Wedding Reception Forum

Do I have to have food at the reception?

We are having a small ceremony with close friends and family. We will have a reception following for all of our extended friends and family in the evening. My question is do I have to provide meals for them? 

Re: Do I have to have food at the reception?

  • You need to host SOME kind of refreshments immediately following your ceremony, yes.
    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
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  •  What do you plan on having?  Drinks only?  I would just say think about this:  Have you ever gone to a function where only drinks were served?  Absolutely no food whatsoever seems strange to me.   Not even some chips, or peanuts, or pretzels, or cake/desserts?  Absolutely no food?
  • Are you asking if it is ok to have no food or if it is ok to not have a meal? I say it is ok to not have a meal but you should have some sort of snacks or appetizers or something.
  • You do have to provide food, in the correct meal or amount for the time of day of your reception.

    If your reception is at dinner time, then you need to serve dinner.  If it's after dinner (about 8pm), you need to serve appetizers and/or dessert with drinks.  You can serve strictly heavy appetizers during dinner time, as long as there are enough for everyone that they would be the equivalent of a full meal.

    But serving nothing whatsoever to people you have asked to take time out of their lives to be there for you at a very personal time for you would be extremely offensive-the height of rudeness.

  • enc5960enc5960 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2013
    Sorry-I plan on serving appetizers and such. I just was curious if it is okay not to serve a "meal". We really just want it to be a big fun party-
  • Depends what times these events are happening.  Anything that takes place during a typical meal time, needs to have a full meal served.  So what time are you thinking of for your ceremony and the evening reception?
  • enc5960 said:
    Sorry-I plan on serving appetizers and such. I just was curious if it is okay not to serve a "meal". We really just want it to be a big fun party-
    If it's a meal time, you need to serve a meal or enough apps to constitute a meal.  
  • enc5960 said:
    Sorry-I plan on serving appetizers and such. I just was curious if it is okay not to serve a "meal". We really just want it to be a big fun party-
    What time does your ceremony start?



  • I would say you don't "have" to, but it's the polite thing to do.
    Appetizers are fine...but people will be hungry and hungry guests are grumpy guests. It's fine to want it to be a fun party, but part of that is making sure that everyone feels taken care of.
  • As PPs have said, if it's not at a mealtime, you don't have to serve a meal.  

    However, I have 2 other issues with this:
    1. It sounds like your ceremony may be earlier in the day.  You should try not to have a gap in between the ceremony and the reception.
    2. You are not inviting everyone to the ceremony that is invited to the reception.  This is ok only if you're doing a truly small ceremony (immediate family only).  I don't think "close friends and family" really qualifies, and you risk offending the people who didn't make the cut to actually witness your marriage but got invited to the party.  
  • It depends on if your wedding is around a meal time, and how long you expect people to stay. I am having a 2 or 3 pm wedding, and will be serving dinner around 5pm. Having an earlier wedding would cut costs because of it being a different meal time, but even if it is not around meal time you should have some appetizers and refreshments. 
  • enc5960 said:
    Sorry-I plan on serving appetizers and such. I just was curious if it is okay not to serve a "meal". We really just want it to be a big fun party-
    As long as you don't span a meal time, apps only is fine.  The best time for this sort of event is beginning after 2 and wrapping up by 5-6.  You could also do late night, but then you can't start the ceremony until after 9:00.  

    If you are running into dinner time, you can serve apps only if it is heavy apps and enough to make a meal.  Many people opt for stations and so on to avoid the "seated meal" meal.  
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