Creating Wedding Fruit Trays: A Step-By-Step Guide

A fruit platter is a beautiful display of assorted fresh fruit and is a great addition to a wedding. It is simple to make but there are a few tricks to make it last and look delicious. Making your own fruit tray will be fresher, better quality, and you can choose which fruits to use. It is also more affordable. It is best to use fresh, seasonal fruit and to make sure your fruit is ripe and flavourful. You can use a variety of fruits such as melons, berries, tropical fruits, dried fruits, and herbs. You can also add dips such as chocolate sauce or cream cheese. To make a wedding fruit tray, prepare the fruit by washing, drying, peeling, and cutting it into bite-sized pieces. Then, arrange the fruit on a tray or platter, grouping similar fruits together and spreading out the hues for variety. Add a few expensive or rare pieces as a decorative accent. Finally, cover the tray with plastic wrap and keep it cool or in the fridge until serving.

Choosing the right fruit

Seasonality

It is best to choose fruits that are in season as they will be at their freshest and most flavourful. Using seasonal fruits will also be more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. For summer weddings, highlight tropical fruits such as melons and berries. In contrast, apples, citrus fruits, and pears are excellent choices for autumn and winter weddings.

Variety

Select a variety of fruits to create a colourful and appealing display. Aim for a rainbow of colours to make your fruit tray really stand out. Include a mix of common and specialty fruits to add interest and curiosity. For example, along with popular fruits such as strawberries and grapes, consider adding less common choices like dragon fruit, papaya, or golden kiwi.

Texture

Include a mix of firm and soft fruits on your tray. Firm fruits, such as melons, can act as a base for softer fruits like berries. This will not only create a beautiful display but will also help to prevent the soft fruits from being crushed or damaged.

Taste

Taste test the fruits before making your final selection. Choose fruits that are ripe and sweet, avoiding any that are overripe or underripe. If the fruit is not sweet enough, you can toss it in honey to enhance its flavour.

Quantity

Make sure to buy enough fruit to create a plentiful display. Wedding fruit trays should be piled high, creating a generous and abundant look. As a general guideline, aim for 4 ounces of fruit per person. You can always freeze any leftover fruit for smoothies or other recipes.

Preparation

Some fruits, such as apples, bananas, peaches, and pears, tend to brown quickly after being cut. If you want to include these fruits, prepare them as close to the wedding as possible and sprinkle them with lemon juice to slow down the browning process. Alternatively, leave these fruits whole so that guests can peel them just before eating.

Platter presentation

The presentation of your fruit platter is key to making it the star of the show. The colourful display of fruit is what will entice your guests, so make sure you have a variety of colours, shapes and sizes.

Firstly, choose a platter that has a large enough "lip" or edge to catch any escaping fruit juices, especially if you are transporting the platter to a wedding venue. You could use a store-bought platter with a clear, raised lid, or a plastic tray with compartments, or a more elegant, ceramic fruit platter. If you are making multiple fruit platters for a wedding, it is recommended to purchase disposable platters and make them all identical.

Next, you need to decide on the centrepiece. This could be a watermelon basket, a pineapple, or a bunch of grapes. If you are using a watermelon, use a melon baller to scoop out as much of the watermelon as possible, then fill the basket with any large chunks of watermelon and the watermelon balls. You could also use a hollowed-out pineapple or coconut shell for extra interest.

Now, it's time to arrange the fruit. Start by placing the centrepiece in the middle of the platter. If you are not using a centrepiece, place the largest pieces of fruit first, then the medium-sized pieces, then the smaller pieces. Add height with a bunch of grapes or pineapple. You can slice the pineapple in half lengthways, scoop out the flesh with a melon baller and pile the pineapple balls back in.

If you are using a watermelon basket, place the sliced fruit in a 'T' shape around the basket and press down to fan it out. Repeat this process with the other fruits, filling in the gaps with berries and sliced kiwi.

Finish by adding some fresh berries to the basket and garnishing with fresh mint leaves or edible flowers.

Finally, cover the platter with plastic wrap and keep it chilled until serving time.

