Do people expect food after dinner at wedding?

I think when people are drinking and dancing all evening they do tend to get peckish. I don’t think it needs to be a full buffet but perhaps some sausage rolls, crisps, cheese and crackers etc.

And the problem with both canapés and buffets is that the greedy types grab most the food, too often I've been to "posh" wedding buffets and there is insufficient food, as in half the amount needed, only the people who jump up as soon as the buffet line opens get much, with canapés only those close to the server entry point get food.

I hope there are some chairs for those less able to sit on the ground....

Dinner is at 5.30 and it finishes at 12? You need to provide some food around 9-10pm, or people will leave early to get something to eat. A wedding isn't a normal day, it's draining and people get hungry. And wedding food is never as plentiful or filling as the bride thinks it will be.

I don’t know why you have asked as you seem very dismissive of the comments suggesting that evening food is a common part of a wedding reception.

Its your wedding so do you but I know if the guests at my wedding had the choice of a table of samosas and cheese or a table of burgers/pizza/rolls and bacon, well let’s just say there would be a lot of samosas left over

I'd skip the canapés as too close to dinner, bring dinner earlier and have canapés mid evening

So it's not canapés it's snacks you are serving, so that will keep people going while hanging around for so long while the pictures are taken.

Buffet table should keep people going in the evening as long as it doesn't run short and you will be amazed at how much people can eat at an event like this, hope all goes well for you and you have a great time!

Yes, I’d do something extra as people get hungry when they’ve been drinking alcohol. I think your timings are all off though if I’m being honest and I think your guests might get a bit bored with such a large gap. Your after ceremony canapés and drinks would normally be served straight away and then seated for the wedding breakfast around 4pm. Yes, you’ll be busy having photographs but after the guests have been in a few group shots, there’s not really much else for them to do. I’d reconsider if you can.

Your wedding sounds lovely btw, I would probably have the burger van a bit later, maybe arrive 10.30 and serving until 11.30.

It's funny because on a thread a few months ago about a birthday party the OP was hammered by posters for not wanting to provide food at a party which was 8-12, and here you are being told it's fine not to feed people!

Personally I think people will fill up on your canapes because they will have had to eat brunch rather than lunch to get to the ceremony, then they won't eat so much at dinner. And dinner is VERY early at 5.30 so people will definitely be hungry again after drinking all afternoon and evening.

However your snack table sounds more like a buffet so that should be ok. Just make sure it's catering enough food.

As an aside, sitting on picnic blankets with only "lawn games" for entertainment sounds utterly shit and I would be bored senseless. I would definitely try to make that bit shorter.

Only one question - it sounds fabulous, can I come 😉!

An evening buffet is an absolute must. Spoken as someone who works in a wedding venue, those not drinking will be hungry, and those who have overdone it will appreciate lining their stomachs before the end of the evening.

You normally get far too much food at weddings! Your plan sounds perfect, I really like the idea of the cocktails and canapés then not having dinner until a bit later. That time to mill around and socialise after the ceremony is the best time I think. With the snack table and the cakes that will be plenty of food. What time will the snack table come out, at dinner time or later? I’d suggest later, to have gaps between when all the food is available.

I think with the cake table and the snack table you're fine as dinner is pretty late (for the same reason you definitely need the canapes at 3.30!). Sometimes at weddings they start setting up the hog roast or bacon sandwiches only an hour after everyone has finished a 3 course dinner and no one is interested

I think it sounds lovely, OP (and I'm trying to guess your venue - Kenwood House?). Can I come?

I do think you should provide some food for after. We went to a wedding recently and by the time we left at almost midnight we were absolutely starving. We'd arrived with just time to get changed and get to the venue, which was very rural, and nothing was open after. I would have bitten someone's hand off for a burger or pizza or a bacon sandwich!

I wouldn’t expect it, but would be a bit disappointed if there wasn’t any evening food.

I just want to say, though - and to others who did the same - it's great that you're not having evening guests and everyone is invited to the whole event 👍

(sorry, by 'no lunch' I meant no lunch of their choice or usual time, I wouldn't eat the canapes you've mentioned as I don't eat meat and don't like falafel or samosas)

I've just seen your update about the canapés and it's not what I imagined, so scratch that.

Get an 'order of the day' printed up in the same style as your invitations and 'order of service' (if you have one). Send it out with the invitations. It is basically a timetable, so guests know exactly what to expect when, and can plan their lunch to suit themselves.
Then keep to the timings, e.g. don't let photos over-run.

Some may usually eat at 5.30-6.00, especially if they have children, whereas others will usually eat at 8.00 or later, so you are not going to please everyone with the timings of the main meal.
If you want a late-night party, provide a second meal 3-4 hours after the first one is due to end (allowing 60 mins for the first meal, so say 5.00 to 6.00 for first meal, then second meal starts about 9.00 or 10.00.)

If you are not having a late-night party, everyone will go home about 3-4 hours after the main meal.

Our wedding was a long time ago now & we had similar timings.

We had 70 guests, no evening guests, everyone was there for the full day & lots stayed over at the venue

We had a Christmas weddin & got married at 2pm & afterwards had canapés & mulled wine & bubbles with a jazz band.

We had a sit down 3 course meal for everyone at 5pm. 3 choices for each course & the waiting staff then brought seconds around to everyone too, fillet of beef, lamb cutlets etc - the food was memorable & still remembered v fondly all these years later. We served as much red & white wine as you could possibly want & bubbles for for toasts

Open bar after that

We had a live band from 8 - 10.30pm playing funk disco & everyone was up dancing..

At 10pm we served bacon sandwiches & we had cupcakes instead of a wedding cake & they got inhaled too - the band were delighted to have some sandwiches & cakes

We also had a cheese board at that stage with fruit & crackers.

After the band we had a dj & we all danced till 2am followed by late drinks in the residents bar with a sing song

Best day ever 💓

Welcome drinks and canapés are very normal actually!

I'd describe those as more than canapés - they sound tasty!