Appetizers/ late night snacks

ktwagner21

Just trying to find out what the most common is.  We are leaning towards just drinks during cocktail hour since we will have a nice favor with food in at the tables, and our social hour will be about an hour.  We are leaning towards putting out late night snacks, because our location has an Italian Deli attached to it and the have the best pizza ever.  Plus we are also planning on inviting co-workers and parents co-workers to reception only.  Is this tacky or becoming more common?

topchef33

I think if you're inviting people to the reception you should invite them to the ceremony.

If the ceremony was private, only you and parents let's say, then it might be acceptable.

PIzza sounds fun, but ditto pp...make sure they're bite size. You don't want people eating greasy slices of pizza in their nice clothes.

tenofcups4me

I consider a late night snack completely optional (and have never actually seen one), while hors d'oeuvres at the cocktail hour are a must to my mind. So no question that I'd have the hors d'oeuvres over the late night snack.

jessicabessica

While a late night snack would be a nice surprise for guests, I think people will be put off by having no food during the cocktail hour.  Are you saying that you expect them to go to their tables and eat their favors if they're hungry during cocktail hour?  I don't think that's a good substitute. 

Also, as PPs have mentioned, inviting some guests to the reception only when you're not having a totally private ceremony isn't ideal.  You kind of need to decide how big of a wedding you want to have and can afford to have, and then invite everyone.  If you think that people can't/won't come to the ceremony, you should still invite them and let them decide that rather than inviting them to the reception only. 

Milsey32

1) Invite guests to both ceremony & reception
2) Have food during cocktail hour... or else I'll get drunk faster. 

3) There's nothing wrong with a late night snack... people are always happy to eat more.

ktwagner21

Thanks ladies... The people being invited to the dance only are my mothers coworkers fathers co workers etc... They all want to come but if we invited them to the full dinner i would be looking at 800 people.  I think my mother has told her co-workers that they could simply come to the dance and they were okay with it...  And yes the pizza is going to be cut  in squares I thought about that last night..  But now here comes my next question.  How much food then should I put out at social hour?

AbbeyS2011

You need at least cheese and crackers at the cocktail hour.  Some fresh fruit is also a good idea.  Speak with your caterer about portions and how much pp you would need. 

artfulmemory

When we had our local art gallery here, we often had cocktail events.  Someone always brought cheese and crackers, some people brought some sweet things, some brought chips and dip.  But the biggest hit BY FAR were the sausage balls.  They went great with the drinks and did a good job of curbing hunger pains before dinner.

Allycat11

You need to feed people during cocktail hour.  Usually people are getting hungry at that point and alcohol on an empty stomach is not a brilliant idea.  I also get crabby when I'm hungry and would make a terrible wedding guest.  Now,  a late night snack is nice, but usually people are stuffed at that point...and at some weddings there may not even be enough people left when it is served so it is really more optional than appetizers. 

saric83

I agree with PP about having at least something small, like a cheese tray, out during the cocktail hour.  But that aside, I LOVE when weddings have the late-night snacks.  It's so nice, and I've seen everything from more formal apps to pizza to White Castle crave case (I'm not a fan, but, wow, did that go over well with people) to cookies and milk, and I've always heard people raving about all of it.