How many Hors D'Oeuvers??

Knottie56231149 · July 2015

Hey all - newly engaged, planning a wedding for Fall 2017 for apx. 120 people. I'm noticing some menues give the option for picking between 4 to 6 different types of Hors D'Oeuvers (HD), from the hot and cold lists. This seems like a small number of HD. Is this typical for most venues?

Thanks!

-Sarah

huskypuppy14 · July 2015

Knottie56231149 said:

Hey all - newly engaged, planning a wedding for Fall 2017 for apx. 120 people. I'm noticing some menues give the option for picking between 4 to 6 different types of Hors D'Oeuvers (HD), from the hot and cold lists. This seems like a small number of HD. Is this typical for most venues?
Thanks!
-Sarah

I think that's pretty standard. I think we had 6 different passed apps. I've never seen more than that, but have seen as few as 3. That's usually in addition to a cheese platter or a crudite.

onefootinthebayou · July 2015

We had 8 but then again we were married in New Orleans where excess is the standard! We also had cheese/fruit/crudités platters & a couple of hot dips.

I only looked at 3 venues so have little input on what might be standard but I think 4-6 sounds great. I love food though so even 1 really good one before dinner would make me happy.

Also, congratulations & welcome!

MesmrEwe · July 2015

IMO - 4-6 is great if you're having an actual dinner to follow the apps, but if you're not 8 is the minimum I'd go with as no matter where you are, running out of food before all guests have been properly served is an etiquette no-no!!!

LD1970 · July 2015

I don't know that there is a standard number that fits all the way across the country.

We had 9 kinds of passed platters, 8 kinds of stationary cold platters 6 hot kinds of hors d'oeuvres in chafing dishes, 3 varieties of pasta at the pasta station, a raw bar, and one meat at the carving station for our cocktail hour, and I've seen more lavish than that, but this is "normal" for NJ.

dramamonkey · July 2015

In addition to our seated meal (incl salad & dinner) I think we had 3 passed and 3 stationary. As long as there are a lot of pieces (2-3 of each item per guest, you're fine.)

thisismynickname2 · July 2015

Are you looking at that just for cocktail hour or for a cocktail reception?

We chose 4 passed apps for cocktail hour from a hot and cold list. I think the rule of thumb for cocktail hour is 3 or 4 per person total. We had a five course meal and dessert bar after that though.

Maggie0829 · July 2015

I think we had 4 apps in addition to two stations consisting of veggies/dip and cheese/bread.

4 to 6 app choices is pretty standard if you are also serving a full meal. Remember these apps are only for ONE hour so they aren't meant to completely fill up your guests stomach, but rather provide a nice taste for them to snack on while they are waiting for dinner.

Just make sure that with passed apps that you make sure the servers keep their trays full and that they make sure that they circulate around the room well. Nothing is more irritating then having to track down servers to get an app because they don't circulate well or their trays are empty.

charcoalandblush · July 2015

We're only having 3 apps, all passed, with enough for each person to have 4ish total (not 4 of each app). 6 seems like a lot.

Jen4948 · July 2015

4 to 6 appetizers sounds normal for a cocktail reception. If you're doing this in lieu of a meal, then I'd expand the number of appetizers to around 8 to 10.

lyndausvi · July 2015

4-6 would be a standard for a cocktail hour package. Most places allow you to add.

We had 4 hot and 4 cold passed. Then we had a cheese and crudite display. Then we had a full raw bar with clams, mussels, crabs, sushi and I feel like even more stuff. The 4 hot/4 cold were part of the package. Everything else was additional.

PrettyGirlLost · July 2015

4-6 different passed apps seems typical for a cocktail hour.

novella1186 · July 2015

We had something like 4 passed and 3 stationed, with a crudite display, and then a full dinner.

I think tons of different apps is unnecessary. Not that I would complain, because I love food, but if you're serving a full dinner after cocktail hour, then you don't want your guests to fill up on 4000 different kinds of apps right before that.

MandyMost · July 2015

LD1970 said:

I don't know that there is a standard number that fits all the way across the country. We had 9 kinds of passed platters, 8 kinds of stationary cold platters 6 hot kinds of hors d'oeuvres in chafing dishes, 3 varieties of pasta at the pasta station, a raw bar, and one meat at the carving station for our cocktail hour, and I've seen more lavish than that, but this is "normal" for NJ.

I've been to weddings all over the country, and you are so right about NJ....I'd never seen so much food in my life as I did at that cocktail hour! My friends and I were all binge eating and drinking all the deliciousness, and halfway through someone was like "Wait, guys, I think this is just cocktail hour. I think there's a meal after this!?!". We couldn't believe it until we were ushered into the seated dinner reception.

