Menu Change Last minute

Michelle-1010

So FI and I have decided not to serve BBQ with all the sides for our reception since our # is nearly half what we invited. Our ceremony is at 2 in the afternoon which puts our reception starting around 3-3:30. We figured most people will have eaten before the ceremony and will not want to sit down for a large meal in the late afternoon. So now we are doing something small but hopefully filling. I was thinking appetizers such as vegatable trays, fruit trays and cold cut trays.Any other suggestions as to what else to serve or seen any ideas that have worked well?

kmmssg

How long are you wanting people to stay?  Are you serving alcohol?  Is there dancing too?

2dBride

The only question is whether guests will be expecting to eat at the reception, and thus will not have eaten much before it in anticipation.  If the original invitations were written on the assumption that it was going to be a barbecue, is there time to let people know about the change?

ExpatPumpkin

I will eat a full meal at any time of the day. I'm not sure why having less people at the reception equals no meal... On the contrary, now that you have less guests, why don't you upgrade your food and drinks? Or at least stick to the original menu. If you want people to stick around for more than an hour or two, you need to feed them. I've never been to a wedding that didn't serve a full meal - even at 3PM - so I wouldn't worry about people not eating.

lyndausvi

I do not get why less people now means no meal?  I'm assuming you did not change your wedding time because of less people. Right?It just does not make sense to me?  It's like saying.  Hey if more people are coming we were going to spend a lot of money on food... But now since only a few of you decided to come, we are going to cheap out.fwiw - In my world a meal is always expected regardless of time of day. 

sillynut

I think half the people that you invited are going to show up, Gives you a great chance to serve them a better meal if you want, not cut it down.   Id eat a full meal anytime of day too.

duckie1905

Upgrade the meal for the guests that are coming.  Like the others I'm not really sure why less guests=less food. And, if your reception starts at 3:30, after the cocktail hour it will be 4:30, and that is a meal time.  I would expect a full meal and what your suggesting would not be a full meal for me or most of the people I know. If your wedding is going to be over by 5-5:30 then maybe you can get away with it.

bingham101

I do not see anything wrong with finger foods. I wouldn't expect people to stay too late though. If you want them to be there until 9:00 dancing you should probably serve a full mean. Does your caterer have anything for less than 50 people? It might not come with the full service the orginal quote came with, but smaller functions are catered all the time.