Do people expect food after dinner at wedding?

We are getting married in a few weeks and have similar timings as you have outlined. We are serving bacon sandwiches at 21.30 along with wedding cake. Nothing too substantial but people will be drinking and dancing so probably will need something.

LOL at very filling canapés.

Nooone has said that at all. Putting on a buffet at night is 100% normal for every wedding I've been to, but like others have said I'm in Scotland. That's just what happens. Nothing at all to do with "gluttony". That you keep mentioning

Just a reminder to factor in allergies and make sure your venue truly has a handle on it. I have lost count of number of weddings we have been to where we have informed the bride and groom of my DH's allergies, and even gone so far as (with couples permission) speaking directly to them, and there has been practically nothing DH couod eat, due to cross contamination. Buffets are a particular challenge for this as people put serving spoons back into the wrong dishes etc. He now brings multiple snacks, sandwiches etc to weddings and eats them in the car and comes back in.

We didn't fully understand the complexities involved until we were in it, so just sharing for info.

I think it depends on the quality of the responses. Some advice is more valid than others. For example some posters seem to be ignoring the snack table and talking as if there will be absolutely nothing after the meal. Others are saying rather bizarre things like ‘you must overcater but provide fewer canapés because people won’t eat those’ 🤦‍♀️. Someone effectively said ‘it sounds like a shitshow’ . OP is quite right to call some of this out.

It's a traditional name for it, I think as it's the first meal as a married couple.

OP answered this on P1.
There's a photograph at 16.32 on 8.3.25

What is a 'hydration station'..?

Yes, now, but not when we got married.

English weddings are normally exactly as you’ve described a Scottish wedding.

sounds great to me. definitely no need for more!

We didn't have any additional evening food (this was a long time ago though). LIke you we had no evening only guests. But our dinner was a bit later in the evening - a normal evening dinner time - having eaten wedding cake with champagne pretty much immediately after the ceremony. I do remember some venues being a bit weird about this as it wasn't "standard".

If you have a big meal that will go on a few hours then you don't need more food. But if you will be finished eatng by 7pm then I think people may get hungry. A "snack table" is enough depending on the snacks!

You are, so are we. But starting a thread to argue with everyone who doesn't agree with you is abit pointless.

How is it gross? Most people will have had breakfast and no lunch due to the timings. They’re having their next meal at 5:30pm, with a small snack at 3:30 (if it’s any more than a small snack at 3:30 then they won’t eat much at 5:30. And then a sandwich or slice of pizza at 9.

So breakfast in the morning, an afternoon snack, 5:30 second meal, and a sandwich. Plus cheese and cake as a dessert. How is that gross? That’s normal for the vast majority of people. Three meals, a snack, and a dessert.

Youve said you'll look into it, whilst also still arguing your point that you dont agree with it.

Even just evening parties I’ve been to there’s always been food served at 10pm. Even though in theory we would have had dinner at home before coming to the party. I would expect a small buffet style food option at around 10pm at a wedding after having not eaten since 5.30. It’s pretty standard.

You're completely missing the point OP. You dont have to plan for every eventuality, but the majority of people on the thread are telling you that they would expect evening food to be served, as they would likely be hungry later on in the day. So your chances are, based on the majority views here, that the majority of your own guests are going to see this the same way we all have, they will be hungry in the evening and expect another food option. Every single wedding iv been to has been another evening buffet, pizza, bacon barms etc. You've asked for opinions but im not sure why as you're not accepting what anyone is saying! If you want your guests hungry and wanting to leave early, for the sake of a bit of extra food, then that's completely your choice.

These timings are very normal especially here in Ireland - if you are having a church wedding, church is 90 percent of the time 1pm, you might get the odd 2pm one. Then drive to reception with canapes on arrival with dinner being served around half 5. There is always food served around 10 or half 10 and the band stops for this. My own wedding was a ceremony onsite as reception, venue wouldn't allow a 3pm wedding had to be 2:30pm,which i wanted - 2:30pm was the compromise, they wanted it earlier, dinner was sit down at half 5 with serving before 6. We also had food served at 1/2 10 similar to what Op is saying she wants to serve. The only thing i made sure i did on mine was that speeches were after dinner, not before which is quiet common and then people are starving

we did bacon butties and croissants at about 9.30

I think your plan is totally fine. I love canapes and a drink, especially if the weather is nice outside. The meal is good timing as drinking in the Sun can go to your head to best to get on with that. Shortbread is good call for the transport as its easy to make, easy to store and doesn't make hands to sticky.
At the end of the day not everyone is going to agree on how you should do things so you just have to go with what you want. If guests are hungry by the time the wedding starts they can also bring their own snacks in there cars or grab an early lunch at there hotels.

If the snack table is unlimited , ie it's replenished regularly and nothing runs out I wouldn't bother with any more food .
But having said that I have been to 2 weddings where the buffet was demolished like a plague of locusts had descended and there was nothing left . We still talk about it to this day , i would be mortified if was my wedding and guests weren't fed.

Aah it's one of these threads;

Op: 'Am I being unreasonable?'

Everyone: 'kind of'

Op: 'I'm not though'

For me it would hinge on the fact that if the wedding is 1.45 and people have got ready and travelled there then they've probably only had breakfast and will fall on the 3.30 canapés like wolves, so I'd really really over cater there to make sure people aren't missing out when others take more than their share.

5.30 is pretty early for dinner and personally the last thing I want when I've been drinking all day is cake so I'd appreciate something savoury later, especially if you're expecting people to stay and dance until midnight or beyond. If it wasn't provided I'd probably leave in search of it.

Give it time, Ihopeyouhavent

I agree it's turning into a pile-on - AIBU very often does - and a lot of it's from folk who haven't even read OP's posts and seem to be commenting just for the sake of it with things like "What if they've left the main meal because they're chatting", which really isn't for OP to deal with

Shame really, since it's clear she's already doing a lot to keep guests happy, but as many have said you'll never please absolutely everyone so might as well just relax and enjoy it now