Serve dinner or not?

Re: Serve dinner or not?

• lyndausvi mod

  

  April 2013

   Not that I eat at 5pm often, but it's still dinner time and IMO not to early.    

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  What differentiates an average host and a great host is anticipating unexpressed needs and wants of their guests.  Just because the want/need is not expressed, doesn't mean it wouldn't be appreciated. 
  

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• staar987 member

  

  April 2013 edited April 2013

  I would serve dinner. I eat dinner around 6 or 6:30 normally so unless you are planning on having a lot of hors d'oeuvres(enough to constitute a meal) serve a meal.
  
  I would have something light for people to snack on during cocktail hour because alcohol and empty stomachs don't go well together! Something like cheese and crackers or veggies and dip would be fine.
  
  You don't have to keep your guests entertained. Adults know how to mingle with others so it should be fine. Just keep in mind that receptions without dancing usually are shorter.
  
  ETA: Clarity

   

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• Maggie0829 member

  

  April 2013

  I would serve dinner.  IMO dinner time is anywhere from 5pm-8pm.
  
  Heck I even went to a wedding that started at 1:30pm, lasted a half hour and then served a full out dinner at 3pm.

  
  

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• winelover123 member

  

  April 2013

  Unless your reception is only going to be an hour long, I'd serve dinner. If your reception is 4 hours long, it would go from 4 - 8 PM which falls over dinner.

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• hyechica81 member

  

  April 2013

  u said they have no dance floor but are u having music at the reception you can always make a spot at the reception for dancing, is it an indoor or outdoor venue

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• megmcgoun member

  

  April 2013

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_serve-dinner-or-not?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:23Discussion:bd8f7907-d80d-4d7e-a1ea-c9b78be08ddbPost:4fecfead-5b63-4891-8591-29910ce03024">Re: Serve dinner or not?</a>:
  [QUOTE]u said they have no dance floor but are u having music at the reception you can always make a spot at the reception for dancing, is it an indoor or outdoor venue
  Posted by hyechica81[/QUOTE]
  
  We are having music (hopefully a band), but it will be held indoors at a room in the church. It's a very pretty space with lots of windows and a courtyard, but it is carpeted, so no space for a dancefloor.

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• jessicabessica member

  

  April 2013

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_serve-dinner-or-not?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:bd8f7907-d80d-4d7e-a1ea-c9b78be08ddbPost:7818aa98-f043-45c1-9ae0-0784d7f16251">Serve dinner or not?</a>:
  [QUOTE]Hi! I'm getting married this October and am really confused as to whether or not we should serve dinner or just heavy hors d'oeuvres? Our ceremony is at 3pm and will last about an hour and the reception will be right next door, so people can just walk over. Even if we do a cocktail hour from 4-5 (while we take our pictures), I feel like 5 pm is too early to serve dinner. If we decide on heavy hors d'oeuvres, are they served during the cocktail hour or at 5? If at 5, do we serve anything else during the cocktail hour? On a semi-related note: the reception room does not have a dance floor- <strong>how do we keep people entertained and not ready to leave early?</strong> Thanks!
  Posted by megmcgoun[/QUOTE]
  
  <div>To answer the bolded, serve dinner.  Guests will definitely be ready to leave early in search of food if it's getting to be dinner time for them (or their dinner time has passed, depends on the person) and you're not serving dinner.  </div>

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• donjoe2448 member

  

  April 2013

  If a full on dinner is in your budget, I would go with that.  And as for the dancing, have you looked into renting a dance floor? I know in my area there are rental places that rent out dance floors and you could just have some tables moved around and put the dance floor over the carpeting...... And even at that, who said a dance floor can't be carpeted? As long as there is an open area and a good beat, Im sure at least some people will want to dance!

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