Timing and preparation

The timing and preparation of your wedding fruit tray are crucial to ensuring that it looks and tastes its best. Here are some detailed instructions to help you create a stunning and delicious fruit display for your wedding:

Planning and Shopping:

Begin by deciding on the types of fruit you want to include. Choose a variety of colours, textures, and flavours to make your tray visually appealing and interesting. Consider the seasonality of the fruit, opting for fresh, local, and in-season produce whenever possible as it will taste better and may be more cost-effective. Create a shopping list and purchase your fruit a day or two before the wedding to ensure freshness.

Fruit Preparation:

Wash and prepare all the fruit the day before the wedding. This includes peeling, slicing, and chopping the fruit into bite-sized pieces. Keep the fruit in separate containers in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the tray. Some fruits, like apples, bananas, and pears, tend to brown quickly, so prepare these fruits as close to the event as possible and sprinkle them with lemon juice to slow down the browning process.

Tray Assembly:

On the day of the wedding, or the evening before, assemble the fruit tray. Choose a tray with a lip or edge to catch any escaping fruit juices, and consider the size of the tray based on the number of guests you need to serve. Start by placing the larger pieces of fruit first, such as melon slices or pineapple chunks. Then, add the medium-sized pieces, followed by the smaller pieces. Arrange the fruit in an organised or random pattern, ensuring you group similar fruits together and spread out the colours for variety.

Final Touches and Presentation:

Add height and a decorative accent to your tray by piling soft fruit on top of firmer fruit, like melons. You can also add a beautiful centerpiece, such as a watermelon basket or a bunch of grapes. Fill any gaps with garnishes like fresh berries, mint leaves, or edible flowers. Cover the tray with plastic wrap and keep it chilled until serving time.

Preparing a wedding fruit tray may seem daunting, but with careful timing and preparation, you can create a stunning and delicious display that your guests will love.

Creative additions

Chocolate-covered fruits

Chocolate-covered strawberries are a classic, but you can also dip other fruits, such as raspberries, blueberries, or orange slices, in chocolate. This will add a touch of decadence to your fruit tray and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Dried fruits

Dried fruits such as dates, cranberries, raisins, dried mango, or apples can add a different texture and flavour to your fruit tray. Put them in a small dish so they don't get lost among the fresh fruits.

Tropical fruits

Add a touch of the exotic with tropical fruits such as dragon fruit, pineapple (the top can be included for height), or papaya. These fruits will add a vibrant pop of colour and a unique flavour to your tray.

Fresh herbs and edible flowers

In addition to providing a beautiful display, fresh herbs such as mint, rosemary, or thyme, and edible flowers such as nasturtiums, marigolds, or pansies, will also enhance the flavour of the fruit. They add a delicate, fresh touch to your fruit tray.

Fruit dips

Include a selection of fruit dips such as chocolate sauce, cream cheese dip, or a simple yoghurt dip to elevate your fruit tray. These dips will add a touch of indulgence and are perfect for guests who want to treat themselves.

Fruit combinations to avoid

When making a fruit platter, it's important to consider which fruits work well together and which do not. Here are some fruit combinations to avoid when creating your wedding fruit trays:

• Avoid mixing melons with other fruits. This includes watermelons, muskmelons, cantaloupes, and honeydews. Melons should be combined with other melons as they are digested more rapidly than other fruits and have a high water content, which may cause digestion issues when paired with slower-digesting fruits.
• Do not mix starchy fruits with high-protein fruits. Starchy fruits like green bananas and plantains should not be combined with high-protein fruits such as guava, dried apricots, kiwifruit, avocado, and blackberries. The body requires different conditions to digest proteins and starches efficiently, so combining these fruits can be harmful.
• Avoid mixing acidic fruits with sweet fruits. Acidic and sub-acidic fruits like grapefruits, strawberries, apples, pomegranates, and peaches should be kept separate from sweet fruits like bananas and raisins. This combination can lead to digestive problems, nausea, acidosis, and headaches.
• Do not mix papaya and lemon. This combination may lead to health issues like anaemia or haemoglobin imbalance and can be particularly dangerous for children.
• Avoid mixing fruits and vegetables. The high sugar content in fruits can interfere with the digestion of vegetables, so it is best to keep them separate. For example, oranges and carrots should not be combined.
• Avoid fruits that turn brown quickly, such as apples, pears, and bananas. These fruits are best served whole or sliced just before serving and tossed in diluted lemon juice to prevent browning.

Frequently asked questions