Too Much Food?

TiffanyT816

I changed venues and went from having heavy apps to a full, plated dinner. My day of food wise will look like this:

- Apps/open bar when guests arrive up to a half hour before the ceremony starts (4:30 - 5)
- Ceremony starts at 5
- Cocktail "hour" (it will actually be less than an hour - will include apps, we'll only have about 2-4 app choices though) 5:20 - 6
- Dinner at 6pm (salad, soup, sorbet to cleanse the pallet and choice of chicken, steak, salmon or pasta served with a starch side (potatoes) and veggies (mixed veggies))
- Cake cutting at 8pm (we're doing cupcakes for everyone in addition to small cheesecakes, cake pops, brownies in case folks decide not to have a cupcake and prefer something different (these additional choices won't have 50 (number of guests) each, just about 2 dozen of each)
The venue provides bar food for those dancing/drinking quite a bit (think mini corn dogs, sliders, etc.) starting at about 9pm or earlier if we choose.
A candy buffet will also be provided by the venue and will be available throughout the evening

I will also have an open bar (beer and wine) throughout the night. Guests need to depart the venue no later than 11pm.

What are your thoughts? We went for a tasting and the food is amazing however, I was SO full. I'm worried about it being too much food. I also love that the venue has all meat choices available that day, so people do not have to RSVP their food choice. I think this is a great touch because I never know what I want to eat a month in advance.

What would your thoughts be if you came to a wedding with this much food? Should I get rid of anything? I want the apps available as people will likely be coming from work and I want them to not be starving (think hangry ) during my ceremony.

The venue is also providing a champagne brunch for the BP while we get ready. We have the venue for 12 hours, from 11 to 11.

MrsKathyC

I think it sounds awesome! I love weddings with a plated meal!

TiffanyT816

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_too-much-food?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:23Discussion:717b6350-7cad-49e0-a02e-ca1595c3178dPost:a0adf093-fe9d-492b-a874-ef3b6176e11e">Re: Too Much Food?</a>:
[QUOTE]I think it sounds awesome! I love weddings with a plated meal!
Posted by MrsKathyC[/QUOTE]

Thanks! I love the plated meal idea. We had the option for a grand buffet or plated (same cost for either one), I think plated is much more formal. Which, is what I'm now going for. :)

Peavy

That is a lot of food!  Can you save money if you eliminate some of the courses?  For instance, you have salad, soup and sorbet.  People have just been eating apps for an hour, so I think you can lose the soup and sorbet.  I also think you don't need that many dessert choices, two at most should do it.  When there are several dessert choices offered, people tend to sample everything.  I also think you could eliminate the bar food, but if you want it, 9P seems too early to offer it.  People will just have finished their meal at 7 and their dessert half an hour ago.

TiffanyT816

Thanks! All of the food is inclusive in my venue cost. The sorbet is to cleanse the palet prior to the main course coming out, something the venue does. I can possibly skip the soup.

Thanks for the advice about the dessert options, two would actually work well. FI is the one stuck on cheesecake

I'll have to ask about the timing for the bar food. Since we have to be done by 11, maybe 9:30, 10 at latest they can bring it out.

TiffanyT816

We initially were going to start our ceremony at 6, but that was before I changed my venue and the old venue was open until midnight. This one, we have to be out by 11pm and there is no exception to this rule.

I'm sending STD's out in October with hopes that will give family enough time to take time off work, etc. if necessary.
Our wedding will only have 50 guests, so it will be small. Most are local but there is a handful that will be coming in from out of town, those ones would take time off of work anyway. Even if we did the original venue and started at 6, some guests may have to take time off of work. In my experiences, weddings are a big deal and most of my family/friends will do what they have to do to make it.

Thanks for the feedback though. I thought about not doing a Friday a few times, but I love the idea of the Friday. Then we and our guests still have the rest of our weekend in addition to the evening start time, which I love. Not to mention the savings of doing a Friday. Having such a small guest list also helps.

rlavach

Ton of food?? Not in my opinion. That's about right, or possibly less than what you normally see around me. We had buffet, so we had basically all you had, plus 4 stations during dinner & an ice cream bar after cupcakes. I don't think it's too much at all. Think about it, people will be dancing and drinking. You don't want to go light on the food & have people be tipsy or hungry. I know that it may be a regional difference, but I'd actually suggest more during the cocktail hour since they're serving alcohol. 2 apps isn't much. 

lyndausvi

doesn't sound like too much food to me.  I think I had about the same or a little more

NOLAbridealmost

Definitely not too much.  You could skip the sorbet if anything.

jessicabessica

Another vote for definitely not too much food.  While you were stuffed after the tasting, guests may not eat everything if they don't like the soup or something, and you weren't up and dancing in between courses at your tasting (I assume).

TiffanyT816

Thanks for the feedback!! Glad it's not too much! The food is amazing and I love the little extras that come with the venue, so, I'll leave it as is. Thanks again!!!