Serving H'or deurves in Place of Dinner?!?!

Atrainor0202 · February 2010

HELP!!!!

We are trying to create a mingle atmosphere and want to serve h'or deurves in place of dinner. Ceremony starting at 4:30, Reception 5-9.
This is not a cost saver, it is just a preference so that people are moving around.

Looking at serving 10 h'or duerves, about 20+ pieces, will have passed and stationed.

Question is if this is enough?? Will state in the invitation.

Anyone been to a wedding set up like this??

Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Thank you,
Adrienne

danieliza1127 · February 2010

Our reception was just like that. We had about 15 pieces per person of heavy appetizers. We didn't specifically note it on the invitation since it was going to be enough food to constitute dinner, although it's perfectly fine if you do. Be sure to still have tables and chairs for everyone because even though people will get up and mingle, they will still want a place to call their own.

Atrainor0202 · February 2010

I will add the XP for the next time, thank you, I was not aware.

Thanks for the above!

CCBelle · February 2010

I went to a "stations" wedding once before, and it was awful. They did not have enought seating (I guess to encourage mingling) so I was standing in 4" heels for 3 hours straight. All the older guests grabbed seats and never vacated them for fear of losing them. They had a couple of carving stations, which was nice, but it was difficult to juggle fork and knife and little plate along with a glass of wine. To be honest, I left with aching feet and we got take-out pizza on the way home as we were still hungry.

That being said, it can certainly be done correctly. Having enought tables/chairs is a start! And really think about how guests are going to be eating the apps to make sure they are comfortable. GL!

Atrainor0202 · February 2010

Thanks for the advice! Will keep in mind!!

tracy_k · February 2010

Posted this on another thread but I think it bears repeating.

I'm doing a station reception, cocktail style, and we are not providing seating for everyone. We'll have table seating for a little more than half our guests, plus a number of elbow-height cocktail tables, some armchairs and low tables, etc.

Other than dinner parties, I don't think I've ever been to a party where there were seats for everyone to be seated all at one time, yet somehow we all managed to have a good time, even in heels. I'm not worried about it in the slightest.

You have to know your guests, like anything else... our list is primarily our friends, we don't have tons of older folks (and we are providing some reserved seating for the few older folks that will be there).

trix1223 · February 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_serving-hor-deurves-place-of-dinner?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:66fc86aa-f709-4a79-84e5-66dc5b8dbf40Post:0c3b5c16-1506-47ca-a219-6f4851452129">Re: Serving H'or deurves in Place of Dinner?!?!</a>:
[QUOTE]Posted this on another thread but I think it bears repeating. I'm doing a station reception, cocktail style, and we are not providing seating for everyone. We'll have table seating for a little more than half our guests, plus a number of elbow-height cocktail tables, some armchairs and low tables, etc. Other than dinner parties, I don't think I've ever been to a party where there were seats for everyone to be seated all at one time, yet somehow we all managed to have a good time, even in heels. I'm not worried about it in the slightest. :) You have to know your guests, like anything else... our list is primarily our friends, we don't have tons of older folks (and we are providing some reserved seating for the few older folks that will be there).
Posted by tracy_k[/QUOTE]

Well, if that's what you want to do, it's your party. Just be prepared for about 1/2 of your guests to leave early. If I didn't have a place to sit, and I was expected to stand, in heels, juggling a plate with food, a glass of wine, my wrap, my purse, my camera.....I'd be heading out.

Lasairiona · February 2010

A plated meal is the equivalent of 6-8 heavy appetizers. 15-20+ heavy appetizers per person is recommended for dinner. If someone goes hungry after eating that spread, it is their own fault, not yours. Also, on your invite, just call it dinner since that is what it is. If you call it appetizers or a cocktail reception, people have a bizarre tendency to think that you will be starving them, even if you provide a huge spread of food, and they will eat a full meal beforehand so that they don't have any room for what you are offering them.

However you do need to make sure there is seating for each and every guest. Otherwise, you will offend people to the point that they leave early.

Blueyed228 · February 2010

I would definatly make sure you have enough seats. Especialy since you are having a long reception. No one wants to have to stand in heels for that long.

I also would make sure you have a variety of apps that everyone would like. Personally I usually skip the passed apps because im a picky eater and dont like fish, sauces, etc. I would also include the dinner plan somewhere in your invite. If I saw appetizer reception on the invite I would make sure I ate a little something before hand in case I got there and didnt eat what you offered. But thats just me, and i know im the exception with my picky-ness.

CCBelle · February 2010

<div align="left">In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_serving-hor-deurves-place-of-dinner?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:66fc86aa-f709-4a79-84e5-66dc5b8dbf40Post:0c3b5c16-1506-47ca-a219-6f4851452129">Re: Serving H'or deurves in Place of Dinner?!?!</a>:
[QUOTE]Posted this on another thread but I think it bears repeating. I'm doing a station reception, cocktail style, and we are not providing seating for everyone. We'll have table seating for a little more than half our guests, plus a number of elbow-height cocktail tables, some armchairs and low tables, etc. Other than dinner parties, I don't think I've ever been to a party where there were seats for everyone to be seated all at one time, yet somehow we all managed to have a good time, even in heels. <strong>I'm not worried about it in the slightest. :)</strong> You have to know your guests, like anything else... our list is primarily our friends, we don't have tons of older folks (and we are providing some reserved seating for the few older folks that will be there).
Posted by tracy_k[/QUOTE]

Glad you're not worried about your guests being uncomfortable or having a bad time! I had 2 mutual friends (who attended the previous "stations" wedding that I spoke of) say to me when I got engaged "I do't' care what you do for your wedding as long is there is enough food and chairs!"</div>

zippityb · February 2010

I am doing a cocktail reception and not a sit down dinner. In addition to a couple of seated tables for the elderly guests, we are also doing bar-height cocktail tables with barstools and lounge seating with ottomans and stuff. You can seat a LOT of people on those things. Plus we will have folding chairs from the ceremony if those need to be brought down.

I plan on being on the dancefloor for a lot of the night, and am guessing that a lot of my guests will be as well. My planner has assured me that people will be happy.

tracy_k · February 2010

Good thing none of y'all are invited then. Heh.

My friends are all totally psyched to attend and looking forward to it, and they all know the deal as I wanted to make sure people weren't expecting the usual sit-down thing. My fiance was the best man in a wedding just like ours and the guests were partying right up until the end. Like I said, I am not worried about it in the slightest.

People leave weddings early for lots of reasons, I'm not expecting the older folks or some of the folks wtih kids at home to stay the entire time, it's a late reception(goes until 11).

By the time dinner is over, most people will be on the dance floor, and those that aren't probably wouldn't have been planning to stay for the entire time anyway.

Also? Don't accuse me of not caring whether my guests are comfortable or having a good time. Not only is it not true, it's just a stupid thing to say. I've never thrown a party where people didn't have a good time, and I've never had seating for every guest at all times, so you do the math.

Different scenarios work for different people... it might not work for you but it works just fine for me, and I'm sure it'll work just fine for others. There's a certain "groupthink" mindset on some of these boards that I find a bit silly.

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