How do we make sure our guests stay fed?

Question

The fiance and I are paying for our own wedding to happen in July of 2009. Per our budget, we can only afford appetizers for our reception. We're planning a 1:00-1:30 ceremony with a 1:30-7pm reception. However, when we went to see a caterer, she worried we wouldn't have enough food. Now, this could be her way of getting us to spend more money on more food, but I wanted to get your opinion.

Here's our menu so far:

-fresh fruit display

-crackers and gourmet cheese

-raw veggies display

-miniature beef wellingtons

-water and sweet/unsweet iced tea

A thought my fiance and i had was to find a way to take a few hundred more dollars from other parts of the wedding and add on two more hot apps. Another thing I thought we could do was to push the ceremony back until 1:30, thereby allowing guests the time to eat lunch before arriving. If the ceremony starts then, they wouldn't start arriving until 1:00 or 1:15, giving them a good while to eat lunch. I was also thinking of putting "H'ors Doeuvres only reception" to hint to people that they should eat lunch before coming.

What do you guys thing? Does the menu seem sufficient? If not, do you think adding a couple more appetizers and pushing the ceremony back would be good solutions?

Answer 1

I think your best solution is to push the ceremony back to 1:30 and include the "hors d'oeuvres only reception" on the invite--you're right, that will clue people in to eat some lunch before they arrive so that they're not starving.  

Unless you find that you have the few hundred dollars that you don't want to use anywhere else in the wedding, I think that this is the easiest way to do it.

Congratulations and Best Wishes!!  

Answer 2

Why not make your own stuff?? Posh sandwiches, sausage rolls, people aren't fussy when drinking and having a good time!

Are you having a buffet?

Answer 3

Your caterer is right, You do not have enough food to feed people for 6 hours.

Dinner time is 5 pm. If only serving hors d'ouevres, then end your reception before dinner time. Say, 130-430.

Your reception is TOO LONG anyway, and it will be even much longer without a propper meal. Shorten your reception time and end it before dinner time, or invest in propper nourishment for your guests... crackers and tea won't do, sorry..

Good luck

Answer 4

I understand your budget constraints but people will start leaving around 5 so that they can go get something to eat. Why pay all of the extra money for the hall, DJ, photographer, etc. to stay until 7 when most guests are going to clear out early. Also, you are going to be serving alcohol to people that have virtually empty stomachs, making them much more likely to get stupid drunk. Up your menu or shorten the reception.

Good luck!

Answer 5

1:30 to 7:00 pm is far too long for a appetizer only reception....it runs into the dinner hour and folks will not stay...their tummies will be wanting a full meal anytime from 5 pm on so unless you plan on a huge amount of stuff, I would shave time off the duration of the reception.........1:30 to 4 or 5 is a more reasonable spread........

as far as your 'interesting things' to drink....the lack of a substantial meal and a lota booze to fill up on will result in a lot of hungry drunks.......think about it.

Answer 6

I'm sorry that is a long time not to have anything substantial like others suggested i would try to add something even if you didn't use the caterer its not hard to make finger sandwiches or even spaghetti what about asking a close friend or family member to make it for you as your wedding gift or heck as dinner approaches order a couple party size pizzas no one says it has to be fancy but in my opinion even if you get past the hurdle of them eating lunch dinner time will come and go and you cant really get away with just snack like you could for an afternoon reception so i guess you could shorten the reception (which sucks because if people are having a good time you wouldn't want to cut this day short heck if your like me you will want it to last forever) or some how weather taking it from another area making it a request for a gift....and its not like you have to feel rude coming out and asking someone because chances are evryones going to be asking what they can do for you or get you anyway...or you could turn it into a pot luck evryone brings a dish instead of a gift (although some people will bring both so don't be discouraged) i hope you come up with something that works for you good luck and congratulations

Answer 7

Your reception is really long, 5 and 1/2 hours long. I think you should add the other appetizers and shorten the reception to end at 4:30 or 5:00. I think guests would be very happy and well-fed with that.

Having a reception over the dinner hours (until 7:00) requires a dinner, even heavy appetizers wont do.

Answer 8

if your  reception will be that long i suggest you get more food. i am also having a buffet and i am having 200 guest and my cater told me i need food that can feed 400 people because the guest will want to eat again. and i don't want to run out of food because it would look very bad and cheap. so i think u should add more money for food. food is more important. and specially your reception is long so you wouldn't want hungry guest.

Answer 9

Yes, I think your reception is a bit long for an afternoon wedding, people are not going to want to stick around all day. End it earlier, and perhaps push the time for the wedding back a bit.People will be expecting more food about six, and it won't be there.

I would add another hearty appetizer. If money is a problem, can you back down from the beef wellies and pick something cheaper, and pick a cheap new one? Just so they are filling.

Saying h'ors doeuvres reception is good, leave out the word "only" it will alert people on how to time their day.  

Answer 10

typically, a reception lasts 5 hours....which is really 4 hours with one hour for clean-up. You can put somewhere on your insert cards or a wedding website that it will be an appetizer reception, to make sure that people wont be counting on a full meal. Have you looked into serving a full meal? Sometimes it actually can be cheaper than appetizers!! If you do decide to go ahead with the appetizers, I would definately choose a few more hot items to go on the buffet! Good luck and congrats!!

Answer 11

the reception does seem a bit long if you are not providing a meal or alcohol.  Also most weddings i have been to have a longer break between the wedding ceremony and the start of the reception.

Answer 12

You really do need more food than that. If you don't want a caterer, go to the frozen section of Costco or Sam's Club and check out their frozen appetizers which are very hearty and all you have to do is heat and serve. During that time frame, you will need roughly 8-10 pieces per person, if not more.

Answer 13

That is quite a long time and not a lot of food. I would suggest cutting your time to 2-3 hours max. If you serve alcohol and not a lot of food people will get drunk faster, keep that in mind. If your reception covers the time a meal would be served (in this case the dinner hour) you should really serve a meal. My suggestion is either have more substantial food (pasta and meatballs, hot sandwiches, pizza, anything meal-like!) or a shorter reception. If people get hungry they will leave anyway so why waste your money on all that time when  people will be leaving early to get a meal?

Good luck!

Answer 14

At the moment you are expecting people to exist from before lunch time through dinner time with a few nibbles and nothing interesting to drink. I would move the wedding to 2:00p.m to allow guests time to eat and travel, and end the reception by 6.30 so they have time to get home for dinner. You really cannot have a long reception, going over two meal times and not feed them, or offer them anything other than iced tea which some of them may not like!

Answer 15

make your own you will save lots of money