I am getting married in July at 5pm with the reception to follow right afterward. I was wondering if it would?

Question

be okay to serve hors d'oeuvres, like tea sandwiches and veggie tray, instead of having a buffet meal.

Answer 1

It is your wedding. Do what you want to do.

Your ideas for the reception are good. Go with what you want. After all it is your day.

Congratulations!

Answer 2

If you're doing the wedding at 5 the reception would be between 5:30 and 6:30. This is prime dinner time so I would say yes, you should serve a meal. At that time of day most people would be expecting a meal to be served at the reception. If you don't want to do a full meal you could consider moving the time of your wedding down to 3:00 or 4:00, then it wouldn't be expected and you could do just hors d'oeuvres.

Answer 3

In all honesty because of the time I would have to say a big fat N-O!!!!!!!! You would be feeding a bunch of hungry guests snacks. For instance lets say you are getting married at s church and the ceremony is at 3:00 at the latest. Ceremonies usually last an hour not counting any unexpected delays. That brings you to 4:00 now everyone trucks over to the reception area and finally they are served their meal at 5:00 and find out it's hors'deuvers. You will have a bunch of unhappy guests since the last time they probably ate a decent meal was like 4 to 5 hours ago!!! See my point, trust me people love going to weddings because there all pretty, romantic, special and all but everybody loves a free meal drinks and an excuse to party!! Please feed them--- Everyone will then truly enjoy your wedding. If you don't care about your guests then why even have anyone come in the first place??

Answer 4

Hi! The timing is a llittle awkward. Personally, I think it is ungracious to have a wedding so late in the day, and then serve hors d'oeuvres when, in fact, it is dinner time.

Can't you set the wedding for an earlier time, like 3:30 pm?

That way, you could serve just champagne and cake. If you cannot afford champagne, Asti Spumante or Beaujolais are sparkling wines and quite festive. And offer coffee and tea and real heavy cream, and dishes of things like jordan almonds or chocolate covered almonds, or silvery covered almonds which look beautiful and are not very expensive.

Try to make something nice for people. They expect something a little extra special at a wedding because a wedding itself is a little extra special. Tea sandwiches and a veggie tray are things that one may have every day.

Please forgive me for being so direct, but you cannot expect to
"treat 'em rough" when they are most likely bringing presents and making an effort to get themselves all gussied up to be with you at your wedding.

Buffets are expensive, but you might get some little gifts for the
guests that are not so expensive .... I am sure there are wedding planners who might advise you what would be nice to give. ... like little cakes or candies.... there is a tradition that the groom gives a small cake to each guest and it is called, appropriately enough, groom's cake ... it's a spice cake full of fruits ... wrapped up nicely ..try to fill in with little things, like favors for your guests to take home ... even if it is just a little set of scented silvery candles wrapped in a pretty box ... That way you can avoid going into debt for a big dinner.

Cheers!

Answer 5

Earlier or later would work perfectly but this is dinner time. People are going to expect to be fed.
You might want to put someplace on the invitation that, "an hors d'oeuvres reception immediately following".

Answer 6

5pm is dinnertime. Lunch is over at 3pm. except the ceremony lasts a million a million/2 hrs, there is no way that a 5pm reception as we talk follows a 3pm ceremony. you may certainly bypass the cocktail hour and dancing in case you want. it really isn't any longer extraordinary in any respect.

Answer 7

I think you can do whatever you want to do! ITS YOUR DAY!!!! However, they say (whoever "they" are) that the rule of thumb is at 6 or after is considered formal and should include a full course meal. At 5 I think people could hang out at the reception and eat hors d'oeurves and still be able to go get dinner afterwards if they were hungry, but like I said at first, it's your day, do what you want!

Answer 8

The problem with that is your having the wedding at dinner time you should have some hot food that is considered dinner what if you did all the hors d oeuvres plus added like a lasanza tray and maybe rolls and salad. But it's your wedding your the bride im sure it will be fine

Answer 9

Since you are having your wedding and reception right at dinner time everyone will be expecting a meal. Maybe you can change the time of your wedding to 7pm or 2pm (inbetween meal times) or just make it know on your invitations that Hors'd'oeuvres will be served at the reception.

Answer 10

Yes, hors d'oeuvres are becoming the popular thing for a wedding. But I would not go with sandwhiches because it is a late wedding. Instead, why not go with hot appetizers?

Answer 11

I think you should serve a meal. People probably won't have eaten and everyone likes a good meal with some wine at a wedding. However, it is your wedding and there is no right or wrong way to have it. Do what you want and don't let others persuade you into other things.