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Original poster

Do people expect food after dinner at wedding?

489 replies

Budka · 08/03/2025 16:24

Ceremony is at 1:45 pm. We are serving very filling canapés and cocktails at 3:30pm and dinner at 5:30pm. There will be the actual cake, a homemade cake table, hydration station and a snack table. The wedding ends at midnight. The meal itself is A LOT, we are doing a sit down buffet (think Las Vegas buffet).

I've seen trends where a pizza/burger van turns up as guests are leaving.

Would you as a guest expect more food after dinner?

I personally wouldn’t. I do feel people get weird at weddings re good where they almost expect to be fed and watered on the hour, every hour. But in everyday life you would probably be happy with eating far less (I do appreciate dancing, drinking causes hunger).

But would you expect to be given more food after dinner and cake?

My sister thinks we should order a load of pizza to send people away with.

i dunno i find the idea a bit ott. We are serving a lot of food. People are not those bottomless pits! But I obviously wouldn’t want people to actually be hungry.

OP posts:
DazzyRascale · 08/03/2025 16:30

wizzywig · 08/03/2025 16:29

Hydration station is water ?

It is at my workplace - there's a posh sign for a giant Kilner with water and lemon in it

Ponderingwindow · 08/03/2025 16:30

Thank you for thinking about hydration. I don’t drink much and getting a damn glass of water at a wedding is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Original poster
Budka · 08/03/2025 16:30

mewkins · 08/03/2025 16:28

Is there a reason why you're serving cocktails and canapés rather than going straight into the wedding breakfast? It's been a while since I went to a formal wedding but can't ever remember one where it was nearly 4 hours between the ceremony and sitting down to eat.

cause that’s very normal whilst photos are being taken. At least in my opinion it is. All the caters we spoke to had this as the go to option.

OP posts:
ohyesido · 08/03/2025 16:30

We had a cheeseboard at our wedding- this went untouched after the ceremony and canapés at 17.00 and barbecue dinner at 6pm

DazzyRascale · 08/03/2025 16:29

I would expect food late evening, yes.

However much you lay on for the initial buffet, if that's later afternoon then people will very likely be hungry by 9.30/10 especially if they've been drinking

wizzywig · 08/03/2025 16:29

Hydration station is water ?

mewkins · 08/03/2025 16:28

Is there a reason why you're serving cocktails and canapés rather than going straight into the wedding breakfast? It's been a while since I went to a formal wedding but can't ever remember one where it was nearly 4 hours between the ceremony and sitting down to eat.

RachelLikesTea · 08/03/2025 16:28

Absolutely, yes! Your guests will be hungry again by 9pm and it’s always a good idea to offer food around then to soak up the alcohol. Burger or pizza vans or a buffet, for sure in the evening.

TheChosenTwo · 08/03/2025 16:28

I wouldn’t want to eat again but lots of people
would!

Deerrobin · 08/03/2025 16:27

What’s on the snack table?

Olivegbr · 08/03/2025 16:26

Most weddings I've been to have a buffet about 10pm....but with just cheese/ cake and something like bacon rolls as well?!

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 08/03/2025 16:26

Do you have enough of the very filling canapés? Why serve them before the meal if so filling? Also canapés IME at wedding and corporate events not everyone gets something they want if they're at the back of the room and someone has eaten three of something.

I'd do a chessboard in the evening.

What on earth is a hydration station?

MockOranges · 08/03/2025 16:26

I think the more food after dinner thing has generally emerged from the need to feed evening guests, if you have them. If not, no need.

Bobbybobbins · 08/03/2025 16:25

We had similar to you for food. We did get a 'cheese cake' - basically loads of cheese, crackers, chutney,grapes and had that out and the wedding cake.