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Is this enough for a "midnight" snack?

yellowrose314yellowrose314 member
100 Comments 25 Love Its Second Anniversary Name Dropper
in Wedding Cakes & Food Forum
We put in our food order yesterday with the caterer. We aren't serving food at cocktail hour, as it was nixed by my mother, who's paying for the wedding. She said it doesn't make sense to feed people before a 3 course meal :P. So instead we're having a "midnight" snack sort of deal around 9 30.

We ordered 4 dozen pulled pork sliders, 4 dozen veggie samosas, and veggie, cheese and cold cuts for 60 people (per platter). I wanted to get a few more types of snacks, but it was vetoed... I'm just worried this isn't going to be enough. My mom argued that the majority of the older people will have gone by then, as dinner ends at 7 30, so it will be enough for the younger people who stick around (we have about 90 people coming). I'm really tempted to go back and just order more myself and pay for it myself, I don't want to run out of snacks... advice?
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Re: Is this enough for a "midnight" snack?

  • jessicabessicajessicabessica member
    2500 Comments Third Anniversary 100 Love Its Name Dropper
    I think you need enough sliders and samosas for every guest to have at least one.  9:30 is not that late.  While some of your guests may have left already, I wouldn't count on half of them leaving.
      
    I also think you should push back on no food during cocktail hour or pay for it yourself.  Regardless of the etiquette, it's not a good idea to have people drinking for an hour on an empty stomach.  I have never been to a cocktail hour with no food, and I've been to lots of events with 3+ course meals.  
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  • Maggie0829Maggie0829 member
    Eighth Anniversary 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 25 Answers

    I agree with @jessicabessica about serving some type of food during cocktail hour.  Think about it.  If your wedding doesn't begin until 4:30pm (just guessing) then your guests most likely have not eaten anything since 12.  Your ceremony lasts a half hour and then they have an additional hour of no food until dinner at 6pm.  Needless to say if I were a guest I would be feeling pretty good after two drinks during cocktail hour without any type of food to snack on.

    You don't need anything fancy, just cheese, crackers, veggies and dip and maybe something hot like meatballs.  Just something that will act as an absorbant for any alcohol drank during cocktail hour.


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  • hyechica81hyechica81 member
    Knottie Warrior 1000 Comments 100 Love Its First Answer
    i would do a cocktail hour instead of the midnight snack everyone after a cermony expects to go to cocktail hour and drink and nibble on food until dinner is served.. weddings are things people remember for a long time and talk about it. id want them taking about how amazing my wedding was. not how bad it was. you are feeding your guests they want to be wowed. if a good percentage of your guest are cuples and they give u min 200 for a wedding gift and get a meal and drinks that more resembles a 30 dollar plate they are going to be very disapointed..

    i would go with food at cocktail hour and if you wanted to do a midnight type of snack maybe do a smores bar or some sweet treats to end the night
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  • itzMSitzMS member
    2500 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers First Anniversary

    What you have listed doesn't really sound like the typical "late night snack" fare I've seen in my area.

    Most often it is something much more simple. Pizzas. Nachos. Popcorn. Soft pretzels with mustard, cheese, or cinnamon sugar. Warm chocolate chip cookies with a gourmet coffee service.

    I doubt anyone would be too interested in the items you've listed within two hours of eating dinner.

    My vote is for skipping the late night snack entirely, or changing it to something more simple and paying for it yourself.

