Okay... so im planning my ceremony to be around sunset on the beach ...and for the date i've picked, sunset is around 8pm. The ceremony will probably be 20 min then like 30 min for pictures. So, dinner would not be until 9pm... should I make it a dessert reception only, have dessert reception and have dinner before the ceremony, or just have a dinner reception? Also, if the dinner before the ceremony, should it be at a resturant with a few close relatives like parents and siblings or should it be on the beach buffet style with everyone invited? Also, it would be a saturday, the weekend before memorial day, and in michigan... Oh, if it helps it is between 2-3 hours to drive for guests...THANKS!
2007-10-13 16:33:50 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Family & Relationships ➔ Weddings
I'm not looking for what etiquette says... I was thinking that people would have already eaten and there would be way too much food...
2007-10-13 16:46:06 · update #1
If most of your guests are driving 2-3 hours to attend an 8:00 wedding, I think most of them will probably not have eaten by the time they arrive. (That would mean they would have to have finished their dinners by 5:00 before they leave. They will probably not want to stop to eat along the way if they are all dressed up in fancy clothes.)
Even though it is not traditional, I love your idea of having a beach buffet before the ceremony. I think that would be very considerate to your guests and also lots of fun! Then you can have cake and champagne (or whatever kind of dessert you want) after the ceremony. If you don't mind going against tradition a bit, I think that would be absolutely lovely.
(Just make sure to include the details of dinner time and such along with your wedding invitation.)
2007-10-13 19:58:29 · answer #1 · answered by Emmy Jo (13 weeks with #2) 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Dessert and hors d’oeuvres sound like a great idea for a reception that late into the evening. Perhaps just after the ceremony while you're taking photos, have the hors d’oeuvres ready for your guests to snack on in the meantime. On your invitation, be sure to put "Dessert reception to follow" this way your guests know to eat a full meal before driving down.
What you'll have to figure out is how many hors d’oeuvres and desserts to serve your guests. I have an example below of how many you'd need. A good formula for figuring that out is: 12 pieces per guest times the number of guest and then divided by the number of appetizers.
Example:
12 pieces x 100 guests
1200 pieces
1200/10 different appetizers
120 per type of appetizer
For the desserts... 4-6 pieces per guest if they are mini items, 2-3 per person for medium sized items. Between the hors d’oeuvres and desserts, your guests will have plenty to munch on!
2007-10-14 05:00:40 · answer #2 · answered by Jasmine808 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi and congratulations!
I love what you have planned! I love the beach too! BUT....have you really thought this through? Just so you know, I live in Michigan too (all my life). If you live here, then you know that you are taking a HUGE risk planning the event you have planned. The weather that time of year is not warm and could be really cold. Do you have an alterate site in mind if it's pouring down rain? I all sounds lovely, but I would be worried sick about the weather. You will need an alternate site for the reception too, unless you have already booked an indoor location somewhere
If you really want to have this, of course, it's YOUR decision! My suggestion would be for that time of night, to just have desserts. But MAKE SURE this is indicated on the reception card, otherwise your guests will be expecting a meal. Also, you may not get many willing to drive 2-3 hours for this kind of wedding and reception. Again, I LOVE the beach myself, but one must also think of their guests.
Good luck in your decision! I hope you have a beautiful wedding day!
2007-10-14 02:48:12 · answer #3 · answered by iloveweddings 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would do cocktails with appetizers and desserts. Generally etiquette states that if its not a dinner, cocktail hour is appropriate. Make sure to state either way in the invites though, or you'll have guests expecting a dinner and well it just avoids headaches..
You'll save tons too.
Plus if you do it on the beach, table rentals, chair rentals, linen rentals (a napkin can cost $1 a piece to rent! Its crazy), Light rentals, it adds up so fast. I would do a long table with the appetizers, maybe a few passed trays if you have waiters. Get a few hightop tables, throw some linens on and a candle, it look fantastic, people mingle, you save tons. The other way is nice, but its such a hassle, so costly, and takes forever. Go simple and enjoy it.
2007-10-13 17:56:29 · answer #4 · answered by jackknive 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If people are driving that far for the wedding, etiquette would suggest that you provide more then dessert. Unless you make it clear in the invitation that it is dessert only so they know to grab a bite to eat on the road.
2007-10-13 16:44:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Have a finger foods and a dessert thing.
Have like a beach them or something and just make it really fun. And if people get hungary through out the night have like bugars, hot dogs, and all that fun stuff on board if worse comes to worse order pizza just have a laid back ol time
2007-10-13 16:44:06 · answer #6 · answered by Christy M 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I went to a late night wedding like yours in Michigan on the beach and they served only desserts and hors d'oeuvres. It was great, lots of fun.
2007-10-13 18:55:02 · answer #7 · answered by diva_m3 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
dessert.. everyone should have eaten dinner before they arrived, have some appetizers though in case someone doesn't have a sweet tooth.
but i do like the beach buffet one.. have a fire on the beach, light some tiki torches, have some romantic music..
2007-10-13 16:38:05 · answer #8 · answered by lilchikka2005 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