Wait, is my wedding at a meal time?

DaniBites · October 2014

I was reading the boards and realized my cocktail hour starts at eight and the dinner reception starts at nine. Is this too late to do a seated dinner? I have a pretty heavy cocktail hour.

bahamabride2015 · October 2014

Seems a bit late but I also think it's a cultural thing. Most of my experience has been with dinners starting between 7 and 8 but was at a Croatian wedding once where it started at 10. By then I have to say I was pretty much too full to eat with a heavy cocktail hour before to fill up on. I didn't get anywhere near the dessert.

DaniBites · October 2014

Yeah, I was curious if it would be better to skip the plated dinner (which sucks because they have amazing food) and put that saved money toward a couple of extra stations at the cocktail hour and more desserts. My cocktail hour is already rather extreme:

BUTLER STYLE PASSED HORS D'OEUVRES

INCLUDED ON SILVER SERVICE:

Filet Mignon Brochettes

Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Franks in Blankets

Salmon Mousse in Endive

Vegetable Tempura

Scallops Wrapped with Bacon

Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel

Tomato and Basil Bruschetta

Baked Clams Oreganata

Quiche Lorraine

Mini Chicken Kabobs

MEDITTERANEAN ANTIPASTO TABLE:

Sliced Displays of Imported Genoa Salami

Soppressata

Ham Capicola

Pepperoni

Imported Greek Kalamata Olives and Cracked Sicilian Olives

Marinated Bocconcini Mozzarella

Imported Sharp Provolone

Pepperoncini Peppers

Marinated Artichokes

Gardineria

Marinated Mushrooms

Fresh Roasted Garlic

Sundried Tomatoes

Green Bean Salad

Cold Calamari Seafood Salad

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Spices

* Served with Pita Points and Sesame Breadsticks *

TRADITIONAL COLD TABLE DISPLAYS:

Sculptured Watermelon and Sliced Fresh Fruit Display

International Wine and Cheese Display with English Water Crackers

Tri-Color Fusilli Pasta with Crabmeat

Deviled Eggs with Caviar

Fresh Vegetable Crudite Basket with Dips

Waldorf Salad

* Served with Seasoned Flatbreads *

HOT CHAFING DISHES: (I still have to pick eight of these)

Calamari and Scungilli Marinara

Eggplant Rollatini

Moussaka

Shrimp Scampi

Chicken Piccata

Coq Au Vin

Keilbasi and Sauerkraut

Spicy Seafood Creole

Petite Stuffed Cabbage

Sausage with Peppers and Onions

Sweet and Sour Hawaiian Chicken

Chicken Marsala

Honeycomb Tripe

Pierogies

Pepper Steak

Mussels Marinara

Seafood Paella

Fried Calamari

Beef and Broccoli Teriyaki

Veal and Peppers

Chicken Teriyaki

Rice Pilaf

Fresh Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Oil

ATTENDED CARVING STATION:

Seared London Broil Au Jus

Whole Roast Suckling Pig Flambe

PASTA STATION:

Linguini with White Clam Sauce

Cheese Tortellini Primavera

Ziti Filetto di Pomodoro

* Served with Warm Homemade Focaccia Bread *

We're also having an oyster / clam bar.

Given the time and how much food there is at the cocktail, could I reasonably not do a sit down dinner? I'd probably upgrade to a full raw bar and add a sushi bar with the saved money.

Sorry for the long food list!

ETA: I think my cocktail package also comes with a cheese and wine pairing station.

LittlePeachBlossom · October 2014

DaniBites said:

Yeah, I was curious if it would be better to skip the plated dinner (which sucks because they have amazing food) and put that saved money toward a couple of extra stations at the cocktail hour and more desserts. My cocktail hour is already rather extreme:

BUTLER STYLE PASSED HORS D'OEUVRES
INCLUDED ON SILVER SERVICE:
Filet Mignon Brochettes
Stuffed Mushroom Caps
Franks in Blankets
Salmon Mousse in Endive
Vegetable Tempura
Scallops Wrapped with Bacon
Smoked Salmon on Pumpernickel
Tomato and Basil Bruschetta
Baked Clams Oreganata
Quiche Lorraine
Mini Chicken Kabobs

