Evening food or no evening food?

[Chipsahoythere]

Would love some help on the timings of my day and food.
Getting married at 3, followed by tea/coffee/hot choc and cakes and mince pies while photos are being done.
5.30-6.30 entertainment at venue. 6.30-7 speeches,.
7pm food- two course sit down meal of something filling

There will be a sweetie buffet and the cake.

Just wondering if we should have any of the following. We could only afford one of the options:
Canapés on arrival at the venue
Turn the 2course into a 3 course meal (but starter options are a bit blah so not sure it would be especially filling)
Serve bacon/ sausage sarnies in the evening at maybe 9.30?

I just find it weird to think of eating at 7pm for an hour and then eating again soon after! I want to do the right thing be because the wedding is later than other weddings I've been to I can't just copy what they've done, and I can't make a decision because I don't know what is best.

Thanks.

[wizzywig]

maybe delay the sweet buffet and cake til 8/9pm

[PotteringAlong]

Bacon baps definitely!

[Iloveonionchutney]

What wizzywig said, do the cake and sweets about 9, I don't think anyone will expect evening food as well with your meal so late. I'm assuming your not having any extra evening guests?

[BYOSnowman]

We put out cake, fruit and cheese for people to help themselves to and it pretty much stayed out the rest of the night as people worked their way through it!

[Iloveonionchutney]

If you think it's going to be a late night for a lot of guests though, my cousin did bacon rolls about 11pm which was fab!

[TipsyandT0m]

Are any additional guests attending the evening only?

[Floggingmolly]

Bacon / sausage sarnies around 10pm and scrub the sweeties, totally unnecessary and weird

[Sal1977]

I agree on the cheese thing. Big cheese board, bread, crackers, chutneys and cake etc.

[TipsyandT0m]

Could you do meal at 5pm then do bacon and sausage baps at 9.30pm??

[firesidechat]

What time do you expect the evening to end? I think this makes a big difference. Also are there extra guests in the evening?

[firesidechat]

I think Sal1977 is right. Something nibbly like cheese and crackers would be perfect. I couldn't face bacon baps a couple of hours after a 2 course meal.

[happygirl87]

Bacon baps. Our timings last Dec were v similar to yours, and we had an evening hog roast, which went down a storm! Some people will skip lunch/eat lightly if travelling and dressing, and may drink a lot, so I think something in the eve is appreciated by many

[Chipsahoythere]

There are no evening guests, no.
I know some people hate the sweets thing but I am obsessed with pick n mix so it's a perfect opportunity for me to gorge on these.
Meal at 5 would be good but I think it's not that likely to be possible with the church wedding at 3pm.

I'm not sure when it's likely to end- maybe about midnight. So maybe food at 10 would work. Cheese is maybe a good idea! Maybe one of those cheese cake things. Or he's bacon buns.
I have been to a wedding with no evening food and it didn't bother me because I felt full from lunch before the wedding. But I don't want people to be hungry!

[Chipsahoythere]

Maybe not he's.

Consensus seems to be to do some food.

[Snowberry86]

If there are no extra evening guests then I wouldn't do any evening food. By eating as late as 7pm anyway you have fed your guests and I wouldn't expect to be fed again!

I would bring out the cake around 9:30pm ish but that would be all.

[tipp2chicago]

Depends on what time you plan to finish up.

[firesidechat]

If you have no evening guests then I wouldn't bother with extra food either.

My daughter had her ceremony at 1 pm, canapes, a 3 course meal at about 4 pm and a sweet and cake buffet later in the evening. No one was hungry, but it was a fairly early finish at about 11 pm.

[firesidechat]

I don't think your guests will expect more food either. The vast majority of weddings with an evening buffet or bacon rolls will have had an earlier main meal time and extra evening guests who might not have eaten.

I do believe in catering well for wedding guests, but what you have planned is ample.

[Julieb85]

If u don't have any evening guests I'd go for light canapés on arrival. With everyone getting organised and travelling to the venue for 3, most folk will have an early lunch/skip lunch so waiting till 7pm may leave them hungry! You don't want the memory of your wedding being how hungry they were!

[firesidechat]

The op is already having cake, mince pies and hot drinks after the ceremony. She doesn't need canapes as well.

[Julieb85]

Oh sorry missed that line. Fireside - no need to be rude.

I agree tho - this seem more than enough. Use the saving to do something nice together.

[starfish4]

If people are really concerned about not eating until 7pm, they'll find one way or other of having a snack /late lunch - I got married at 3pm and eat a banana at 2.30pm!

If you're eating at 7pm, it'll take a while for the food to be served. If you can delay cutting cake until after, then that'll fill the evening out. I think if most people eat a two course meal out, then wouldn't then turning around and eat again that evening.

When it comes down to it, do what you'd both like to do - it's your day. If you do have cakes/sweets early and then your meal, no one is going to starve.

[GloGirl]

Canapes

Dinner as you plan

Sweetie buffet as the cake comes out too.

No one will be hungry I promise!

[Artandco]

I would actually move dinner back. If your getting married at 3pm, earliest people are going to be eat cake/ mince pies/ tea/ coffee is 4.30pm, so I doubt finished until 5.30. A full 2 course meal 90mins later seems a lot, seeing everyone would have had lunch whenever themselves before event even starts.

Cake /tea at 4.30-5.30pm

Dinner 7.30pm-8.30/9pm

[firesidechat]

I wasn't being rude. I was typing the facts in a hurry.