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  • yellowrose314yellowrose314 member
    100 Comments 25 Love Its Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    Sorry I should have clarified... our ceremony is at 5, with cocktail hour starting at 5 30, and dinner at 6, so I think that was factored into my mom's decision not to have food for the hour, and at the time I thought that was ok since there was only like an hour between the ceremony and dinner. Not to mention that we are having a 3 course plated dinner, with very generous portions. But yes, I'm thinking I'm going to bump up the amount of food for the snack, it doesn't seem like enough to me.
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  • JoanE2012JoanE2012 member
    5000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary 5 Answers
    To me, the best part of the wedding is the cocktail hour.  I'd pay for it out of my own pocket and skip the late night snack.   Or do the late night snack too, but just have it something simple, like cookies.
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  • daria24daria24 member
    2500 Comments 500 Love Its Third Anniversary First Answer
    Are late night snacks common in your area? I just ask because I've only seen it once, and the food was a complete waste because people weren't expecting it and they weren't hungry. Whereas all the cocktail hours I've seen, the food is devoured because people are starving. I'd much rather have food at cocktail hour.
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  • yellowrose314yellowrose314 member
    100 Comments 25 Love Its Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    I live in British Columbia, on the west coast. In my area and in my family, lots of traditions and customs are common that I've since learned are terrible etiquette; i.e. the dollar dance, gaps between the ceremony and reception, cash bars etc... but yes, in this area midnight snacks are more typical than food at cocktail hour, and the people invited to my wedding are pretty excited about it.
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  • Jen4948Jen4948 member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 25 Answers
    I think a cocktail hour with food is better than a "midnight snack."  I don't think I would stick around for a "midnight snack" but I'd need something to wash down my drink with.
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  • JoanE2012JoanE2012 member
    5000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary 5 Answers
    Sleeper2013 said:
    Are late night snacks common in your area? I just ask because I've only seen it once, and the food was a complete waste because people weren't expecting it and they weren't hungry. Whereas all the cocktail hours I've seen, the food is devoured because people are starving. I'd much rather have food at cocktail hour.
    I miss the geographic indicator! It provided so much insight into how to answer questions. :) I know in my area, late night snacks are more typical and cocktail hours are very unusual. I'm 31, the last of my friends to marry, and I've only been to one wedding that actually had a cocktail hour.
    @Sleeper2013 - @KnotPorscha had mentioned to me in mid-May that the locations and post counts were coming back and that it might be a few weeks.  Any updates KP?
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] admin
    500 Love Its 1000 Comments Fourth Anniversary 5 Answers
    @JoanE2012 Yes, that is still happening! The tech team is focusing on updating The Nest and The Bump right now, so we may not see them come back until July.
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  • michellemayawheelermichellemayawheeler member
    100 Comments 5 Love Its First Anniversary
    it sounds like you have a lot of food already..people are going to have be half sleep...provide something cheap donuts and bottle water
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  • yellowrose314yellowrose314 member
    100 Comments 25 Love Its Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    @michellemayawheeler If they had donuts I would definitely be serving them. Originally we wanted like mini bar food sorta deal: sliders, mini grilled cheese, french fries that sort of thing. But all they could provide were the pulled pork sliders. 
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  • southernredandwhite85southernredandwhite85 member
    100 Comments 25 Love Its First Anniversary Name Dropper
    I would opt for cocktail hour food v. late night snack food. My fiance's mother said they were at a wedding where a friend of hers had a few too many glasses of wine during cocktail hour, where no food was served, and she literally fell out of her chair as she sat down for dinner. You never want to serve booze without any food, for that reason alone.

    To me, it just makes more sense to have finger foods 2 hours before dinner v. 2 hours after dinner since people will clearly be hungry before dinner instead of afterward.
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  • BecauseYouAreBecauseYouAre member
    Fourth Anniversary 10 Comments Name Dropper 5 Love Its

    As far a midnight snack goes you should have at least one of each item for every guest. Yes some will have left others will be full from dinner but you have to plan for everyone. The worst thing is to have some guests going without.


    I know this isn't what you asked but hear me out (even show mom): I really think you need food with your cocktail hour. I doesn't need to be elaborate (veggies & dip, cheese & cracker trays). If you're serving alcohol for an hour and no food you're going to have some very drunk guests. If you want to skip food I'd head right into dinner with no cocktail hour. Even if guests aren't drinking much odds are they haven't eaten since early in the day, gotten ready, traveled, went to your ceremony, possibly traveled to the reception venue. Something should be served as soon as arriving at the reception as possible. IMO I think you're better off doing light snacks at the cocktail hour and skipping the late night snack. I think it'll even be more cost effective.


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