MEDITTERANEAN ANTIPASTO TABLE:
Sliced Displays of Imported Genoa Salami
Soppressata
Ham Capicola
Pepperoni
Imported Greek Kalamata Olives and Cracked Sicilian Olives
Marinated Bocconcini Mozzarella
Imported Sharp Provolone
Pepperoncini Peppers
Marinated Artichokes
Gardineria
Marinated Mushrooms
Fresh Roasted Garlic
Sundried Tomatoes
Green Bean Salad
Cold Calamari Seafood Salad
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Spices
* Served with Pita Points and Sesame Breadsticks *

TRADITIONAL COLD TABLE DISPLAYS:
Sculptured Watermelon and Sliced Fresh Fruit Display
International Wine and Cheese Display with English Water Crackers
Tri-Color Fusilli Pasta with Crabmeat
Deviled Eggs with Caviar
Fresh Vegetable Crudite Basket with Dips
Waldorf Salad
* Served with Seasoned Flatbreads *

HOT CHAFING DISHES: (I still have to pick eight of these)
Calamari and Scungilli Marinara
Eggplant Rollatini
Moussaka
Shrimp Scampi
Chicken Piccata
Coq Au Vin
Keilbasi and Sauerkraut
Spicy Seafood Creole
Petite Stuffed Cabbage
Sausage with Peppers and Onions
Sweet and Sour Hawaiian Chicken
Chicken Marsala
Honeycomb Tripe
Pierogies
Pepper Steak
Mussels Marinara
Seafood Paella
Fried Calamari
Beef and Broccoli Teriyaki
Veal and Peppers
Chicken Teriyaki
Rice Pilaf
Fresh Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Oil

ATTENDED CARVING STATION:
Seared London Broil Au Jus
Whole Roast Suckling Pig Flambe

PASTA STATION:
Linguini with White Clam Sauce
Cheese Tortellini Primavera
Ziti Filetto di Pomodoro
* Served with Warm Homemade Focaccia Bread *

We're also having an oyster / clam bar.

Given the time and how much food there is at the cocktail, could I reasonably not do a sit down dinner? I'd probably upgrade to a full raw bar and add a sushi bar with the saved money.

Sorry for the long food list!

ETA: I think my cocktail package also comes with a cheese and wine pairing station.

I don't know. It's a late dinner but I'd still expect to be fed. A cocktail hour isn't going to be enough. You can have all the food in the world but in the end it's still only an hour. People will be grazing and mingling, not likely to be eating so much to hold them up for the rest of the night. Plus they'll be drinking for the next 4+ hours. If you can do a cocktail reception, that'd probably be a good compromise in this situation. But limiting food to 1 hr of appetizers at a 5+ hour party presumably with an open bar is a big risk.

southernbelle0915 · October 2014

That's a shit load of food. Are those all the options available or are you actually having all that?

Personally, I think that's plenty of food. You have entree-like options (e.g. pasta, steak, chicken) so if someone hasn't eaten dinner, they can certainly make a meal out of this and all your other options. I don't think you need the raw bar.

Your event doesn't start until 8pm, correct? If so, I do not think you need to have a seated dinner.

DaniBites · October 2014

Southern Belle- yes that's what will be at the cocktail hour (except for the chafing dishes, I pick eight of those). My timeline is:

7:30 ceremony

8:00 cocktail hour

9:00 reception, which will go to 1am

I'm not sure about the timing of the dinner in the reception, I remember the last wedding I went to the seated dinner was about an hour into the reception. If that's the norm, by dinner would be at 10pm. I just think that's way late for a seated dinner especially given the amount of food at the cocktail hour. We also have a lot of dessert, the cake, Italian pasteries, an espresso and cordial bar, and a three foot cherry pie (FI wants it...it's a flambe they light on fire. I just feel I have to explain why there will be a three foot cherry pie.)

