Are appetizers, dinner, popcorn bar, cake, and wedding favors too much?

Knottiebe85946e22852765

We are having bbq for dinner, and are wanting to have Vietnamese appetizers because my fiance is Vietnamese.  We are also planning on having a typical cake and grooms cake.  My question is, do you think a popcorn bar in addition to all of this is too much?  My fiance and I both LOVE popcorn, so we really want to include it, but I'm not sure if it's too much food.  Also, when during the reception would you have it?  During the happy hour with the appetizers or later on in the evening during dancing/cake.  Or just keep it out all night.  We don't want to have it be the wedding favor, because we are planning on doing s'mores in a mason jar, so we are trying to figure out how to work it in.

thefanciestbeckler

Sounds like plenty to me. You could do the popcorn as a late night snack at the reception after dinner is served.

lnixon8

How will the popcorn bar work? Will you have a caterer running it? I like popcorn too but the # of times I've gotten a "he popped the question"/ "moms ready to pop" shower favors with microwaved popcorn made the day before=YUCK!

OurWildKingdom

lnixon8 said:

How will the popcorn bar work? Will you have a caterer running it? I like popcorn too but the # of times I've gotten a "he popped the question"/ "moms ready to pop" shower favors with microwaved popcorn made the day before=YUCK!

Can you rent a popcorn popper and set out toppings?

Knottiebe85946e22852765

We were planning on buying 3 or 4 different flavors of popcorn, and then several different toppings, like m&ms and such.  No caterer running it, just checking up on it throughout the reception.  I don't like the "he popped the question" displays, we just really like popcorn... lol.

kaos16

If you can't have it popped fresh at the venue, I wouldn't bother.  You have a lot of other food options and I think you'll end up with a lot of waste.

If you can fresh pop, It could be cute to have near something else, like the guest book or photobooth that people will gravitate towards and grab a bag!

ei34

Ditto PP that if you can't find a vendor to serve it fresh-popped, I wouldn't bother.  The two times I repeatedly see popcorn served at weddings is during cocktail hour, at a "ballpark" station with sliders and mini hotdogs- it's fresh popped and served in little bags.  The other is during Viennese Hour- there'll be an old-fashioned ice cream soda station, with candy apples, popcorn, etc...carnival treats. 

At weddings in my area, it's pretty standard to have most of your entree wrapped in a doggie bag because you're too full from the cocktail hour feast to finish it, so no, I don't think you're having too much food.

kwiksilver

Many rentals companies do rent out popcorn machines.  It's actually not that difficult to use one (I used to run one at our high school for the canteen) and you can make up a few little containers of the oil, kernels, and seasoning, so someone just has to dump it in and turn it on whenever it starts to get low.

SP29

I don't think it's too much food. I would have a popcorn bar either during cocktail hour (unless this is when your apps are being served) or for a late night buffet during the dance portion- something to snack on later at night.

I agree that I would opt for freshness with popcorn.

MesmrEwe

My only thought is cut the smores - the reason being I've yet to see the marshmallows come out anything but dried out.  I'd much rather have some fresh popcorn later in the evening (starting after the cake is served) especially if you've got some bags that I can take some along for the ride home...

lnixon8

KwikSilver said:

Many rentals companies do rent out popcorn machines.  It's actually not that difficult to use one (I used to run one at our high school for the canteen) and you can make up a few little containers of the oil, kernels, and seasoning, so someone just has to dump it in and turn it on whenever it starts to get low.

She would still have to hire someone to run it. I would not risk spilling butter on the most expensive piece of clothing I own just because I like popcorn.

cowgirl8238

I think you have plenty of food either way.  If you do both love popcorn, I would hire someone to watch the machine and serve it after the cake towards the end of the reception.  [We had a dessert bar and provided goodie bags so that people could take the desserts home as a favor.  Everyone loved it and we didn't have a ton left over.] I would prefer a fresh popped popcorn bag over a single smore in a jar that I may not even eat because I don't have a place to make smores!!!!!!

southernbelle0915

Can you do popcorn as your favor? Chicago style popcorn (caramel and cheddar) doesn't need to be fresh popped and is delicious.

A machine and bar with toppings sounds cool in theory, but I think it would be expensive, messy, take up a ton of floor space, and make your venue smell like a movie theater.

OurWildKingdom

MesmrEwe said:

My only thought is cut the smores - the reason being I've yet to see the marshmallows come out anything but dried out.  I'd much rather have some fresh popcorn later in the evening (starting after the cake is served) especially if you've got some bags that I can take some along for the ride home...

How about a s'mores snack mix like @ShesSoCold suggested here:

http://forums.theknot.com/discussion/1073785/smore-favors#latest

knottie78c11d9fe14972fa

No one to really running the bar might as well don't do it

southernbelle0915

knottie78c11d9fe14972fa said:

No one to really running the bar might as well don't do it

LondonLisa

I agree with PP. I don't think it is too much, but unless you are going to do this properly (have a caterer manage it) I think you will be wasting money. The absolute last thing you will want to be doing is popping popcorn and refilling bowls whilst everyone else is having fun on the dance floor. 

Microwave some popcorn, leave it out for 24 hours and come back to it- I bet you will be really disappointed with the results. 

If you both love popcorn so much, I agree to either fresh pop or use the sweet popcorn that has toffee/ chocolate to help preserve it.  You can always have some popcorn later in your hotel room just the 2 of you. 

levioosa

knottie78c11d9fe14972fa said:

No one to really running the bar might as well don't do it

Um.......that's a problem.  You need to hire a bartender unless you like tons of liability and a messy bar top.  

geebee908

knottie78c11d9fe14972fa said:

No one to really running the bar might as well don't do it

Am I the only one who has no idea what she's trying to say here?

levioosa

geebee908 said:

knottie78c11d9fe14972fa said:

No one to really running the bar might as well don't do it

Am I the only one who has no idea what she's trying to say here?

Reading fail on my part (maybe?). My brain fixed it to read, "No one is really running the bar so I might as well skip it."

No idea if that was what she meant to say.

geebee908

@levioosa, thanks for the interpretation. My brain wasn't doing anything for me with that.

DrillSergeantCat

I think it depends on what kind of popcorn you're thinking. If you're wanting hot, buttered popcorn, you need someone to be cooking that. If you're wanting candy coated popcorn in your wedding colors, go for it. BUT, I'd make it your favor. 

ScottishSarah

Wait, do people host BOTH popcorn bars AND appetisers?  Mind. Blown.  

Is this one of these fancy weddings that have someone to push the on switch on the coffee maker as well?

ScottishSarah

Oh I would have the popcorn in lieu of a late night snack.