hor dourves or buffet?

SarahAmanda88 · October 2011

I am having a November wedding at 4 pm. The reception beings immediately after the ceremony with just a short drive to the venue, so I'd say people will arrive at about 4:45. I am completely stuck on what to serve! I am on a budget and originally I thought that hor dourves would be cheaper and would be reasonable for this time of day, but at second glance, I could do a southern buffet for the same or a little more. The wedding is traditional and semi-formal. The quality of the hor dourves would be better overall (sausage balls, crab cakes, etc.) but would be less filling than a buffet, and I would be worried that guests would leave the reception early to "eat a real dinner". The buffet, however, would consist of Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, cole slaw, cobbler, and tea/water. Being fron Tennessee, I thought the majority of my guests would like it, but I feel bad not having more variety and the food isn't exactly formal (but does it need to be?). Any advice?

MelissaC315 · October 2011

Definitely the buffet b/c people will be at your reception during dinner time. They will most likely be hungry and expect a full meal. Unless you serve heavy apps like a dozen+ per person?

cmp1986 · October 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_hor-dourves-buffet?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:23Discussion:71f89ace-ec71-4e37-bcb9-ba0253857d99Post:82337083-210f-4bc3-82ad-9cfbb9cf34c4">Re: hor dourves or buffet?</a>:
[QUOTE]Definitely the buffet b/c people will be at your reception during dinner time. They will most likely be hungry and expect a full meal. Unless you serve heavy apps like a dozen+ per person?
Posted by MelissaC315[/QUOTE]
I agree! If you are having it at dinner time, then you should serve dinner.

FaithCaitlin · October 2011

I'd go for the buffet. IMO, you should be serving dinner and that buffet sounds delicious!!

juma1111 · October 2011

Go for the buffet. It is supper time and IMO that means a supper should be served, and it sound yummy to me. I would rather have deliciously simple food, than fancy food I wouldn't want to eat.

NOLAbridealmost · October 2011

I'd prefer the hors d'oeuvres honestly. See if you can supplement high-ticket items like crab cakes with cheaper things like bruschetta, chicken fingers on a skewer, etc. to provide enough pieces per person to constitute a meal. Add something hearty like a mashed potato bar and you're golden.

Peavy · October 2011

If you want the wedding to be more on the formal side, I think that heavy hors d'oeurves are a better bet than the buffet as long as you have enough to constitute a meal. While the fried chicken sounds good, it is a more casual meal to me. If you can change the fried chicken to some other type of chicken dish, and switch out the cole slaw for another vegetable or salad, then I think you can go with the buffet.

yolanda159 · October 2011

New here. I just had my VERY small wedding it was amazing=) i did everything separeate, the venue, chairs, plates etc. and the bar was included but not the cake nor the food. everything i did was on a LOW budget so i was looking for food for really cheap like under $50 ... let me tell you it took me a LONG time but i did... i was refered this lady by a friend that did a wedding for a person she knew for $15-$20 a plate (buffet style) one main dish and 2 sides i coulnt belive it i was sceptical at first because she did everything at her house and she wasnt well known (SHE SHOULD BE!!!!) AND thinking the food was ganna be bad but i did a food tasting it was AMAZING!!! I had dominican food OMG my guests wanted her number lol... and the food was HOT and she provided the utencils for the food as well. she put the food in these buffet servers that she came back to the hotel and picked up witch i didnt mind wat would i do with them lol? buffet IMO is the best... from my expirence

demandala · October 2011

I'm getting married also in Nov on a small island. If we don't feed them they will go hungry as you pretty much have to stay on the island after the wedding. I had the same quesion and went with heavy hor dourves as I could offer more options which i t hought would make more people happy. Being a bit of a foodie I had to have certain items that not eveyone loves like I do. (lamb lollypops being one) We are going to start with a passed salad so there should not be a rush to the tables.

[Deleted User] · October 2011

I went to an hors d'oerves only wedding once. It was at 5pm on a Friday and nobody knew there wouldn't be a meal. EVERYBODY was starving and most people couldn't take it anymore so left several hours early. FI and I held out for quite a while, but eventually left because we were hungry. By the time we left not many guests were still there and the reception still had another hour or 2 to go.

I say go with the buffet. Don't worry about the style of food. Most people like comfort foods and I know a lot of people that would like your menu better than the "traditional" menu.

kbn22273 · October 2011

i'd say buffet simply because of the time of day.

hor dourves or buffet?

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