Late Night Reeption Snack

abilifyme

I have heard of some receptions where the bride/groom served a late night snack (i.e around 10 or 11) to guests, which I think is nice.  Some ideas I have seen are mini burgers and small cups of fries, cookies, miniature pizzas.  My FMIL is paying for the catering (she is using Whole Foods) and feels that serving people that late is uncessary.  However our reception will likely last until around 1 AM and I'm thinking that adt'l food might be just what the doctor ordered come 11 or so.

Is anyone else doing this?

SHAMRK34

We are totally doing the late night snack!
We are actually having the after party in my dad's big back yard which is just a stone's throw away from our venue and we plan on that going pretty late..our thought is to do french fries and (this may sound wierd) Irish sausages..a lot of our family will be over from Ireland and we both love these little morsels of goodness..so we figure it would be a good idea..
We may also do mini quesadillas and mini sliders..not sure exactly

Future Mrs. Pase

I totally get where you are coming from.  One thing I heard from a wedding that I unfortunately couldn't attend was that as you left the reception you were handed a McDonalds kids meal!  How cool is that? 

deborah2121

I totally LOVE this idea!  My FMIL and own parents are aghast at the idea.  IMHO and experience, I think our parents age group turn to night caps (aka scotch, bourbon, etc.---this is my dad's priority for late night at my reception---gross!) and don't understand how absolutely glorifying fries, hamburgers, pizza, sausages, quesadillas, McDonald's kid meal, etc. are at the end of a long night of fun and drinking.


Our reception only goes until 11:00, but I feel like I should give the drunk people some greasy food on their way out along with some desserts for those who would rather some sweets...but I have to work with my venue.  We are contemplating doing late night sliders or pizza and chinese food at the hotel...have to look at costs. 

The biggest argument I am using which you could try on your FMIL is food will help to soak up some alcohol..(.but then my dad thinks it will help people be able to drink more).  Perhaps, abilifyme, you should go out one night with her, have some wine and share with her a night of snacks to help sway her!

soxgal12

We are totally doing this!  I love the idea.  One thing to consider is that you would probably want to order enough for about 1/2 the people in attendance as many will leave early or just not eat.  This will cut down on the cost as well!

abilifyme

Yes, yes...this is exactly where I'm coming from as well (the idea of soaking up alcohol).  What better way to sober up at the end of an evening than with comfort snacks (i.e. pizza, burgers, etc)?  However when it comes to my FMIL and even my own mom, i might as well have suggested that we serve potato sticks and saltines.  This is something I def want to do, even if my FI and I have to fund it ourselves.  For a certainty, Whole Foods doesn't serve this type of fare.  We'll see how it goes.

LoveAdopted

I think this is a great idea if you think your guests will appreciate the gesture and eat the food. I was at a wedding a year ago where all kinds of desserts and snacks were brought out, but it didn't seem like very much was eaten. It was, however, my family who brought all the food (backyard wedding) so there was like 15 things to choose from.

deborah2121

Loveadopted reminded me of this....thx!

I was at a wedding last year that had an AMAZING late night buffet---lobsters, a pig, etc. etc, and apparently they ate the food after that day for a while.  The reception went until 1:00, and there was food all night long!  I think I ate myself sober and then felt sick...and I didn't even touch the late night stuff.  My main point---if there is food all night long, the late night stuff may not be needed because people won't reach that point of wishing they had food. Does that make sense?  HTH!

Karen's MOH

I LOVE this idea too. I was at a wedding where they brought out pulled pork sliders and mini burgers, plus fries, I think, late into the night and it was awesome. It was a really long wedding so it had been a long time since dinner, or at least it felt that way. I wanted to do it at mine but my caterer thought that people will be way to full (my reception will end at 10) and it would be better at an after party. Depending where the after party will be, I might try to have something there. It was probably my favorite little touch at any wedding I have been too

melpfaff

We did this at my wedding, and it was a big hit.  One thing to think of is you won't need as many as you do for pre-reception hors d'oerves.  Some people will retire early, are stuffed, don't eat greasy food, etc.  We did chicken fingers, mozerella sticks, and pigs in a blanket.  I think tying it to a culture (like the Irish sausages), how you met (like Fenway), HM location, etc. can also make it fun.

BostonGirl82

I love the idea of a late night menu! We would love to do something, but since we are paying for the wedding ourselves, it all depends on how well we do with our budget. We are thinking pizzas and fries (and now chicken fingers sound delicious as well). I just think it is a great way to end a night of drinking.

SummerBoston10

We are doing this!!  We plan to have sliders and french fries served in a cone so that they are easy to eat while standing up/walking around. 

NewportBride710

We're doing this too! We've been to weddings were it's been done and were it hasn't. We just found it a nice touch to help absorb  all that alcohol! Also, it had been about 5 hours since we had last had something to eat and will all that dancing, we were starving!

We're planning on doing sliders, fries and mini shakes. ( Vegetarian option, I think pizza) 

jowens020

Yes, I think this is a great idea...I was at a wedding this fall that served grill cheese and potato chips it was great!  And too funny Shamrck about the Irish sausages....we will probably end up haviing those as well:)

BostonBride919

We did "fenway favorites" -

Jumbo Warm Pretzels with Spicy Mustard and Honey Mustard

Miniature Fenway Franks in a Puff Pastry

Miniature Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers

French Fries served in Miniature Boxes

Everyone said they were really good, but I never even saw them as I was on the dance floor! I suggest having your DJ announce it or something bc the whole group of us dancing like crazy never knew they came out - They were butler passed around the tables and aroudn the dance floor... I missed out!

LexiMS

Our reception ends at 10, we are considering having an ice cream truck outside when people leave, but it might be overkill because we are having cake, dessert and a cookie buffet for favors.  Whole Foods can totally do this type of food, I wouldnt worry about that, my favorite meal from their Hot Food Bar is tomato soup and tater tots.  At least in the ones here (currently living in chicago) they have pizza, quesadillas, and a nacho bar, the bigger ones have a "grill" with burgers and shakes.

eeyore4771

I can see it being a good idea, but I recently went to a wedding where they brought out mini desserts around 10pm or so (went until midnight) and it was barely touched and it was right next to the dance floor so it wasn't as if people didn't see it or know it was there.  It was a pretty good spread so they probably spend a decent amount of money on it.  I even love desserts and didn't take any since I was so stuffed from dinner.  Even if I had done that at my own wedding I wouldn't have had anything since I ate so much earlier between the three course meal and the cake.  Plus I probably wouldn't have wanted to leave the dance floor to eat.  That's just my opinion, though.  I think it all depends on the timing of your meal and reception and what you think your crowd is like.  HTH!

dlv888

I was hoping to work something out with our venue so we can have SMORES!    Who doesn't love a good smore, especially after a long night of dancing?!? 

abilifyme

I'm loving the idea of mini grilled cheese sandwhiches and mini hot dogs too.  Does anyone know where I could go to have these types of snacks brought in and catered?

MCarmine

We're going to have a late night donut and coffee bar. We will have Dunkin Donuts Box of Joe coffee and a few dozen donuts. Drunk people love donuts and coffee and it adds a little New England flair.

abilifyme

Donuts and coffee...cute idea!