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Opinions on Reception food

CrazyCatLady3CrazyCatLady3 member
First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment First Answer
edited February 2014 in Luxury Weddings
OK so I have my food meeting coming with my venue and need some opinions.  I don't like going to wedding cocktail hours where there's hardly and food and you're starving for an hour waiting for the dinner reception to start.  But on the other hand, I have been to weddings where there are so many stations of different types of food at the cocktail hour that guests are stuffed by the time dinner comes and they only take 2 bites of their filet mignon (such a waste!)  I'm trying to find a happy medium.

My catering package comes with the following (in addition to full open bar): 8 passed hors d'oeuvres during cocktail hour, plus bar snacks that are out (truffled popcorn, savory granola crunch, cocoa almonds).  I am going to add on as an enhancement a taco and margarita cart (you get a choice of 2 different types of mini tacos plus shots of blood orange margaritas).  I am debating if I should also add on a second enhancement like a sushi and noodle cart or if it's too much right before dinner? The cocktail hour is from 7:30-8:30.

Then for dinner we have artisan breads at the table, an appetizer, entree (choice of beef/chicken/veg), and full plated dessert plus separate wedding cake.  This will all be served between 8:30 and 11.  I am also debating on doing a late night or to-go snack cart (not decided on foods yet but comfort-type foods) to be rolled out at 11:45 (reception ends at midnight), but do you think everyone will be too stuffed and this will go to waste?  (I am also already doing little boxes of French macarons as favors so the to-go stuff wouldn't be in lieu of favors).  None of this is a budgetary issue but I just hate to see a lot of food go to waste.

CN: Should I add a 2nd enhancement to cocktail hour and do a late-night snack cart given the timing of my reception and what is already included?
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Re: Opinions on Reception food

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    OnceUponSnowOnceUponSnow member
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    I wouldn't add a 2nd enhancement to the cocktail hour. We are having exactly that - an hour with signature cocktail, and our venue provides 4 or 5 hors-d'oeuvres per guest. We then have the main meal which includes a salad, a vegetable soup with freshly baked rustic bread, a main dish, and a dessert (cake). The late-night snack is also included (cheeses and fruits).

    I think it's plenty ! I'll probably be full by the time the main dish is served. 

    Keep in mind, if you were doing a hors-d'oeuvres meal only, you would have 12 to 14 per guest. So 7 for the cocktail hour is a lot already !
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    *elle.*elle. member
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    I don't think you should add more to cocktail hour - I think you've already got a very good variety! Also, given the timing of dinner, I may forego the late night snack cart. If food it being served up through 11 (and I'm not sure what time your reception is ending), then I think it's overkill.
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    BlueBirdMBBlueBirdMB member
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    We had two stations plus I think 7 pass apps and then your same dinner selection.  We have MAJOR eaters though- I'm not sure this was even enough.  I noticed the caterers had to keep bringing more and more food to the stations.

    I think for normal people, what you have would be more than enough, especially because you have those fun bar snacks!

    I wouldn't have a late night snack considering the timing.  However, we had mini lobster rolls served and while no one was really hungry, we did have to go containers and they were all eaten at after parties!  Macarons sounds awesome, but something savory might be a good to go also!
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    thisismynickname2thisismynickname2 member
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    For what it's worth, my venue plans for 3-4 passed apps (hot and cold of our choice) per person, basic, for cocktail hour before a 5 course dinner including wedding cake. We can add on but we probably won't, though we are contemplating late night munchies. Every wedding I've been to with a similar set up has had plenty of food, and I skip the late munchies because I'm still so full! I think you have more than enough and guests will be happy.
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    majesty318majesty318 member
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    BlueBirdMB said. To-go snacks for the after party sound awesome.

    Regarding cocktail hour: I live in NJ, where cocktail hour is extensive, so I would add the 2nd enhancement.
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    CrazyCatLady3CrazyCatLady3 member
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    majesty318 said:
    BlueBirdMB said. To-go snacks for the after party sound awesome.

