Are you expected to feed your guests at the reception twice?

Question

My mother-in-law to be insists you are meant to give them lunch and dinner, I don't see how we can do this as the service is in the afternoon, what is the tradition, I don't want my guests going hungry as they expected lunch too!

Answer 1

The reception is after the wedding. And you feed them ONE meal.

Answer 2

It all depends on what time you are getting married, if you are getting married later in the day then you can get away with only feeding your guests once, say at 7pm. However if you are getting married earlier and feeding your guests at around 4pm or earlier then they will feel hungry again so it's only polite to provide an evening buffet, it doesn't need to be huge but it also helps to soak up the drink.
You have to remember that if your guests are travelling to be at the wedding, and you are getting married at 2pm, they may well have left home around 11.30am and won't have had lunch. There is then a fair bit of waiting around as most guests won't be needed for the majority of the photographs so they will be hungry and tired.
An idea if you are on a budget is to save the wedding cake and serve it in the evening instead of with coffee, most people are full after the meal but feel peckish a few hours later and it will give them a snack to eat. You could also provide some cheese boards with a selection of breads which is inexpensive but will look after your guests

Answer 3

These days you don't HAVE to do anything at a wedding, other than the legal vows. Anything else is optional, and you can tailor it to your budget and desires.

Traditionally there is only one meal at a reception, called the wedding breakfast. These days many people have long receptions, going on into the evening, with music and dancing etc. The hotel I'm holding my wedding at insists that we buy a buffet for the evening, to make sure that any guests who come for the evening only have something to eat, to stop them getting too drunk.

Having lunch after an afternoon wedding and then having a big dinner later sounds very strange and unusual. if I were you I'd talk it over with my fiance, and decide what we both wanted!

Answer 4

I grew up in Scotland UK and more often than not at weddings you have the guests that are invited for the "wedding breakfast" (the wedding meal is traditionally called breakfast no matter what time of the day you serve it) and then later on the "evening guests" arrive, usually in time for the first dance and it is customary to provide something to eat later in the evening, this could be anything from a few sandwiches to a full buffet, or simply tea, coffee, biscuits and cakes. It is not necessary at all, but just how I have seen it done. Customs differ all over the world so I would have to say there is no right or wrong in this, do what is customary for your area.

Answer 5

You feed your guests one meal.

You may provide appetizers before hand and/or a "snack buffet" after depending on the timing, in order to not allow guests go hungry.

Most every wedding I've been to started with appetizers, had a meal, then followed up with sweets & cake. This is what most people expect.

No one went hungry no matter how long it went. The amount depends on the time of day.

And you may want to have a platter of sandwiches for members of the wedding party that need to arrive early for pictures, etc. to have at the church. You don't want anyone passing out from low blood sugar during the ceremony.

Good Luck.

Answer 6

If the service is in the afternoon, the guests sort out their own lunch before the wedding, they will not be expecting food from you. Then you have the wedding breakfast after the wedding service and photos. If you are having an evening reception as well, then there should be some food there (a buffet usually).

It's your wedding and you have whatever you want.

Answer 7

If she wants to feed her family beforehand, she should do that. I will let you in on something that might be going on, and there might be some miscommunication because of the time of your wedding.

I was recently involved with a 1 pm wedding. The attendants were told to be at the church at 10 am to dress and have photos. The mother of the bride fed the bride and her attendents and didn't do anything for the groom and his attendants. They were starving before the groom's parents realized it and had some good friends send for food. The groom's parents should have been told in time to plan for food for the guys and their family who were being "held hostage" before the wedding. It was bad communication and could have been avoided. Maybe that's what your future MIL is talking about. Maybe she realizes the ceremony time will cause a problem and people will need something to eat so they won't pass out. If that is the case, then it's okay to ask her for suggestions and how she thinks the two of you can handle this. Let her help with this one.

However, it is not your responsiblity to provide a reception for the guests beforehand. They are on their own and can feed themselves. But please don't let your wedding party go hungry if they are to be there at lunch time.

Answer 8

The reception is usually after the wedding. Sometimes with an afternoon wedding, the reception is postponed till the evening. But there is only one meal served. If you want to provide lunch for your attendants that's an option.

Answer 9

If she wants to feed her family beforehand, she should do that. I will let you in on something that might be going on, and there might be some miscommunication because of the time of your wedding.

I was recently involved with a 1 pm wedding. The attendants were told to be at the church at 10 am to dress and have photos. The mother of the bride fed the bride and her attendents and didn't do anything for the groom and his attendants. They were starving before the groom's parents realized it and had some good friends send for food. The groom's parents should have been told in time to plan for food for the guys and their family who were being "held hostage" before the wedding. It was bad communication and could have been avoided. Maybe that's what your future MIL is talking about. Maybe she realizes the ceremony time will cause a problem and people will need something to eat so they won't pass out. If that is the case, then it's okay to ask her for suggestions and how she thinks the two of you can handle this. Let her help with this one.

However, it is not your responsiblity to provide a reception for the guests beforehand. They are on their own and can feed themselves. But please don't let your wedding party go hungry if they are to be there at lunch time.

I think what you rmum in law to be, probably meant is that the majority of wedding receptions have a sit down wedding 'breakfast' which is a 2 or 3 course sit down meal and then in the evening a buffet (if you have an evening do)

we invited close friends and family to our wedding and they had a 3 course sit down meal then on the evening we had a full party and invited everyone we knew near enough and had a buffet. Depending on when your service finishes and what kind of reception you are having its hard to say. are you having a party in the evening? or just a wedding breakfast? or just a party? its your day you decide what you want and when!
hope you have a wonderful day .





























































.

Answer 10

Usually the ceremony would be in the afternoon, so you would provide them dinner, then a late lunch around 10:30 to 11 or so, at a break from the evening dance.

Answer 11

The wedding reception takes place...........obviously, after the wedding. It depends what your plans are. The reception is, usually, a full meal. If you then invite other guests to an evening 'do' then often a light buffet is made available.