Gold Coast Cocktail Wedding Packages: What’s Included & Why It Works
- Jorge Mauleon Mayoral
- Apr 17
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 12
What Is a Cocktail-Style Wedding?
Done right, this format offers an abundant, well-paced food experience without the rigidity of assigned seating or multiple plated courses. Instead of a traditional sit-down dinner, cocktail weddings feature:
A beautifully curated food service that flows throughout the celebration.
Generous canapés, grazing options, and hearty bites like wood-fired pizzas or risotto bowls.
More movement, mingling, and music.
Stylish, relaxed vibes that reflect the Gold Coast lifestyle.
It’s ideal for beachfront weddings, garden receptions, hinterland gatherings, or venues that feel more like a celebration than a formal function.
What’s Included in a Cocktail Wedding Package?
Our Gold Coast wedding catering is all about balance—plenty of food, thoughtful service, and no unnecessary extras. While we tailor each event to the couple, cocktail-style weddings typically include several core elements:
1. Grazing Table or Starter Spread
As guests arrive or straight after your ceremony, the grazing table makes an incredible first impression. It’s both a visual centrepiece and a welcoming snack station. You can expect:
Local cheeses, cured meats, dips, marinated vegetables, breads, and fruit.
Styled on wooden boards or ceramic platters (always plastic-free).
Served on tables with florals and linen styling if requested.
This table is usually set up before guest arrival and enjoyed in a relaxed, self-serve way.
2. Canapés: Deluxe & Premium Options
The heart of any cocktail wedding catering is the canapés. These are walk-around style bites, passed to guests throughout the venue by our service team. We divide canapés into:
Deluxe options – lighter, vibrant bites (e.g. bruschetta, halloumi skewers).
Premium options – more substantial selections (e.g. sliders, scallops, risotto spoons).
Couples generally choose a combination that builds over time—from light and fresh early in the evening to more filling items as the night progresses.
3. Hearty Mains or Substantial Add-Ons
To make sure guests are properly satisfied, we often include more filling items like:
Wood-fired pizza served fresh on rotation.
Pasta, risotto, or gnocchi served in single-portion bowls.
Substantial canapés like meatballs or sliders.
These offerings add variety and ensure your guests aren’t just grazing—they’re enjoying a full, well-balanced meal throughout the night.
4. Optional Dessert Bites or Tables
While not always included, many couples like to end on a sweet note. You can choose to include a:
Hand-held dessert canapé, like mini panna cottas or chocolate mousse cups.
Dessert grazing table for a visually stunning and interactive final course.
We’ll style it to match your look, using real crockery and eco-conscious serviceware.
How the Service Flows on the Day
Understanding the flow of service helps you visualise how a cocktail-style catering plan works from start to finish. Here’s how a typical wedding timeline might look with our team on site:
Arrival & Setup (2 Hours Before Guest Arrival)
Our team arrives early to unload and set up the grazing table, service stations, and kitchen gear.
Styling elements like timber boards, ceramic platters, and florals are arranged as requested.
Guest Arrival & Grazing Table
As guests arrive from the ceremony or settle into the venue, the grazing table is open and ready to enjoy.
It acts as both food and focal point—encouraging mingling, photos, and snacking.
Canapé Service Begins
Our staff begin circulating deluxe canapés on trays, moving throughout the venue.
We time the service to keep the energy up while ensuring everyone is well fed without overcrowding the flow.
Premium & Hearty Options Introduced
As the evening progresses, more substantial bites are added in, either passed around or served from a central station.
If pizzas or pasta are included, they’re served hot and fresh in rounds—no need for guests to queue or sit down.
Dessert (If Included)
A dessert canape may be passed around late in the evening.
Alternatively, a dessert table is revealed, offering a mix of sweets for guests to help themselves before dancing kicks off.
Pack Down & Clean Up
We manage all pack-down, clean-up, and kitchen waste removal so you and your guests can focus on celebrating.
Staffing: How Many People Are Involved?
One of the most overlooked elements of cocktail wedding planning is staffing—but it’s crucial for smooth, enjoyable service. For cocktail events, we typically allocate:
1 chef for food preparation and cooking (especially if pizzas or mains are included)
2–4 waitstaff, depending on guest count and layout
Additional staff may be added if the venue has multiple levels or if drink service (by a separate bar provider) needs support coordination
Staff are trained to manage the food flow strategically—not just serve, but also replenish, clear, and adapt to your guests’ pace and preferences.
We always discuss staffing levels in your quote to ensure there’s the right number of hands for your specific guest count and service style.
Gold Coast Cocktail Wedding Catering Price Range
While pricing will vary depending on menu choices, location, and service requirements, here’s a general idea of how our cocktail wedding packages are priced:
Starting from $58–$85 per head, depending on the inclusions
Add-ons like wood-fired pizza, dessert tables, or grazing upgrades are priced per head or per metre
Staffing is charged per person (with travel rates factored in if the venue is outside our standard radius)
GST is added on top of the total quote
We provide clear, fully itemised quotes so you can see where every dollar goes. And if your budget is set, we can work with you to build a custom variation that still delivers plenty of food and a beautiful guest experience.
Why Couples Choose Cocktail-Style Catering
There are so many reasons why cocktail-style weddings are growing in popularity on the Gold Coast and beyond. Here are a few of the biggest:
1. It Feels More Relaxed
Guests can roam, dance, take photos, and enjoy themselves without feeling “locked in” to a table. It mirrors the laid-back vibe of a Gold Coast celebration while still feeling elegant and intentional.
2. It Suits a Variety of Venues
Whether you’re getting married at a beachside venue, a garden estate, or a private property, cocktail-style catering adapts beautifully. We bring everything we need and style it to suit the space.
3. It Encourages Interaction
Without the structure of seated service, guests mix more freely. It’s a great format for bringing together family and friends who may be meeting for the first time.
4. It Offers Incredible Variety
Cocktail menus allow you to serve a wide range of flavours and styles—hot, cold, vegetarian, gluten-free, and everything in between. Everyone gets to try something new and exciting, and you avoid the formality of alternate drop meals.
5. It’s Visually Stunning
From grazing tables styled with native florals to hand-plated canapés on elegant trays, cocktail catering looks just as beautiful as it tastes—perfect for photos and enhancing the overall vibe of your day.
Planning Your Cocktail Wedding? Let’s Get Started
Cocktail-style weddings are fun, flexible, and full of flavour—especially when you have the right team behind the scenes. At The Italian Job Catering, we bring fresh ideas, smooth service, and a passion for good food to every event.
We proudly serve weddings across the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Byron Bay, and surrounding hinterland, and would love to help bring your day to life.
Ready to start planning your wedding catering? Contact us here to request a quote or view our brochure of cocktail-style options. Let’s create something unforgettable—together.
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