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Need advice for afternoon reception menu

RNLurkerRNLurker
First Comment
in Wedding Cakes & Food Forum
Hi everyone. I'm still debating what to do for our reception. My current thought is to have an afternoon wedding and reception in a hotel. Ideally I'd like it to start around 1:30-2 pm and end by 5pm. We are on a tight tight budget. My inspiration is a autumn tea party theme. I do not want dancing or any of the typical speeches.

This is what I am thinking as far as a menu, all served buffet style:

Salad bar with all toppings and assorted dressings
Soup (various choices- we'll probably go with chicken noodle)
Rolls and butter
Assorted cookies and pasteries
Wedding cake
Hot tea, ice tea, coffee, and soft drinks
Champage toast (We'd like to skip open bar or even just wine/beer for budget reasons)

This menu can be done for around $25/pp including all taxes, charges, room rental fees, and gratuities.

Would you like to attend this wedding? Honest feedback please!
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Re: Need advice for afternoon reception menu

  • NOLAbridealmostNOLAbridealmost member
    5 Love Its Name Dropper Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Does the 25 dollars a person cover the cost of  anything other than the food?  If so that sounds like a good deal, but otherwise I think you're kind of being ripped off for 25 dollars a person for soup, salad and cake. 

    But regardless of the price that sounds lovely for an afternoon wedding. You might even consider doing it on a Sunday afternoon. 
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  • RebeccaB88RebeccaB88 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    Agree that $25pp is a total ripoff if things like linens, flatware, plates, serving pieces, and all delivery, setup, and takedown aren't covered.  You could do better.

    When I think 'tea party', I don't think soup and salad.  I think more snacky type stuff.  If you want to stick with the $25pp budget, you should be able to do more for that.  Deli trays (good ones) with condiments and dollar size rolls, cheese and fruit displays, veggies and dips, crackers with spreads, plus a few bite sized appetizers like stuffed mushrooms, mini quiches, or meatballs.  Then have cake or cupcakes as well.  You could also easily limit alcohol to beer and wine, or serve mimosas, or not even have it at all and do coffee, punch, lemonade, iced tea, and flavored waters.  That would say 'tea party' to me.
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  • Magdala9Magdala9 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Soup and salad are not very much in line with a tea party as others have said.  Tea parties typically mean tea sandwiches.  The traditional English tea sandwiches are cucumber, bread and butter, cream cheese and chutney, and strawberry jam.  

    Mulled apple cider could be a nice fall addition.  
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  • TurtlesAllTheWayDownTurtlesAllTheWayDown member
    First Comment Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_need-advice-afternoon-reception-menu?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:8316f74c-b685-4312-8a01-1ede737d8342Post:f80e0114-5e76-4112-8a92-576b5be15e13">Re: Need advice for afternoon reception menu</a>:
    [QUOTE]Agree that $25pp is a total ripoff if things like linens, flatware, plates, serving pieces, and all delivery, setup, and takedown aren't covered.  You could do better. When I think 'tea party', I don't think soup and salad.  I think more snacky type stuff.  If you want to stick with the $25pp budget, you should be able to do more for that.  Deli trays (good ones) with condiments and dollar size rolls, cheese and fruit displays, veggies and dips, crackers with spreads, plus a few bite sized appetizers like stuffed mushrooms, mini quiches, or meatballs.  Then have cake or cupcakes as well.  You could also easily limit alcohol to beer and wine, or serve mimosas, or not even have it at all and do coffee, punch, lemonade, iced tea, and flavored waters.  That would say 'tea party' to me.
    Posted by RebeccaB88[/QUOTE]


    Agreed. I'd lean towards finger sandwiches, a cheese tray, veggies, fruit, plus the pastries/cake. I also don't think champagne is necessary. Maybe sparkling cider.
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  • AbbeyS2011AbbeyS2011 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Soup + wedding dress = disaster!    Just my opinion, but soup somehow always makes it way to my shirt, even on a good day. 

    I agree with PPs - that seems awfully pricey for such a light luncheon type buffet.  I cannot honestly say I have ever been to a wedding that served soup, unless it was a formal dinner type of reception.  I think snacky type finger foods would be a much better option, and I would think you could get a better variety for your $25 pp charge. 

    We are planning a 2 pm wedding, with a 2:45 - 6 pm reception, and we are serving finger foods such as:  cheese/cracker trays, relish trays(pickles, olives, peppers), vegetable trays, fruit trays, deviled eggs,mini sandwiches,  chicken salad in mini puff pastry shells,cole slaw,  coffee, tea, lemonade, and beer.

    HTH and Happy Planning!
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  • RNLurkerRNLurker
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    The $25/pp includes food, drinks, linens, stemware, flatware, a buffet attendant, servers, champagne toast, wedding cake, room rental, cleanup, taxes, service charges, and gratuity. I think that is a pretty good deal.
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  • RebeccaB88RebeccaB88 member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    Okay, if it includes all that, it's a pretty good deal.  I was reading it as just for food.  But I still don't get the soup and salad as tea party fare. I probably wouldn't eat anything.  I spill a lot, and soup and salad (dressing) always ends up on my chest. 
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  • BlueBoxBrideBlueBoxBride member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Does everyone like poultry? Will there be a vegetarian soup option as well?
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  • TurtlesAllTheWayDownTurtlesAllTheWayDown member
    First Comment Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    I served soup, but it was a plated dinner as the second course (after salad, before entree). It's not really something you want to eat while moving around or mingling.

    The price is great, I'd just see if they could substitute other dishes.
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  • Muffin'sMomMuffin'sMom
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    The idea is fine...but not really tea party.  Tea party is finger sandwiches, pastries, scones, cookies, etc.  If you want to do the soup and salad thing with a fall theme then you could do butternut squash soup or a spicy tomato.  If you want a chicken soup, maybe a chicken and wild rice or chicken tortilla.  Those noodles are dangerous!  The salad could have fall elements like apples, cranberries or goat cheese.  You could try corn muffins instead of rolls too!
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