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Wedding Reception Forum
Hor'Deuovers Reception VS Meal Dilema
I'm having my wedding on NYE next year and for the reception instead of having a formal sit down meal, my fiance and I want to have an abundance of Hor'Deuovers family style and an Italian Soda bar instead of the usual liquor since we arn't drinkers. Does that make our wedding sound weird? Just very self concious about making that decision?
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Re: Hor'Deuovers Reception VS Meal Dilema
But it also depends on what time your reception will be ... I'm guessing that you want it to go to at least midnight, right? If you're starting late, like 9 or 10 p.m., then you don't need a TON of hors d'oeuvres. Just enough for people to snack on.
But if you're starting around maybe 7 or so, and plan to go until at least midnight, you're going to need enough hors d'oeuvres to constitute a meal. Anything more than about 3 hours and people need more substantial food than just snacks. You can certainly still do hors d'oeuvres, you just need more of them (like, maybe 12-15 pieces per person). You can also flesh out the menu with stations (meat carving station, pasta station, wok station, mashed potato bar, etc.) and stationary platters (fruit, vegetables, dips, cheese, bread and crackers, etc.) and then you won't need a ton of passed hors d'oeuvres.
The soda bar is fine. Alcohol isn't required for a wedding. Just remember that some crowds "expect" it, so if your crowd likes to drink (even if you and FI do not) then they might be bummed with not having a bar, or at least beer and wine. Especially on New Year's Eve. But even so, you're still not "required" to serve it. Just think about your crowd and go from there.
[QUOTE]Are your guests drinkers? On NYE you are going to get a lot of backlash for not offering alcohol.
Posted by MyNameIsNot[/QUOTE]
<div>This, exactly. Unless you're wedding is a lunchtime wedding and everyone goes home and does their own thing for NYE.</div>
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As far as which one to do, either is fine. If you''ve already booked a caterer, talk to them about the options and your budget and figure out what works best for you.
As far as the hors d'oeuvres, as long as you have plenty, you should be fine. MyNameIsNot makes an excellent point about getting dinner beforehand being very difficult (NYE is one of several nights I refuse to set foot in a restaurant), so you should try to make sure that your guests aren't going to be leaving hungry. We're doing our food cocktail style, but it's heavy food (crab stuffed mushrooms, mini sliders, terayaki chicken kabobs) and we're going ot have a ton of it.
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Sometimes I feel like people think that brides are delicate little flower princesses who get all dressed up and pretty for one special moment of their dreams, when really they're just normal people who just happen to be getting married. Things shouldn't have to be sugar-coated for grown-ass women. -mstar284
Either option for food would work well during the day. Talk to your caterer and see what kind of options they offer in your budget.
I think that doing it cocktail style would be fine, as long as you have plenty of food. I would specify on your invitations that it's a cocktail reception. I know if I were going to a lunchtime cocktail reception, I'd eat a heavier breakfast than normal so I wouldn't be as hungry.
This is a belated married bio, with no reviews yet because I'm lazy.
Sometimes I feel like people think that brides are delicate little flower princesses who get all dressed up and pretty for one special moment of their dreams, when really they're just normal people who just happen to be getting married. Things shouldn't have to be sugar-coated for grown-ass women. -mstar284
Planning/Married Biology
As for the menu itself, most people don't eat a full meal on NYE so heavy appetizers are fine. That is what people usually eat at NYE anyway. The fact that a wedding is taking place is irrelevant. A wedding does not require certain elements, despite what others may tell you. The only requirements are that you serve the basic refreshments that are appropriate for the timeframe and that you don't inconvenience your guests (lack of seating or making them pay for anything, etc).
That said, what you have planned is perfectly acceptable. The folks here are not attending your wedding so their opinions only apply to their guests. Your family and friends will be attending your wedding so what works for you and your guests is what you need to do. If that means not serving alcohol, then so be it.
I do find your timing a little inconvenient. I know a lot of people (myself included) who do not have off on NYE day. So some people will have to take off of work. That kind of sucks.
A lot of people also enjoy NYE night. I would be kind of annoyed going to a wedding earlier in the day and then celebrating NYE that night. That is a lot of partying for one day.
I just checked and NYE is a Friday that year. A lot of people work during the day on NYE. Could you shift it to Jan 2, after people have recouped from NYE so that it would fall on the weekend?
Planning/Married Biology