Wedding...Meal or No meal?

Question

My Fiancee and I are planning our wedding, and we are contemplating whether or not to serve a meal, or if we should have cake and punch with a few hors'douvres. The wedding and reception would be in the afternoon between 1 and 4. Would it be "tacky" to slim down the food offerings because it will be after 'lunchtime' but before 'dinner'; or do we owe our guests a full meal? What would you expect when attending a wedding?

Answer 1

If it is an informal afternoon wedding then you are not required to serve a full meal. You don't want guests to eat anything heavy in the middle of the day. Go for heavy hors d'ouerves and not a full meal...serve punch and cake as well.

Answer 2

If you plan the ceremony and reception for a non-meal time of day, it is perfectly legit to have a non-meal reception. Not tacky or inappropriate at all. But you should mention on the invitation that it is a cake-and-punch reception so people know in advance.

If people are travelling a great distance, you might either include those people at the rehearsal dinner or to a separate dinner the evening after the regular cake-and-punch reception-- call it a "travellers' dinner" and it must be totally separate for the reception-- different invitations and everything. That would be a nice way to at least take the travelling people out to dinner, while for the local people the simpler reception is plenty. People who need to travel for a wedding DO usually expect at least a meal with the couple, and this will help you cover your bases.

Answer 3

What size wedding? Is the reception at the church or a different location? A 1 - 4 wedding doesn't necissarily call for a meal, but a lot depends on the wedding guest list size and recpetion location.

For a smaller wedding, you could have refreshements and cake immediately following the wedding at the church.

If it is a larger wedding or you are going to a reception site, heavy appetizers & finger foods could be appropriate. You could also serve wine as well. However if you don't offer lunch, you'll have to put more into "entertainment" (i.e. a really good D.J. or band or live music) because your guests will get restless quickly if they don't have a meal to sit down to.

So...in the end...you may not save anything by not offering at least a light sit-down buffet lunch if you have to spend more on a DJ/band.

Answer 4

The time you are having your reception is before two major meals. There is no reason why you can just serve appetizers, hor dourves, punch or whatever. Finger foods are great, provided you have enough. There probably will be a few who may have postponed lunch, but no one really will expect a huge meal.

i would say fruit trays, finger sandwich trays, veggie trays, meat and cheese, crackers, or whatever. Those are all light foods to not fill a person, but to quench any hunger pains.

They will also not expect a full open bar, maybe some beer- if that at all. That too is not required.

I have seen weddings that go from a mid afternoon BBQ to a candy bar- or rather, dessert reception. I have also heard of some just offering the cake and drinks to guests.

Answer 5

Usually because it starts around lunchtime you would serve lunchtime foods. You can get away with veggie and fruit and meat w/cheese trays served with rolls and a few types of salad. I'd also serve some hors'douvres before the trays go out. Mini sandwiches would be great. You could always call subway!
You've got to think of it this way. If you were a guest at your wedding, would you be hungry after the wedding enough to want to eat at the reception. If your having your wedding when people would normally eat lunch, then they're not going to eat lunch because everyone knows your supposed to eat at the reception! I would serve the food instead of the hard liquor and only have beer and champagne on hand.

Answer 6

I think it's fine to have an hors'douvres and cake reception

... I'm wondering if there should be some way of giving a heads up to the fact somehow ... perhaps speak to someone and find out if there's a delicate way to warn those who might expect a meal, the last thing you want is someone who comes without eating and then has punch - don't want to send punch happy people out on the roads. just a thought !!!

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Answer 7

I'm also planning my wedding- and what we are doing at the reception is a casual buffet, instead of a sit down dinner. We'll still have plenty of food, but this way the guests can eat as little or as much of whatever they want and it's more casual than formal!

Answer 8

If you are younger and financially challenged, your guests won't expect much of you. Definitely have drinks available and some snacks - but I don't think you need to spring for a sit-down dinner.
Some suggestions: chips, salsa, guacamole, finger sandwiches, crackers and cheese. Buy a case or two of cheap wine and the guests will have a great time.

Answer 9

If it's in between like you said then yes what you are doing is just fine.
Maybe some finger foods in there but that's great.
Make sure you make this known on the wedding invitations though.

Answer 10

For the scheduled time of the wedding, I think those offerings would be fine. Make sure you serve upscale, elegant offerings and not just cheese and crackers.