The raw bar is something FI and I really wanted for ourselves, I'm a pescatarian and he loves raw clams

lyndausvi · October 2014

In my world it's not too late.

cafarrie · October 2014

Personally, I would do just the apps and no dinner. I HATE eating that late and dinner always takes longer that you expect. If that's the case, the "party" part of the reception wouldn't even start til after 10. I think that's too late.

snarkymaid · October 2014

Could you turn the separate cocktail hour and reception into a cocktail style reception and have the cocktail hour food available longer? That's what I would do at that hour. You have enough heavy apps to make a meal. You could have food available from 8 to 10 (or whatever time you expect dinner to run through), then maybe a few passed apps throughout the night to keep people full and absorb the alcohol as the night goes on.

cafarrie · October 2014

snarkymaid said:

Could you turn the separate cocktail hour and reception into a cocktail style reception and have the cocktail hour food available longer? That's what I would do at that hour. You have enough heavy apps to make a meal. You could have food available from 8 to 10 (or whatever time you expect dinner to run through), then maybe a few passed apps throughout the night to keep people full and absorb the alcohol as the night goes on.

SIB:
This would be perfect IMO

JoanE2012 · November 2014

I think the cocktail food is perfect....definitely plenty. I'd just make sure to extend it throughout the night, not just that one hour.

hyechica81 · November 2014

with all that food i thought you were also feeding me dinner with the carving stations could you do small plates for the appz and for the stuff like the carving station and pasta offer dinner size plates have the food last for a few hours into the reception and then maybe take some of the thing on the menu and ask them to be brought out at a later time like late night bites. i noticed the stuff you have listed for the chaffing dishes is more like meal food and not finger so maybe dinner plates for those

i got married in june this was my time line ceremony started at 5 at my church lasted until 6 we left to take photos at the park down the street from 6-7 reception started at 7 we had a choice of 6 passed appz then they had a cheese and veggie table with crackers stuff olives etc we were introduced around 8 we did our dance sat down food started to come out we had two salad courses pasta course plated with family style meatballs then dinner which ran late and did not end till like after ten. we did the father daughter dance mom/son and then cake cutting, toss, and garter we had about 2 and a half hours left to dance

JennyColada · November 2014

I would be ALL OVER that oyster bar and antipasto bar.

I'd much rather be allowed to fill up on those than have to save myself for dinner.

klk111415 · November 2014

If I were you, I would find a way to extend the cocktail hour into the reception which would allow guests to eat throughout the night- but skip the plated dinner. Maybe do a Viennese hour also?

I like the idea of being able to eat if you want to eat, or dance if you want to dance.

One wedding I went to had an extravagant cocktail hour and guests actually thought it was the reception and were so full that they could barely eat the 5 course meal that followed.

DaniBites · November 2014

Thanks for the suggestions

I love the idea of spreading cocktail hour, but I'm not sure I can since another wedding will be taking place the same day. If this is something they can accommodate I think it's the best option. Maybe have them save the passed apps until later in the night and have them passed in the reception room rather than the cocktail room?

esstee33 · November 2014

kk111415 said:

If I were you, I would find a way to extend the cocktail hour into the reception which would allow guests to eat throughout the night- but skip the plated dinner. Maybe do a Viennese hour also?

I like the idea of being able to eat if you want to eat, or dance if you want to dance.

One wedding I went to had an extravagant cocktail hour and guests actually thought it was the reception and were so full that they could barely eat the 5 course meal that followed.

Oooh, yeah, with the apps she mentioned above, this would be me. I probably wouldn't even be able to move myself to a dinner table with this many delicious apps being offered.

I definitely don't think a plated dinner is necessary with this many filling apps.

snarkymaid · November 2014

DaniBites said:

Thanks for the suggestions

I love the idea of spreading cocktail hour, but I'm not sure I can since another wedding will be taking place the same day. If this is something they can accommodate I think it's the best option. Maybe have them save the passed apps until later in the night and have them passed in the reception room rather than the cocktail room?

Why don't you just move everything into the reception room? You don't need to break it up if you're going to serve the cocktail hour food for an extended period of time. Just do it all in the reception room.

Wait, is my wedding at a meal time?

Re: Wait, is my wedding at a meal time?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards