Actual Dinner vs. Hors d'oeuvres

SSaltzman87 · February 2012

So, I'm researching caterers and it's occuring to me that I could potentially just do more hors d'oeuvres than our original buffet and here's why:

Our ceremony will start at 7. It'll only be about 20-30 minutes long since it won't be religious, nor are we doing anything real out of the ordinary. I imagine our receiving line won't take more than 20 minutes- so the earliest dinner would start would be at 7:45.

FI and I tend to eat dinner late around 7 or 8 on any typical night, but I know there are plenty of people that eat much earlier.

So question is, would it be okay if I focused more on hors d'oeuvres at that time- or should I stick with a dinner buffet? No matter the option, each would be set up like a buffet since the kitchen on site is a staging kitchen.

melb2013 · February 2012

It might be okay not serving dinner at that time of day. I love cocktail parties (that's what I really wanted to do, but got talked out of it), but I was planning on having it between lunch and dinner. You just have to think about whether people will have enough time to get dinner before the wedding.

SSaltzman87 · February 2012

I'd think they would be able to have dinner ahead of time if they wanted. My venue's in a metro area and happens to be by several restaurants. Also, most of my guests are from MN, not that many would be flying in.

melb2013 · February 2012

Then I'd say go for it! Maybe I'd consider moving the ceremony to 7:30. Sounds lovely. Will it be cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and dessert?

SSaltzman87 · February 2012

Can only serve beer and wine, so not quite on the cocktail part :-) but everything else, yes.

zubrod1 · February 2012

I was actually considering doing this, my ceremony is more in the afternoon though.

LB&SF · February 2012

If you want to go for it. But from the research I have done, Hors d'oeuvres only reception tend to cost more than a type of sit down or buffet. People tend to eat more of the hors d'oeuvres because they are smaller so your cost pp goes up.

Swazzle · February 2012

We're having an 'endless cocktail reception'. We get to choose 20 different hors d'oevres to be passed through out the night & while it doesn't sound like a lot of food I promise it is.

We had a tasting in November & we had 1 bite of 17 different hors d'oevres & we were so incredibly stuffed we could barely take a bite of the 'sit-down' portion of the tasting. If our guests eat dinner before they come to our wedding they will really be missing out.

FI & I are big pickers & dippers & our reception is revolving around dancing & having a good time so this option is really perfect for us. I like that the reception won't be like paused while everyone sits down to eat dinner. And the fact that they'll have an assortment of food rather than just beef, chicken, or fish, KWIM?

Swazzle · February 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_may-2013-weddings_actual-dinner-vs-hors-doeuvres?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:ea657a87-d1dc-4588-999f-31c9deeef720Discussion:f313df5a-649e-480b-aad1-6f904bdb252bPost:498a24c7-13a7-4594-a283-7f46a8253a6b">Re: Actual Dinner vs. Hors d'oeuvres</a>:
[QUOTE]If you want to go for it. But from the research I have done, Hors d'oeuvres only reception tend to cost more than a type of sit down or buffet. People tend to eat more of the hors d'oeuvres because they are smaller so your cost pp goes up.
Posted by LB&SF[/QUOTE]

<div>This is not true, at least not with my caterer. The sit-down dinner is more expensive than both the endless cocktail reception & the buffet. </div>

Beads921 · February 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_may-2013-weddings_actual-dinner-vs-hors-doeuvres?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:ea657a87-d1dc-4588-999f-31c9deeef720Discussion:f313df5a-649e-480b-aad1-6f904bdb252bPost:93487eb8-d020-4984-8bf0-6a087092cc65">Re: Actual Dinner vs. Hors d'oeuvres</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Actual Dinner vs. Hors d'oeuvres : This is not true, at least not with my caterer. The sit-down dinner is more expensive than both the endless cocktail reception & the buffet.
Posted by rdr716[/QUOTE]

Same with our (likely) venue/caterer. I think the cocktail reception is $20pp less than the sit-down dinner, and $10pp less than the buffet. It can be a great cost-saving option to skip a sit-down meal.

mymissingpuzzlepiece · February 2012

I always thought that a sit down dinner was the best option. But that is just my opinion, everyone has a different style.

SSaltzman87 · February 2012

For me, they're actually the same in cost (although it depends on what we choose). So I won't be saving much one way or the other. I was just asking based purely on the time.

Swazzle · February 2012

I don't necessarily think the timing matters, TBH. Our ceremony is at 5:30, our cocktail hour & reception begin at 6.

SRRL18 · February 2012

I think if your ceremony is set for 7 it's fine. People would have enough time to eat supper before hand, even if it's an early one. I love the idea of it since you can migle with your guests easier.

kristinathenina · February 2012

Maybe something in the middle? We are having a fajita bar, its more casual, and its only running $8 per person

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