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Food timing

hisgirl90hisgirl90
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in Wedding Reception Forum
We're having a morning wedding and afternoon cake reception (plus some other desserts and stuff). Reception starts at 1, but we will be arriving closer to 1:30 and I was wondering if we should encourage the guests to start eating desserts as they arrive, or wait until the "official cake cutting" and serve all the desserts at once? Anyone else have an afternoon reception like this?
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Re: Food timing

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    Maggie0829Maggie0829 member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    Personally, if a reception starts at 1pm I would be expecting a meal, not just cake.

    And as Stage said, the reception should start immediately after the ceremony.

    What time is your ceremony?

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    lyndausvilyndausvi mod
    First Anniversary First Answer 5 Love Its Name Dropper

    So you expect your guests to wake up and go to a morning ceremony.  Then what?  Get brunch or lunch and then go get some dessert at 1pm?    On top of that, you will not even be there until 1:30pm.  Surely if you are having a gap you could make your own reception on time?   No? 







    What differentiates an average host and a great host is anticipating unexpressed needs and wants of their guests.  Just because the want/need is not expressed, doesn't mean it wouldn't be appreciated. 
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    itzMSitzMS member
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    edited February 2013
    I had a morning wedding (11:00A), but our reception immediately followed and we served lunch....so I'm not sure what you're doing with your gap

    You're going to need to make it abundantly clear to guests that the reception is "cake and punch" only. I don't like it from an etiquette standpoint that you're not serving a meal during a meal time. But at least if I were a guest, if you clearly indicated cake and punch only, I could stop and get lunch somewhere after your ceremony. Tongue out
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    AddieCakeAddieCake member
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    Ditto everyone else. Your timeline doesn't make a lot of sense. 
    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
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    CallaLily25CallaLily25 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper First Comment
    Personally, if I was attending a morning reception and the invitation did not state otherwise, I would assume that we were at least being served a light lunch of some kind at 1pm. I think you'll have very grumpy, hungry guests if you only have dessert at that time.

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    PeavyPeavy member
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    If you are only serving desserts, move your ceremony to 2PM so that your reception doesn't cross lunch time.  I would expect to be served lunch for any ceremony beginning 1030A-1P.
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    hisgirl90hisgirl90
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    Ceremony is at 10:30. It was definitely made clear on the reception cards as well as our website that the reception is JUST desserts (although we will have some other finger foods for those who I'm sure will come not having had a bite to eat), and so far almost all of the people coming to ceremony have RSVP'd for the reception. if they have an "etiquette problem" with it I don't really care; they don't have to come if it bugs them that much. I'm doing what works for my family, since we're on a more-than-limited budget. We've been able to call in some favors but that means we have to work within those limitations and this timeline is what works. 
    I'm thinking we'll open all the food tables up for when guests start arriving and save the cake and cupcakes for after the cake-cutting.
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    lyndausvilyndausvi mod
    First Anniversary First Answer 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited February 2013
    I don't think you understand.   A dessert reception is fine.  A gap in order to have the dessert reception is not fine.   Who wants to kill a few hours  for some cookies and cake?  Your guests might not tell you to your face, but I'm willing to bet they are not happy with your schedule.    You know you are basically askings guests to give up most of their day with your schedule right?

    It sounds like it's too late, but you really should have just had a 1-2pm ceremony with a dessert reception immediately after.  Heck I would even say have the 10:30 ceremony and just serve pastries, fruit and cake after.    Sure it's around meal time, but those type of receptions do not last long.  So people could be on their way by 1pm and get something more substantial to eat if they want.






    What differentiates an average host and a great host is anticipating unexpressed needs and wants of their guests.  Just because the want/need is not expressed, doesn't mean it wouldn't be appreciated. 
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    AddieCakeAddieCake member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_food-timing?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:82936a1d-e4a9-40a8-8e9e-df664cb58913Post:0971521b-59e9-4b46-ae5b-2c667c0ecaa4">Re: Food timing</a>:
    [QUOTE]Ceremony is at 10:30. It was definitely made clear on the reception cards as well as our website that the reception is JUST desserts (although we will have some other finger foods for those who I'm sure will come not having had a bite to eat), and so far almost all of the people coming to ceremony have RSVP'd for the reception.<strong> if they have an "etiquette problem" with it I don't really care; they don't have to come if it bugs them that much.</strong> I'm doing what works for my family, since we're on a more-than-limited budget. We've been able to call in some favors but that means we have to work within those limitations and this timeline is what works.  I'm thinking we'll open all the food tables up for when guests start arriving and save the cake and cupcakes for after the cake-cutting.
    Posted by hisgirl90[/QUOTE]

    <div>You're right; they don't have to come if it bugs them. But honestly, you should at least care. People who flat out "don't care" about etiquette at something as important as their wedding strike me as the kind of people who don't care about manners at any other point in their lives, either, and the rest of us who do care have to be subjected to their behavior. </div><div>
    </div><div>And I agree that the limited budget thing is not relevant to the gap, but like Lynda said, that ship has sailed since the invitations are already out. </div><div>
    </div><div>Yes, you should go ahead and open the food immediately . </div>
    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
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    JoanE2012JoanE2012 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_food-timing?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:82936a1d-e4a9-40a8-8e9e-df664cb58913Post:0971521b-59e9-4b46-ae5b-2c667c0ecaa4">Re: Food timing</a>:
    [QUOTE]Ceremony is at 10:30. It was definitely made clear on the reception cards as well as our website that the reception is JUST desserts (although we will have some other finger foods for those who I'm sure will come not having had a bite to eat), and so far almost all of the people coming to ceremony have RSVP'd for the reception.<strong> if they have an "etiquette problem" with it I don't really care</strong>; they don't have to come if it bugs them that much.<strong> </strong>I'm doing what works for my family, since we're on a more-than-limited budget.<strong> </strong>We've been able to call in some favors but that means we have to work within those limitations and this timeline is what works.  I'm thinking we'll open all the food tables up for when guests start arriving and save the cake and cupcakes for after the cake-cutting.
    Posted by hisgirl90[/QUOTE]<div>
    </div><div>Wow, you really care a lot about your guests.  Classy.  <rolls eyes><span style="font-size:11px;line-height:14px;">  </span></div><div>
    </div>
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    ViczaesarViczaesar member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    Klassy, OP.



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