Can I have your opinion please? (see details)?

Question

Is it wrong to not serve a meal at a wedding? My fiance and I are travelling to our own wedding closer to our families to make sure everyone can attend. We plan to get married in the early evening and planned to serve a midnight cold buffet with salads,buns, deli trays, and other little munchies. Is that wrong of us or would you do it? any other suggestions? thanks to you all in advance. Cheers!

I am thinking I would have a few little appys out for the guests to snack on throughout the night. But nothing major til later.

Answer 1

I think that's a fine idea. I recently went to a wedding that was the same kind of idea. Their wedding was at 7:30pm, so people had already had dinner. They had the same kind of buffet out with salad, buns etc, as you had mentioned, but they had it around 10:30-11:00. I know they call it a 'midnight snack' but it doesn't litterally need to be served at midnight. Depending on what time your reception goes until (what time your reception spot has reserved for you) you don't want to have the reception over at 1am, and just start putting out the food at midnight. Some of your guests may not stay right until the end either and you may want to have them have some food before they leave as well.

I'm not sure if you're doing a wedding cake, or some sort of desert, but you could always have the buffet part with the salads etc out around 10, and do the cake/deserts around 11-11:30 or so.

I'm having a full dinner around 6:30pm, but having more food brought out around 10:30-11:00. Your guests who don't drink will appreciate something to munch on before midnight as well. :)

Enjoy and it'll be great! :) Good luck!

Answer 2

So long as the ceremony is set for sometime after the standard dinner hour, this isn't a problem in terms of etiquette. Just make sure people know they're not being fed a full, sit-down meal so they can prepare accordingly.

If you're holding an early evening ceremony, though, and then expecting people to come back later for a Midnight buffet, be prepared to have a significant proportion of your guest list choose to go to bed early instead.

It wouldn't have been my choice, no. Then again, part of the deal with my site was we had to be cleaned up and gone by the time the sun set (it was an outdoor site with no lighting facilities). We served a home-catered cold lunch buffet. We had a great time and our guests were all more than adequately fed.

if you don't have your heart set on an evening wedding (or deposits already paid on a late time slot), you might consider lunch instead of dinner.

Just a thought.

Answer 3

What is early evening. I think if you are not serving any kind of food until midnight you shouldn't be getting married earlier than 9. Most guests expect (and rightly so) for food to come no later than 2 hours after the entire thing begins, including cocktail hour if you are taking pics between.

If the majority of your guests are traveling you should feed them a full meal since they spent alot to get there. If you are in the hometown of most then a heavy appitizer reception like you are talking about would be OK.

Perhaps do the cold buffet and then follow up with some breakfasty foods along with the cake. Like Danish, a waffle bar, eggs, homestyle potatos, that sort of thing.

Answer 4

I think that is fine, but make sure the guests know your plans. State on the invitations that there will be a midnight sandwich buffet served, instead of dinner following. That way the guests know that they are on their own for dinner and aren't hungry or grouchy.

Answer 5

I think it's great! I would have food earlier in the evening, though. An early evening wedding that has a buffet that follows hours later could make some people a bit upset--and hungry!

Since you are making so many accomodations for everyone else, they have no right to complain about not having an elaborate steak-or-fish meal!

Answer 6

Well it depends on what time you get married. If you get married at 5:00 pm you can't expect people to stick around until midnight to eat. if you get married at 8:00 pm that's fine. Make sure you mention on the reception cards that you're having a Midnight Buffet.

Answer 7

No I do not think that is wrong. That's just right. I went to my boyfriend's cousin's wedding and they just had desert because they got married when the ball dropped on New Years Eve. I mean they had like little hot dogs and munchies too, but basiclly just wedding cake and deserts. Even a chocolate fountian. Yummy!

Answer 8

It sounds like a good idea to me, and it sounds cheaper than serving a plate meal that could end up being up to $20/plate. If you're having the reception earlier than midnight, you might want to have some snacks throughout the duration of your reception, in case some people do need to leave early for work, or if they have kids or something, so that they'll still get something to eat.

Answer 9

if you were having an afternoon wedding, i would say great idea.

but you are having an evening wedding and making people wait until midnight to serve? can you say i am starving to death?! unless you want people to leave after the ceremony, go home and eat and sleep THEN come back.

i think if this is meant to be their meal, there needs to be a little more.

midnight sounds way too late to me on top of it all.

Answer 10

I'd go earlier in the evening if at all possible with the food. Being an older person, I don't usually make it that late. Also if you're serving any alcohol, it will be hitting people on an empty stomach.

I would mention this on the invitations. Perhaps join us for refreshments