    Regarding cocktail hour: I live in NJ, where cocktail hour is extensive, so I would add the 2nd enhancement.
    I am in NY where cocktail hours tend to be the same, which is why I had the initial inclination to add more.  But I don't want there to be so much that no one eats their dinner.  So I think I might add the second enhancement for cocktail hour and skip the late night snack as PPs have suggested, because everyone will be stuffed by then.
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    KatWAGKatWAG member
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    It might just be me, but I think its weird when weddings basically serve 2 dinners. (I have seen this a bunch on Four Weddings on TLC). I think you need a handful of passed apps. I think stations or craving stands are overkill. How are you hungry for a full- multi course plated meal less than an hour later? I would do late night snacks. I always work up an appetite dancing and it helps to soak up the booze!
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    delujm0delujm0 member
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    We are having 5 passed apps and one station (caprese salad in a martini glass) for cocktail hour, followed by buffet/stations for dinner.  In lieu of a late night snack, we're doing a traditional wedding cake and also putting out a dessert buffet about an hour before the end of the reception.

     

    I've been to a NJ cocktail hour where there was so much food that i literally didn't touch my dinner afterwards.  But the cocktail hour food was better than the dinner, so that worked out for me.  I don't think two cocktail hour stations are necessary, especially since you'll have such a variety of passed apps and a full seated dinner coming.

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    Jells2dot0Jells2dot0 mod
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    KatWAG said:

    It might just be me, but I think its weird when weddings basically serve 2 dinners. (I have seen this a bunch on Four Weddings on TLC). I think you need a handful of passed apps. I think stations or craving stands are overkill. How are you hungry for a full- multi course plated meal less than an hour later? I would do late night snacks. I always work up an appetite dancing and it helps to soak up the booze!

    This! I have been to many a NJ wedding where cocktail hour was overloaded with food! So much so that I didn't even get to all of the options! I had 5 or 6 passed apps and two stations and there was plenty. However, I did not have late night snacks. If it has been an option, I would have been all over it! It's something I have enjoyed immensely at previous events.

     







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    CrazyCatLady3CrazyCatLady3 member
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    Jells2dot0 said:
    It might just be me, but I think its weird when weddings basically serve 2 dinners. (I have seen this a bunch on Four Weddings on TLC). I think you need a handful of passed apps. I think stations or craving stands are overkill. How are you hungry for a full- multi course plated meal less than an hour later? I would do late night snacks. I always work up an appetite dancing and it helps to soak up the booze!
    This! I have been to many a NJ wedding where cocktail hour was overloaded with food! So much so that I didn't even get to all of the options! I had 5 or 6 passed apps and two stations and there was plenty. However, I did not have late night snacks. If it has been an option, I would have been all over it! It's something I have enjoyed immensely at previous events.
    Lol, ok now I am thinking I'll just have the one station with the 8 passed apps they provide.  As for the late night snack though, my entire event runs from 7-12, with cake and a plated dessert being served around 11, so I'm thinking people may not eat it.  We're not having any formal after parties though some of us may go to a bar afterwards.
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    pinkcow13pinkcow13 member
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    I think what you had is definitely fine. And can I just say I love the taco cart and margarita shots?? (I loveeee margaritas) don't be surprised if you have a surprise wedding crasher taking all the margarita :)
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    BlueBirdMBBlueBirdMB member
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    OP, I totally agree that regardless of location, having these crazy cocktail hours is a waste and personally, I believe it's just a means to show off. I went to a wedding once where there were 15 stations and passed apps! That's crazy for dinner let alone cocktail hour! You are totally fine doing what you are doing. It makes so much more sense.
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    SP29SP29 member
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    I wouldn't add a 2nd enhancement.

    Usually I am a fan of the late night buffet/snack, but if your dinner is ending at 11pm and your reception ends at 12, then I don't think you need it. 
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    lschwar2lschwar2 member
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    I'm of the opinion that you can't have enough food.  I love (and am very impressed by) a huge spread during cocktail hour.  The variety is nice because people like different things.  I get soooo annoyed when watching Four Weddings and brides criticize weddings because they were "overwhelmed by the amount of food".  I'm like, uh, then don't eat it psycho...no one's forcing you.  And I've never had an issue finishing my filet after enjoying a small feast during cocktail hour ;).  The number one thing I complain about when I go to weddings is that there wasn't enough food during cocktail hour.  I hate when I have to stalk down waiters to get a passed hors d'oeuvre.  The food should be plentiful.  And there are few things on this earth that get me more excited than a late night snack at a wedding.  It's the best surprise!!  
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    JCbride2015JCbride2015 member
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    This discussion of extreme NJ cocktail hours is so right on.  When we initially saw the cocktail hour menu at our venue, we asked, "So how many of these apps do we choose?" and the manager said, "You don't choose, you get all of them."  Our cocktail hour will include passed apps, a cold buffet, 2 hot food stations, 2 carving stations, and a seafood raw bar.  I can't imagine myself (or anybody else) actually getting around to sample everything.  It's sort of comical... but I'll accept the challenge to try.  I love apps.

