Food delivery timing

aerinpegadrak

Our ceremony and reception are both happening in a large hotel suite.  Here's our current timeline:

6:30pm: Return to hotel from photo tour, relax and snack
7:30pm: Ceremony begins
7:45ish: Recessional out into the hallway.  Formal family shots in hall, with people coming out as needed.  Food and drinks in the suite.
8:15ish: Photographer returns to room, B&G take a breather, then return to room to start reception.

So here's my issue: The caterer needs half an hour to get set up.  The chafing dishes are only really designed to heat for two hours, and we have the bartender until 10pm.  Would it be better to have them come set up at about 7:00 and start the ceremony as soon as they're done, or to have them come in as soon as the ceremony is over?  (If they don't come until after, we would have some snack trays set out for the "cocktail hour.") 

Unfortunately I think the guests are going to be around for the setup regardless, I'm just not sure when it's going to work best.

poopoo2829

You need to ask yourself these questions (or your caterer if you dont know the answers):

Do you have room in the suite to set up the food before and accommodate all your guests comfortably?

Will your food hold up well if left in a chafing dish for an hour or so before you eat? Fish wont, bbq meatballs will.

Chafing dishes have sterno that last up to 2 hours. You can change the sterno when it burns out, so keeping the chafers hot is not the issue. Food quality should be the concern. Lots of food just wont hold up well if left in a hot chafer for too long. I would probably have the food set up after the ceremony is over, while you are having pics taken. Keep in mind that a suite full of people will probably make set up take longer than if the room were empty so plan a little extra set up time.

Hope that helps.
Ginny

ExpatPumpkin

Have your catering people come in and prep the suite before any of the guests arrive.  The chafing dishes, plates, etc. should all be set up in advance.  The bar as well...  (And your decor, if you're decorating the suite.) 

Everything should be ready to go - just without the food/beverages - before the guests arrive.

Then have the food brought in and put into the chafing dishes when it's time to serve.  Voila

aerinpegadrak

That's a really good idea, Expat.  I'll call my caterer and see if that's an option.  The decorating will happen while we and the WP are out doing our photo tour pre-ceremony, so perhaps they could drop off everything but the food in the afternoon, then come back at 7:45 with just the food.  Brilliant!  We have the suite all day, and the night before too, so hopefully we can find a time that will work.