Do people expect food after dinner at wedding?

I’d imagine your guests will be bored shitless by the time they sit down for dinner.

What’s a Las Vegas buffet?

So, chicken skewers, bhajis etc. then?

You don't need to instruct people to think of things you then go on to list. They will automatically think of them when reading the list. Impossible not to.

@Budka you say - 'How much food is it even physically possible to eat?'

`For me, as a petite pensioner, the answer is not very much. For younger, bigger framed people especially sporty types as well as young men generally the answer is a an absolutely colossal amount.

I only had DDs. It was a revelation to me when they were teenagers and started bringing boy mates and eventually boyfriends home just how much food young men can eat. Ot greedy or fat, just need more calories.

But drinks and canapés it’s usually straight after the ceremony.

Your guests are travelling over lunchtime across london to most likely arrive at church for 1-1.15pm for a 1.45pm ceremony, then not eat a bite until 3.30pm, but in reality it’ll be more like 4pm because the caterer will also build in contingency for ceremony over running/traffic and pouring drinks first.

@Budka the average reception might last 2 hours, but you will find most guests wished it was shorter!

Well English weddings do seem to be a marathon! If dinner is 5.30 and you expect guests to study til midnight then yes something else, but if you are having cakes and snacks out then that should suffice.

I was at a wedding last week. We had a 3 course meal served from 4.30 to 6pm. It was very nice.
At about 9pm they laid out a buffet bacon rolls, cheese toastie and chips. I was still too full to eat anything but between the evening guests and some of the younger crowd (especially the groomsmen) there was nothing left but crumbs when the night was over.

Yes

This.

I do actually agree. 2 hours really is quite a long time.

I know you mention a tour of the venue and lawn games but being perfectly realistic how many people are actually going to do this. Women in their finery and heels won’t.

On another note I would never eat a sandwich from a petrol station full stop! Let alone with makeup, lipstick and posh dress on. But that’s a completely different matter.

I’d consider swapping the free bar for more evening food.
Also how will the venue tours work? Surely people will be missing when they are required in photos or missing when you want their bum on a seat to commence the buffet. Sounds like a logistical nightmare unless you’ve only a handful of guests.

I've been to a reception where they had cheeses and breads.

Op, I’d love to know what kind of food is planned for the main. I know it’s a buffet but wondering how it differs from the big canapés and the snack table - think I read falafel and samosas etc for that? Food sounds lovely btw! We went quite different for our evening food: fish and chips compared to our quite pretentious dinner tbh!

It’s not about covering every possibility, it’s recognising that your guests have different needs and wedding behaviour is largely predictable because however unique you might thing you are, the day is formulaic. Recent wedding, incredibly generous hosts but canapés didn’t reach a lot of the guests for one reason and another, guests were ready to eat the table by the time the meal arrived. Pizza at 9.30 was very welcome because guests had been in their feet for most of the afternoon/evening.

Filling canapé - is an oxymoron

At most weddings I have been to many guests find the gap between the ceremony and the meal too long, the hanging around whilst photos are taken, It's not necessarily about the food. I know you have put on entertainment, but most people would want a shorter time.

Okay, now you've shown the photo of what you mean by canapes (which look absolutely lovely), and you've said you are providing 6 each, then I think over the course of the day you probably are providing enough food.

6 "canapes" like those you've pictured would be the equivalent of a meal (unlike any canapes I've ever had at a wedding - or anywhere else- , so I'm presuming lots of people are not imagining anything like that when you use the word 'canape', which to me suggests something you can pop in your mouth whole, or at most, 2 bites).

So the issue is how and when you are spreading the food out.
If I ate 6 of those lovely looking things at 3.30, then I would struggle to eat a full meal at 5.30.
I'm one of the posters who previously said you needed to feed your guests earlier - I've now moved to later.

The problem is, not the amount of food, but the distribution of when the food is served.
Most people's digestion would struggle with
eating 2 meals 2 hours apart, but then nothing for the next 7 hours.

It’s not about gluttony. Your guests will have got themselves ready for your wedding, travelled to the venue over lunchtime, hung around while photos are happening, sat through speeches, socialised with people they don’t know, been drinking and dancing and been on the go for over 12 hours by the time your day ends.

It’s a long day for you, it’s also a long day for them. You could bulk out your “snack” table and bring it out around 9ish or whenever the band has a break but some folk will look for something a bit more substantial than cheese and charcuterie towards the end of a long day.

You’ve asked for opinions, you’ve said your sister (who couldn’t finish the canapés) has said you need pizzas in the evening.
Why didn’t you just say you wanted us to agree with you rather than offer (in my case a professional) opinion?