At Home Reception - Food Help Needed!!

[meryll83]

Ok, so we are having a blessing type ceremony at home at starting at 4pm, and presumably the reception/party will go on til midnight ish.

We didn't really want to do a full 3 course meal to save on expense, and we are anticipating on having around 100 guests right through from 4pm.

Any suggestions as to what time and what sort of food we should do??

We were originally looking at doing mini fish and chips after 8pm (earliest evening buffet type food can be served) but now think this won't be enough to satisfy our guests from 4pm-12 midnight.

Perhaps we could do some canapes at around 5.30pm, and the fish and chips at 8.30pm ish?

Or should we just opt for a traditional evening buffet at 8pm ish, as then people can eat as much as they want rather than the set portion of fish and chips, but still will this be enough?? Perhaps canapes then buffet?

I'm also not sure whether we're supposed to cater for 100% of guests or not.

I mean, people will have eaten lunch and they'll be drinking, so they should have some fuel in their systems, right??

Can anyone help me out with any suggestions, my main concern is I don't want people going hungry, but I'm also trying to be cheap!!

 

[Angela0917]

4-Midnightish is a long time... you should probably go with the full buffet. It doesn't have to be anything expensive, but people will probably get hungry.

 

[CoP Luv]

I think your guests will be expecting food. I don't ever go to a wedding completely full because I know that food will be served...and at the weddings I have been to, it has been a full dinner. Could you do some appetizers throughout the night? You could save a lot of money that way. Did your invites say that you were providing food? On our reception card, we had "Cocktails! Dinner! Dancing!" so everyone knew they were being served a full meal along with a full cocktail hour.

 

[IndyBride]

Think about how you feel when you go to weddings. I don't know but no matter what time it is right after the wedding I'm starving! I've been to ten am weddings at 6 pm weddings- always hungry. So think about what you and your friends say after a wedding- do you head straight for food or no. I'm not sure how weddings work in the UK so that's all the advice I can really give.

 

[Angela0917]

What are Canapes?

 

[orangetiggs]

we catered for 60% of our evening guests but we had a sit down meal as well

 

[meryll83]

So, without providing a sit down dinner (it's just too expensive for us) - remember this isn't our wedding, it's a celebration back home - do you all think that if we serve canapes (like cocktail hour appetizer things, little frou frou fiddy things!) after the blessing ceremony, and then have a buffet after 8pm, we'll be ok?? We haven't decided on whether to have another cake yet, but if need be we could have a simple cake just so there's something else for people to snack on....

 

[Chilly]

So, without providing a sit down dinner (it's just too expensive for us) - remember this isn't our wedding, it's a celebration back home - do you all think that if we serve canapes (like cocktail hour appetizer things, little frou frou fiddy things!) after the blessing ceremony, and then have a buffet after 8pm, we'll be ok?? We haven't decided on whether to have another cake yet, but if need be we could have a simple cake just so there's something else for people to snack on....

I would go for this, canapes then a buffet. You could always just get a cheap cake from Tesco or somewhere.

 

[Angela0917]

I would go for this, canapes then a buffet. You could always just get a cheap cake from Tesco or somewhere.

Agreed!

Even though it's not your actual wedding reception, you're still having a party that last 8 hours! A buffet would be good! I'd cut back expenses somewhere else, other than food. That's what people remember most!