Heavy Appetizer receptions?

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We invited 85 guests. Just sent out invitations this weekend so I'm not sure what our final count is yet. FH and I are foodies and we knew we were going to have to do something fun and different. I'm so excited! I literally can't wait!

View Quoted Comment I have always been nervous about not having enough food with any party or event. We are catering ourselves and my best friend managed a restaurant for years so she is good with figuring quantities and portion sizes, etc. and I’m sure we will end up with way more than we actually need. Lol.

We are having a cocktail reception from 6-9p that will consist of passed apps plus an app buffet. I got a really great deal from the restaurant and I did order extra food just in case, although they’ve assured me repeatedly there will be plenty of food.

We went with this option because of the timeline and because it was very affordable compared to other venues. Plus I just don’t care for plated dinners most of the time. The package we got also includes a full open bar, which was very appealing to us and is going to make our guests happier than a dried out plated chicken dinner! Lol.

I'm also super curious to see peoples thoughts on heavy h'orderves during the reception to replace the full menu meals. I LOVE appetizers and finger foods so I totally want to do something besides buffet/full menu. I haven't reached out to any vendors yet to do any cost planning, but my fiance and I have a list of several h'orderves that ideally would keep people filled, but also not full. After reading many of the comments on this post, as long as you keep a variety of food options (fried, grilled, fruit, etc) it should be enjoyable!!

To fill people up the often cost as much as a plated or buffet meal so dont save money.

We did this and it worked out great! Our reception was from 7 to 930. Food was delicious and everyone was happy. We did put heavy hordeurves on the formal invite so that people would know.

My parents did this for their afternoon wedding and they have always said it was great. They got a variety of really good passed apps and serced plenty - no one would have wanted to eat dinner afterwards. They don't think it saved them any money though

View Quoted Comment We had an evening wedding at 6. We did a light cocktail hour and had a Buffett it was less expensive and the food was delicious.....they called each table seperatly not to create a big line.....we had an open bar too medium range alcohol....we had rave reviews on the food snd drinks

View Quoted Comment Can I ask how you worded this on the invite? We are doing this as well and I am trying to figure out a nice or fun way to say it on the invite so people are not caught off guard they won’t be served a traditional meal. Thanks!

View Quoted Comment Our wedding invite said "Heavy hors d'oeuvres reception to follow"

We did a heavy appetizer evening reception with stations. We simply stated 'heavy hors d'oeuvres reception to follow' on our invites. People generally raved about our food, and we chose to do it because we had a lot of dietary concerns with wedding guests (the bridge most of all) and it gave us lots of flexibility. I can't remember the entire menu anymore, but our menu also included two different pastas and salad in addition to a mashed potato station and 7-9 heavy apps. We made sure to have a variety of meat choices as all as vegetarian options. We tried to make sure we had a good mix of heavy and light choices.

Just make sure you have lots of choices that mix heavy and light so that it truly replaces a meal. We loved how ours turned out, but I can imagine how easy it would be to not serve enough food.

I don't think that's a good idea. Unfortunately its just not enough food for a grown person who is also going to be consuming alcohol. That's how vomit happens.

It depends. If it is meal time, you need to serve a meal. If it is 3pm on a Sunday, I'd be okay with this.

Our wedding vows will come at the end of an hourlong comedy/variety show, an installment of an ongoing show that my FH produces with his best friend. We're doing a pre-show pizza party and heavy appetizers all night of salad, fruit, veggies, soft baked pretzel bites, tons of dips, crackers, babaganoush (FH loves). Plus an array of cookies (no cake, i'm not a cake person). So folks will have access to all this food all during the "show" and beyond, and then it converts to a dance party immediately after the vows. I think it will work since it's not a classic "wedding/reception" schedule. But I'm going to be very clear on the invites so people can grab something else beforehand if they want.

We did this and actually people loved it! On the invitations, we made sure to describe it as a "cocktail reception" so that people weren't expecting a plated dinner and spread the info by word of mouth as well. Everyone at our wedding left satisfied, from what I've been told, and the food was amazing. Keep in mind though, as much as you think it might be THIS IS NOT A CHEAPER OPTION. This actually ended up being more pricy than a plated dinner at our venue, because of all the different options you are providing.

We are very heavily considering this option. The food is weighing heavily on my mind, because in our situation, we need 1. something that will make out of towners feel it was worth it, and 2. a way to feed a lot of people with a lot of medically difficult diets. I feel that a larger variety of food (heavy apps) would probably help with the allergen/celiac/etc. issue, but the last thing I want is to end up with hungry guests!

I should also add that we'd make it very obvious that it's drinks and apps for an evening (after dinner time frame) reception, so the out of towners can decide while knowing this.

Then again, the place I am really hoping to book does a buffet dinner for the same price, so I mean.

If it's truly heavy appetizers, this could definitely work. However, if you're doing it because of cost, be careful. This could definitely backfire on you. Often nice appetizers can cost more than a buffet of inexpensive food like pasta and chicken.

View Quoted Comment Are you still doing traditional seating?