Anyway, I think 4-5 pieces per person is standard, with 3-6 different choices. So, with 120 guests you'd have (5x120=600 pieces). If you choose 4 different types, for example, you'd get 150 of each type, or maybe 100 of two types, and 200 of two other types.

PrettyGirlLost · July 2015

novella1186 said:

We had something like 4 passed and 3 stationed, with a crudite display, and then a full dinner.

I think tons of different apps is unnecessary. Not that I would complain, because I love food, but if you're serving a full dinner after cocktail hour, then you don't want your guests to fill up on 4000 different kinds of apps right before that.

Wrong!

Apps are often the best part of the reception meal!!! I will eat all the apps!

STARMOON44 · July 2015

I live in Jersey and think our over the top cocktail hours are vulgar and showy and completely excessive. They turn a brief time for socializing and nibbles into a feeding trough. But they're def standard and part of the package at many venues.

Pasta is not an hors d'oeurves! Neither is roast beef!

Jen4948 · July 2015

STARMOON44 said:

I live in Jersey and think our over the top cocktail hours are vulgar and showy and completely excessive. They turn a brief time for socializing and nibbles into a feeding trough. But they're def standard and part of the package at many venues. Pasta is not an hors d'oeurves! Neither is roast beef!

What would make such a cocktail hour over the top?

STARMOON44 · July 2015

Jen4948 said:

STARMOON44 said:

I live in Jersey and think our over the top cocktail hours are vulgar and showy and completely excessive. They turn a brief time for socializing and nibbles into a feeding trough. But they're def standard and part of the package at many venues.

Pasta is not an hors d'oeurves! Neither is roast beef!

What would make such a cocktail hour over the top?

To me, a cocktail hour is for things you can nibble while holding a cocktail. So not to a pasta station, carving station, mashed potato bar, etc. And while I'm all for adding special touches, having a raw bar and a cheese station and a sushi display and antipasti and paella and sautéed chicken breast and prime rib and a crepe station and a wok station (all of which I have seen, in one wedding) is just excessive to me.

lyndausvi · July 2015

My SILs reception was in Brooklyn. Cocktail hour was amazing. 50 different attended stations. Then there was a salad course, pasta course, 7 different entrees ordered tableside, cake and then a late-night snack that had about 10-15 options. Included omelets, waffles, sno-cones, etc.

It was a little over-the-top if you ask me.

dreamsinpink · July 2015

We are having a late ceremony and reception (full Catholic mass) so we are doing a heavy hors d'ouvres reception. For the cocktail hour we have a displayed and passed hors d'ouvre and for the reception we are having 8 stationed hors d'ouvres.The caterer suggested having 300 of each app for us, so we are going off his rec.

This might help, its what our caterer sent to us to judge how much food etc.. But this is how many "pieces" you should expect guests to eat.

"Hors d’Oeuvres

Pre- dinner 1 to 4 per guest

Light appetizer s 4 to 8 per guest

Heavy appetizers 8 to 14 per guest"

TrixieJess · July 2015

STARMOON44 said:

STARMOON44 said:

I live in Jersey and think our over the top cocktail hours are vulgar and showy and completely excessive. They turn a brief time for socializing and nibbles into a feeding trough. But they're def standard and part of the package at many venues. Pasta is not an hors d'oeurves! Neither is roast beef!

What would make such a cocktail hour over the top?
To me, a cocktail hour is for things you can nibble while holding a cocktail. So not to a pasta station, carving station, mashed potato bar, etc. And while I'm all for adding special touches, having a raw bar and a cheese station and a sushi display and antipasti and paella and sautéed chicken breast and prime rib and a crepe station and a wok station (all of which I have seen, in one wedding) is just excessive to me.

So a poutine station would be completely wrong in your eyes?

lyndausvi · July 2015

dreamsinpink said:

We are having a late ceremony and reception (full Catholic mass) so we are doing a heavy hors d'ouvres reception. For the cocktail hour we have a displayed and passed hors d'ouvre and for the reception we are having 8 stationed hors d'ouvres.The caterer suggested having 300 of each app for us, so we are going off his rec.
This might help, its what our caterer sent to us to judge how much food etc.. But this is how many "pieces" you should expect guests to eat.
"Hors d’Oeuvres
Pre- dinner                1 to 4 per guest
Light appetizer s       4 to 8 per guest
Heavy appetizers      8 to 14 per guest"

ONE? I would really side-eye someone having 1 piece per person. LOL

I've always seen it 3-5 for cocktail hour. With it never being below 3.

