Question about wedding food timings

[Bluemooninmyeyes1]

Our wedding breakfast is at 2.30pm so I’m just wondering what sort of time to supply the next ‘round’ of food for guests? Also, if you had a 3 course meal in the afternoon what sort of food would you like on the evening? TIA

We had take away pizzas delivered at 9pm.

Funnily enough, our venue has offered to provide food at 9pm but I was worried it was too late and people would be starving! Do you think 9pm is reasonable then?

230 is earlier than most weddings ive been to... id probably have the evening meal out around 730/8 just to ensure no one goes hungry whilst drinking

We had our food served after the evening guests had arrived - so roughly around 19:30.
I think 9 o'clock is quite late.. but that's my opinion!

Another who thinks 9 is a bit late.

That said , it's more that the 2.30 is a bit early. Do you definitely need to start that early if you are going through into the evening ?

2.30 feels too early. Can you postpone to approx 3.30. Do you have speeches to work around before/after?

We have to stick to 2.30pm meal as it’s part of our wedding package unfortunately but we do have some flexibility over the evening food.

What time do you plan to end things? Wedding breakfast starting at 2:30 means people will presumably start drinking at 1:30-2. If you are planning to carry on through to midnight, I’d definitely have food around 7:30/8 and maybe another round of some or of snacks at 10-11pm. Otherwise, people could potentially be pretty messy.

I think we got married at 2, breakfast at 4:30, evening food and cake about 9.

Just to add to my postabove about pizza at 8pm, we had a buffet at 5. 15 for day guests too wedding was at 4pm so straight to reception get a drink and buffet was on, everyone hates hanging around at weddings and there wasn't any time for that at mine once people had got a drink and some buffet it was time for evening guests, and dj starting. ( he was there earlier but music was just on in the background on low).

9pm I meant*

I wouldn't leave that long a gap between food personally. Our meal was at 5ish and we served evening food at 10pm. I had a real thing about guests going hungry so had canapés and ice cream as soon as ceremony was over then pik and mix available from 730. Aware we probably went a tad OTT but we've been to weddings where food wasn't served for hours and hours and it meant guests just got very drunk very quickly...

Are you starting to eat at 230 or getting people to sit at 230? Are you having a receiving line?

Wedding breakfast plus speeches will run for 2 - 2 1/2 hours.

What time are your evening guests arriving? I would serve them food about 1 1/2 hours after they arrive so they have time to get a drink and start meeting up and chatting to people they know. Also gives your day guests time to want to eat again!

We had a hog roast for ours (I was still full so skipped it!). We went to an evening do with pie and mash - lovely, but doubt I would have eaten that after a wedding brekkie!

2:30 is a really awkward time to eat. People are hungry between about 12 and 1:30

Can you bring it all forwards and hour and have a good lunch at a proper lunchtime?

Then if you need to feed people in the evening, a buffet from 6:30-7pm

Thanks for the ideas. There’s no way we can change the wedding breakfast time as it is set in stone by our venue (package deal) so we may look into putting on some buffet/party food early evening so there’s not such a large gap between meals.

We got married at 3 in registry office and the pub was booked from 330 till 10pm and they had the buffet ready for 4pm, there was plenty of food to go round even if anyone wanted extra

are you have evening invited guests? as that may influence evening food times

No evening guests, it’s a very small wedding.

@Bluemooninmyeyes1

No evening guests, it’s a very small wedding.

that makes it easier then, id say about 7.30-8 for evening food

2.30 is a perfectly standard time for wedding food. I’d go for eight for the next bit though.

You might be better on a wedding specific forum for timings chat.

If your sitting down at 2.30 and having a three course meal, you won't be done until 4.30 at the earliest. No evening guests means you can do timings around this only so I think 9pm would be fine. Push it slightly earlier to 8.30 if you're worried, but if people had a big 3 courser, they'll be fine.

9 seems very late, people get bored and energy levels fall, particularly if a small wedding and they have caught up with everyone already.
So 7.30 or so for start of buffet.

We got married at 2, food around 4.30 and more food at 8.30/9ish.

9 is a bit late I think, personally I wouldn't like to eat so late. I'd say 8 at the latest!