An Hors D'Ouvres-Only Reception: Tacky or Tasty?

kbott84

I've been hunting around for venues for a few months now, pretty set on just going with a place that features their own caterer AND I had my heart set on a buffet.

I love the idea of a buffet because I know for me, I love a variety.  But this one venue has an hors d'ouvres option that might be swaying me.  Tell me what you think, here's the quick breakdown:

They let you choose 6 HDs from a nice selection of hot and cold.
Comes with a stationary station of fruits and veggies.
You can choose a cuisine station (risotto, salad, pasta- all are pretty heavy-sounding)
You also get a carving station (pork, beef, turkey).

The main reason I'm seriously considering this is because the price difference is pretty amazing. $87 per person for food and 4-hour open bar, as opposed to $102 for a buffet and bar.

The savings is nice, but I don't want my guests to go home hungry!

Anyone ever considered this as an option?  Anyone ever been to a reception that did this, and if so, what did you think?  Help! 

lyndausvi

Hors D'Ouvres only is not tacky. However you need to make sure you have enough food or the time of day.     If it's meal time you should have 15-17 pieces of food per person.

NYCMercedes

Your plan is perfect. I like stations as there are no lines. It sounds like plenty of food.

Weezy56

As long as it's enough food to equal a meal (if your reception is at a mealtime), then you are good

Emanons

I have been to several hors d'ouvres only receptions.   The sucessful  ones had plenty of seating, appetizer sized portions, and appropriate silverware.     

The unsuccessful ones wanted people to juggle a drink, a plate of food and silverware without either seating or a perch to put down a plate.  Another unsuccessful hors d'oeuvres only reception served oversized appetizers that needed cutting but didn't provide silverware to do the cutting. I am a vegetarian and another unsuccessful forgot to serve sufficient food for vegetarians.   

reppunzel

Tasty and delicious!  As PP have said, be sure there's enough food for a full meal if your reception is a mealtime and that there is plenty of seating and silverware (something like pasta or carved meat will need both), and maybe have the drinks on the table.  I grew up in the South where cake-and-punch receptions are common, usually without tables, per se, just some chairs and a mingly-standing up sort of atmosphere.  Problem is, once you have a plate in one hand and a cup in the other, you are effectively paralyzed unless you have the skill and dexterity to carefully eat off of a plate balanced on top of your cup ...

Sounds like a great option!

Jen4948

As long as you have enough food and it's being held at an appropriate time of day (not during a meal time), an hors d'oeuvres reception would be very nice.

Ella and Pedro

We're doing this type of reception.  We have our menu designed thus:

7-8 pm Cocktail Hour:
Tabled Appetizers -
1. olives, herbed olive oil, breads
2. cheeses, figs, grapes, crackers, foccacia
3. sliced apricots, plums, peaches, nectarines, and berries
4. boursin dip sauce in a cup with sliced red pepper, artichoke hearts and baby carrots with stem/leaves

Passed Appetizers-
vegetarian deviled eggs
vegetarian mac n cheese with black truffle, on asian spoon
vegan chick pea fritters with chili pepper glaze
vegan asparagus soup shooters with grilled asparagus garnish
vegetarian goat cheese tartlet topped with cherry compote

Dinner 8-9 pm (Small Plate Tapas Style Entrees):

Chef Station #1 - Chicken, Duck, and Pasta
1. duck wellington (duck breast in puff pastry)
2. chicken picatta in ramekins
3. black bean-chicken eggrolls with avacado/tomato/roasted corn salad
4. thai style tea-smoked chicken and ginger lettuce wraps
5. spicy jamaican jerk chicken with roasted carrot 'flower' garnish
6. vegetarian freshly made cheese tortellini with pesto/alfredo sauce

Chef Station #2- Beef, Pork, Lamb
1. lamb meatballs with greek yogurt sauce, middle eastern spices
2. ham, apple, arugula white flat bread pizza
3. steak au poive on wide crustini with horseradish dressing
4. mini sausage, baby pea, and potato empanadas with tomatillo and vidalia onion jam

Chef Station #3- Fish and Seafood
1. salmon en croute - fresh salmon steak prepared with diced fresh chive, wild honey, and lavender in a pastry wrap
2. coconut shrimp
3. maryland blue crab cakes with remoulade sauce
4. bacon-wrapped scallops with burre blanc sauce

Dessert - 9:00-9:45
Ice Cream Sundae Buffet (4 flavors ice cream, 10 toppings)
6 Choices of Wedding Cake (coconut, dulce de leche, chocolate with semi-sweet chocolate mousse, white cake with raspberry preserves, lemon with lemon curd, and hazelnut with hazelnut mousse and chocolate ganache)
Champagne and Prosecco for the Toast


Hmmm...my computer is not letting me bold and underline as I would like.  Sorry for the weird formatting.

Hope this helps?