Supper after the wedding?

mElizabeth72

I'm considering not doing a supper after the wedding. Just wondering what you guys think of this and if it's a typical thing to do, and how I would go about doing something like this? Would it be better do have the wedding in the afternoon then have a reception later on in the evening with finger foods, rather then a sit down meal? So that way people have time to go and eat and come back to party!

beardownbchs

Yes. If you don't do a full dinner, you cannot have your wedding during a normal meal time. If you do like 2:00 then you can do cake and punch, maybe even a cheese and cracker tray. But then it needs to be wrapped up by about 5:00, so it wouldn't be much of a "party" atmosphere. If any part of your wedding crosses into meal time (11-1, 5-8) then you need to have a full meal. You could also do it later, like 8:00 but then if you're having a bar and dancing and such, I'd suggest having some heavier foods to..offset the booze. 

Another option would be a brunch wedding. Brunch foods are definitely cheaper than dinner foods. 

freebread03

It sounds like you're proposing having a gap between the ceremony and the reception so that you don't have to feed your guests dinner.  Unfortunately, doing so would be considered rude, and you're also likely to lose people in between-a lot of people wouldnt want to have to go home and THEN come back, and they might not.  Either have your ceremony and reception at a non-meal time, and do hors'd'ouvres, or feed your guests a full meal at a meal time.

Viczaesar

No gaps.  Gaps are rude.

AddieCake

Ditto PPs. You can't expect your guests to go feed themselves and then come back for a party later just so you don't have to pay to feed them much.

beardownbchs

Yeah I must have skipped a line when I read it (got my widsom teeth out today so I'm on pain pills) - a gap of any kind is rude. A gap so your guests go to feed themselves becuase you don't want to pay to feed them and then come back is crazy rude. I'd be willing to bet that the majority of people wouldn't come back. 

mlg78

A large number of people won't attend your wedding and will only attend the reception...  Gaps, especially purposely with the intention of them eating on their own, are very rude.

Jen4948

A gap for the purposes of avoiding serving guests a full meal would be rude.  If you want not to serve a full meal, then you need to hold your wedding at a time of day when a reception immediately after allows for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres instead.

QueerFemme

Have an afternoon ceremony with cake, punch and finger foods at 2pm.  Have the reception end at 5 or no later than 6pm.

Or have your cermony at 8pm and have your reception over by 11pm.   Don't host an afternoon ceremony and then start your reception at 6 or something.  It should all be one event. Not two events because you don't want to feed people.

kmmssg

Ditto cmgilpin.  You can't send them on their way to fend for themselves for dinner and then expect them to come back.  Have a 2 pm wedding followed by cake and punch and some savory snacks and call it an afternoon.  Otherwise, you need to feed them dinner.   Please, do not, under any circumstances, expect them to go feed themselves and come back.

Pookieson

No gaps.  Gaps are awful.  What if you did a cocktail reception?  Have it later in the evening and then serve appetizers (this can still be very pricey) so if you are trying to conserve your budget, I ditto all of the PP on cake and punch.

alithebride

oh geeze. dont have a 4 hour gap so that your guests can leave your ceremony, go feed themselves, and then show up a little later for a few chips and lemonade (not that that's what you'd serve but you get the idea).

have a mid-afternoon cake reception immediately after the ceremony

dont cheap out on your guests. serve them a fantastic meal appropriate for the time of day.

jennyd412

I have never heard of a wedding without a full meal until I joined TK. No matter what time the wedding is meals are usually expected. That being said, if you plan to cut out a meal. You need to let guests know and also make it a shorter party. Otherwise, people wil leave early to eat.