Hors d'oeuvres only reception?

lmalcolm259

How do you feel about the idea? There would be a wide selection of light and heavy foods, and a dessert bar afterwards. Any thoughts?

Jen4948

Depends on what time of day this takes place.

It would probably work best between about 4 and 6pm or after 8pm.  From 12 to 2pm and from 6 to 8pm you would respectively need to serve lunch or dinner, and from 2pm to 4pm, a dessert reception is probably the best way to go.

Peavy

As long as you have enough food to equate a meal if your reception is during a meal time, you are fine.  If that's not what you're thinking, then have your ceremony begin at 2P, 230P or 3P, so the reception will be over by dinner time.

s-aries8990

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_hors-doeuvres-only-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:e0dc6c8b-aa57-48c0-b5b9-f9ec387960dbPost:8b8b5123-f155-4384-967f-540b3393fd56">Hors d'oeuvres only reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]How do you feel about the idea? There would be a wide selection of light and heavy foods, and a dessert bar afterwards. Any thoughts?
Posted by lmalcolm259[/QUOTE]

I say go for it and include heavy & light as well as hot & cold. If it will be at a meal time you may also want to add 1 or 2 small plate stations- sliders, pasta, stir fry, carving station, mashed potato bar etc to allow for a bigger "bite" as even a bunch of 2-bite spanakopita isn't enough for me sometimes. I also suggest a salad station. I went to a wedding with a cocktail reception that had a pasta bar and the pasta bar was a hit.

- I feel like the pasta bar and mashed potato bar give you more fill/dollar, but don't do both of them together- too many carbs. Maybe do like a mashed potato martini bar and a short ribs station (plates can be pre-filled so guests don't think it's a full meal type thing)

MyNameIsNot

If it's enough food to make a meal (as in pasta station, carving station, etc for heavy apps), you can do it at any time of day.  

If it's more of cocktail hour amounts of food, it needs to be at a non-meal time.  I would start around 2-3.  (I don't know where PP gets the idea that 2-4 should be desserts.)  

Viczaesar

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_hors-doeuvres-only-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:e0dc6c8b-aa57-48c0-b5b9-f9ec387960dbPost:1e525936-b3c5-412d-a324-8ff708ebd6f7">Re: Hors d'oeuvres only reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]If it's enough food to make a meal (as in pasta station, carving station, etc for heavy apps), you can do it at any time of day.   If it's more of cocktail hour amounts of food, it needs to be at a non-meal time.  I would start around 2-3.  (I don't know where PP gets the idea that 2-4 should be desserts.)  
Posted by MyNameIsNot[/QUOTE]
This.  And I'm going to point out that a lot of people underestimate how many appetizers it takes to really take the place of a meal. 

Jen4948

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_hors-doeuvres-only-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:e0dc6c8b-aa57-48c0-b5b9-f9ec387960dbPost:1e525936-b3c5-412d-a324-8ff708ebd6f7">Re: Hors d'oeuvres only reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]If it's enough food to make a meal (as in pasta station, carving station, etc for heavy apps), you can do it at any time of day.   If it's more of cocktail hour amounts of food, it needs to be at a non-meal time.  I would start around 2-3.  (I don't know where PP gets the idea that 2-4 should be desserts.)  
Posted by MyNameIsNot[/QUOTE]

As many people eat lunch between 12 and 2pm, so from 2 to 4pm, it's right after a major meal.  People might not be ready for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres again so soon after lunch because they're full.  Something lighter, and dessert can be, makes more sense right after a major meal.