Maggie0829 · July 2015

lyndausvi said:

dreamsinpink said:

We are having a late ceremony and reception (full Catholic mass) so we are doing a heavy hors d'ouvres reception. For the cocktail hour we have a displayed and passed hors d'ouvre and for the reception we are having 8 stationed hors d'ouvres.The caterer suggested having 300 of each app for us, so we are going off his rec.
This might help, its what our caterer sent to us to judge how much food etc.. But this is how many "pieces" you should expect guests to eat.
"Hors d’Oeuvres
Pre- dinner                1 to 4 per guest
Light appetizer s       4 to 8 per guest
Heavy appetizers      8 to 14 per guest"

ONE? I would really side-eye someone having 1 piece per person. LOL

I've always seen it 3-5 for cocktail hour. With it never being below 3.

STUCKKKKKK

Maybe she meant one piece per person per app choice?

loveislouder · July 2015

We had 3 passed appetizers (shrimp cocktail, beef wellington and a vegetarian pot sticker) before dinner, and we had 3 pieces per person.

PrettyGirlLost · July 2015

TrixieJess said:

STARMOON44 said:

STARMOON44 said:

I live in Jersey and think our over the top cocktail hours are vulgar and showy and completely excessive. They turn a brief time for socializing and nibbles into a feeding trough. But they're def standard and part of the package at many venues.

Pasta is not an hors d'oeurves! Neither is roast beef!

What would make such a cocktail hour over the top?

To me, a cocktail hour is for things you can nibble while holding a cocktail. So not to a pasta station, carving station, mashed potato bar, etc. And while I'm all for adding special touches, having a raw bar and a cheese station and a sushi display and antipasti and paella and sautéed chicken breast and prime rib and a crepe station and a wok station (all of which I have seen, in one wedding) is just excessive to me.

So a poutine station would be completely wrong in your eyes?

If that's wrong, I don't ever want to be right!

I need to get invited to an NJ wedding because they sound fabulous! Call me vulgar, but good apps are the sex at receptions.

thisismynickname2 · July 2015

If any knottie has a poutine station I must be invited. Pleeeaaase! I'll bring a cash gift!

Liatris2010 · July 2015

Cocktail hour is the best part of NY/NJ weddings. Yes I do want a raw bar, carving station, stir fry, sushi, antipasti, mashed potatoes in a martini glass, and passed apps with my cocktail. It is a special occassion, live it up!

LD1970 · July 2015

novella1186 said:
We had something like 4 passed and 3 stationed, with a crudite display, and then a full dinner.

I think tons of different apps is unnecessary. Not that I would complain, because I love food, but if you're serving a full dinner after cocktail hour, then you don't want your guests to fill up on 4000 different kinds of apps right before that.

LOL, ours preceded a 4-course meal, but I've seriously never seen less around here. It's the standard package from the venue, except we couldn't agree on one of the chafing dishes (H wanted escargots, I didn't think enough people would like it to warrant one of the 5, I was wrong, it got devoured) so they threw in a 6th for us.

LD1970 · July 2015

I want to know why I wasn't at that Brooklyn wedding. Fab!

SP29 · July 2015

From what I've heard, 2-3 apps per person is pretty norm (or I guess the minimum) for a cocktail hour.

The number of different apps would matter much less to me than how many each guest can potentially have (of course keeping in mind a few options so guests have choices).

I will also agree that have good wait staff (if apps are passed) with full platters that circulate to everyone is essential. My friend's wedding, which WAS well hosted, didn't have the best cocktail hour. It was a longer one, and the wait staff kept to the middle of the room. DH and I were standing with a group of friends near our table, which was near the wall (not that this was a large room), and I had to walk up to a wait staff member to get an hors d'ouevre or two. There was one I didn't get to try, because it was never offered to me.... but that is on the wait staff, not the B&G for making a "poor" choice.

I will also agree that although a potato bar, served in martini glass, is AWESOME, cocktail hour need not be extravagant. It's supposed to be a snack, to tide you over until dinner. Something easy to eat while you've got a drink in the other hand.

dramamonkey · July 2015

STARMOON44 said:
I live in Jersey and think our over the top cocktail hours are vulgar and showy and completely excessive. They turn a brief time for socializing and nibbles into a feeding trough. But they're def standard and part of the package at many venues.

Pasta is not an hors d'oeurves! Neither is roast beef!

DH and I are going to a Jersey wedding in August... He's never been before. Can't wait to see what he thinks.... Lots of food and lots of booze. My introvert husband won't know what to do with himself...

How many Hors D'Oeuvers??

Re: How many Hors D'Oeuvers??

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