    Now I'm wondering if we can switch a few of these options to a late-night snacks station.  That would be really fun.  I always crave a savory midnight snack.

    Those tacos and margarita shots sound AWESOME.  I agree people are more likely to eat the food at cocktail hour rather than late-night though, so maybe move your late-night option earlier.
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    Peaseblossom55Peaseblossom55 mod
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    Yea the NJ cocktail hour thing is a bit crazy when we went for our food tasting a month ago FIL's and my parents were shocked at how much we got in just the cocktail hour.  It's all included in the package so we aren't upgrading, except for a viennese hour.

    Our cocktail hour is 10 passed H'ors D'oeuvres, 3 stations and 4 chafing dishes ( our stations are a fajita bar, mashed potato station and a carving station and the chafing dishes have chicken pasta and some seafood options), this is on top of the four course dinner.  I rather have more food and different foods so hopefully everyone can find something they really enjoyed out of the evening.

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    16maybeless16maybeless member
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    edited February 2014
    I love this discussion of Jersey weddings!

    A few weddings ago, we attended a big one in NJ for a friend. They had at least 10 passed apps (I may not have seen them all!), several carving stations, pasta station, taco station, raw bar, antipasto, potato bar ... Then we sat down to a four-course meal. 

    I remember looking across the table at my friend and she said, "A bandage dress was a bad choice."

    I would have laughed except there was no room for air.
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    CrazyCatLady3CrazyCatLady3 member
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    On the topic of not being wasteful, would you be annoyed as a guest if I only put menus at every other place setting?  My stationer showed me some really nice sample menus that I want to get, but they are only going to be used for a few hours and then thrown out.  To offset feeling bad about this, I was thinking of just ordering half the normal amount and putting one at each place setting?  Would this look cheap to you?
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    alm&mdmalm&mdm member
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    Instead of skipping every other setting, would doing the menus in some type of frame and maybe putting 3-4 at each table work with your decor?

    I just might feel odd if I had come alone and had to ask someone to see their menu? But if I was sat by friends, it wouldn't be a big thing. Not sure if you have anyone who might be sitting near people they may not know super well.
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    CrazyCatLady3CrazyCatLady3 member
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    Yeah, most guests will be couples, but I could see how it would be annoying for our few single guests.  I will think about just doing a few in stands on the table; thanks for the suggestion.
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    jenna8984jenna8984 member
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    Are most of your guests night owl/ party people? You say cake is served at 11pm but I would definitely be headed out the door by 10:30. That just seems so late. Maybe I'm just an old party pooper? My brother's wedding started at 5pm, cocktail hour 5:45-6:45, dinner started at 7:30 and by 10 the place was practically cleared out. But maybe you Jersey party people are different lol

                                                                     

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    CrazyCatLady3CrazyCatLady3 member
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    jenna8984 said:
    Are most of your guests night owl/ party people? You say cake is served at 11pm but I would definitely be headed out the door by 10:30. That just seems so late. Maybe I'm just an old party pooper? My brother's wedding started at 5pm, cocktail hour 5:45-6:45, dinner started at 7:30 and by 10 the place was practically cleared out. But maybe you Jersey party people are different lol

    Everything (ceremony) starts at 7 so the timeline is proportional.  People can sleep late that Saturday morning if they want so they can stay out late.  It's a NYC wedding so that's not that late.
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    lc07lc07 member
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    edited March 2014
    I am perfectly capable of managing what I eat in order to not "over eat" and get full before dinner. While I agree that waste is in poor taste, it's the most annoying thing when you're hungry at cocktail hour and need to hunt down the passed h'ordeurves. I also love your idea of having margaritas paired with appetizers.
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