (weddings are expensive as is, anyway). 

Another thing that will factor into your decision on how much food to serve is if you're serving the charcuterie just for an appetizer or for a main meal. In general, you will need to double the amount of food served if you're using the board as an entree versus just a starter. 

We're not going to rule on whether you should invite kids to your wedding or not. But if you do, it's fair to assume that they won't be big fans of funky cheeses and fancy cured meats. Instead, you'll need to make a kid-friendly charcuterie board to serve alongside your standard one. Sliced cheddar, turkey roll-ups, and fruit skewers are must-haves for a kiddie board, per Evan Inada. "It'll entertain the little ones and keep parents happy too."

Like the adult board, you're going to want to stay away from particularly stinky cheeses or strongly flavored meats. It's also important, especially if you're feeding very young children, that all of your foods are sliced small enough to reduce the risk of choking. Leave celery, carrots, and peppers in stick form, and don't forget to add a couple of pieces of milk chocolate to satisfy their sweet tooth. 

Kids aren't the only audience that you have to make sure is included in your charcuterie-ing. You may want to consider having a separate, plant-based charcuterie board for vegan and vegetarian guests or have separate options for folks with gluten intolerances and/or nut allergies. You can get a sense of how much food you need to include on these separate boards by asking if your guests have any dietary restrictions on your RSVPs. Though, you can probably assume that some of your guests are not going to eat the food on your regular board, so you might want to have something as a backup — just in case. 

The placement of your allergen-friendly selections is important, too. "Making a gluten-free or vegan section in the start or end of the board that separates the dietary specific items from the rest of the spread is a good way to make sure everyone feels included," Evan Inada says. He suggests also labeling everything to make sure that your guests know what is allergen-friendly versus what isn't. 

Your charcuterie board should look as good as it tastes. As such, you may want to consider adding a ton of colorful and edible decorations to your board. While these items don't offer the same sustenance as your meat, cheese, and crackers, they will still add color and cool design elements to your display. For example, Evan Inada suggests adorning a wedding board with sugared fruits, fresh herbs, and edible flowers. These might include rosemary sprigs and candied citrus slices, which Inada claims adds "both beauty and aroma to the board." 

The most important thing is that these edible decorations tie back into the color and theme of your board. For example, fresh herbs will really help sell your guests on the rusticness of your wedding charcuterie board, while candied fruits are playful, fun, and perfect for a sparkling wedding theme. 

Charcuterie is often thought to be exclusively for appetizers and entrees, but you could really use this concept for any occasion. It's an easy concept to adapt to other meal ideas, too, from pasta bars to mashed potato extravaganzas. 

Evan Inada explains that desserts can also be a way to showcase your charcuterie skills. "'Charcuterie' technically requires cured meats, but you can borrow its presentation style to showcase sweet treats," he says. For a fall-themed wedding, for example, consider busting out the mini apple pies, pumpkin rolls, and sliced cookies paired with fall decor, like pumpkins and leaves. That way, your guests won't have to eat a whole slice of wedding cake; they can select the desserts that they want. Moreover, you can also make a charcuterie board experiential, like one for a late-night s'mores session or a midnight snack with french fries and sliders. 

Your wedding day is supposed to be special — and it's ultimately your day to celebrate. That being said, you may not have the time that you need to execute a charcuterie board, keep it filled with food, and also be in the wedding party. It's a lot to juggle on a day that's already stressful. 

The alternative? Hire a professional. "If your guest list exceeds 50 or you're managing complex dietary needs, hiring a professional ensures the board is both stunning and stress-free," says Evan Inada. "Professionals bring expertise to the presentation, letting you focus on enjoying your event." Ultimately, charcuterie creators, like Inada, have a ton of experience in what types of cheeses and meats your guests are bound to love and which ones are better left in the cooler. Moreover, it might also be better to hire someone if you haven't studied up on the dos and don'ts of making a charcuterie board since making a little one for a get-together doesn't hold a candle to a massive spread served at a 150-plus person wedding.