Taking care of my guests - food

ShellD13

Hi All -

I'm just trying to figure out the best way to handle a scheduling issue that popped up with our wedding.

My FI and I are planning a very simple wedding 16 guests total including us.  We are getting married at a local park and then bringing everyone to a nearby restaurant for a meal afterwards.  Originally we were planning a 3 oclock ceremony, figured we would be done by 3:45 since everyone invited will be in the photos (guests are parents, FI's children, and siblings) figured we would all arrive at the restaurant together.  And cocktails and apps would be flowing by 4:15/4:30 with dinner following.  Unfortunately, our ceremony venue contacted us and they made a mistake when they scheduled our original site - the town is holding their annual celebration the same day as our wedding and the structure we picked was right in the middle of the festivities.  They offered to move us to another site in the park but the time frame was different so now our ceremony starts at 1 in the afternoon.  If my guests arrive early they probably won't have time to eat lunch and we will be getting to the restaurant around 2:15 which in my book is very late for lunch and too early for dinner.  I don't want my guests to be hungry so I was wondering what people thought about putting a bag/basket together with snack options and bottles of water for people to pick from either before the ceremony starts or while we are doing the round robin of pictures to try to prevent folks from getting too hungry before we get to the restaurant.  Is this necessary?  Or do you think people will just make accommodations based on the schedule we communicated to them and eat a late breakfast and be fine until 2?

We will still be providing full drinks, apps, meal following the wedding but the timing is outside of the typical schedule...

AprilH81

It is a nice gesture, but I'm not sure it is necessary.  Unless your ceremony is going to be more than 30 minutes (and most aren't) I think your guests will know that they need at least a snack based on the timing.

Can you do pictures before the ceremony (or at least half) so that you can get to the restaurant earlier?

lyndausvi

I get that 2pm is a late lunch for a normal day, but it's hardly deal breaker.   People often have late lunches/early dinners on holidays and such..  Go to your local mall or restaurant parking lots you will see people eating at 2pm all the time.

My point is you might be over-thinking this.  Put on your invite that a lunch reception to follow.   People I know will look at that and have a late breakfast, maybe grab a light snack to tie them over.   

Good luck,

singinchick13

I think the bottles of water would be a great gesture, especially if there are a bunch of pictures and it is pretty warm out. Food I don't think you need to worry about until the reception. People will know to eat at 10 or 11 so as not to be hungry until 2.

lyndausvi

I should add, get with the restaurant to have apps ready as soon as your arrive.   Something simple for people who snack on without waiting.  

JellyBean52513

I'm with lynda, a 2pm meal time isn't the worst thing in the world. If I was invited, I would know to grab a snack before I head out, and I might just eat dinner a little late that night depending on how I'm feeling.

HisGirlFriday13

A 2p mealtime isn't a deal breaker for me. I'd eat a late bfast and be fine. Lynda has fabulous advice, as always.

wrigleyville

I'm with the others. I'd probably have a big omelet for breakfast and maybe munch on a protein bar on the way to the ceremony. I tend to eat lunch around 2:00 anyway, so this wouldn't faze me one bit.