Evening wedding reception food - Dominos!?

[Discolady123]

I’m having an evening only wedding reception in a few months and we are really struggling with the catering side of things. We will be having a ceremony around 3/4pm for 1 hour, then onto photos at the church grounds, and people will go straight to the venue from there. We aren’t doing a sit down meal as we want a more relaxed vibe.

We are seriously thinking about ordering a large quantity of dominos pizzas to the venue and having a pizza buffet. We LOVE pizza as a couple and feel like it’s a bit different to the standard wedding hot buffet. (the venue doesn’t really have outside access so a pizza truck wouldn’t work, hence a takeaway option).

We were thinking of having sides at the start of the buffet table (pasta, salad, coleslaw, crisps, cocktail sausages & breadsticks) & then the rest would be pizza.

What is your thoughts on this? Would you be mortified if you turned up to a wedding reception and had pizza? Or would you prefer a standard finger buffet?

Also how many people would you say could share a large dominos pizza? This will help up with quantities etc.

@Discolady123

We have 10 children

So that's 120 people, so the 65 pizzas would be half a pizza per person. We didn't actually ask for 65 pizzas, when we spoke to them they suggested this amount, we're willing to have more.

The venue doesn't offer catering so everything needs to be brought in from outside caterers. Because the wedding is in the next 3 months we are struggling to find caterers that are available for our date hence the pizza option, but we will have a think!

Where about is your weddings? My dd had pasties for her evening reception which were delivered piping hot, with peas, red cabbage and gravy. It worked out about £4 a head, we ordered enough for 1 each and half as much again for extras. Went down a bomb!

I like a relaxed event but that’s a step too far, I think. More than likely you’ll have lots of cold congealed pizza.

If you do, please warn people in advance. I can only imagine how my dh who doesn’t eat pizza would react if that was the food offering!

Love domino's, but no! 65 of them!!! 65 of anything would be ridiculous. What a waste of money too! There must be other ideas.

As a guest I would only like it if it was served really hot and I could use cutlery.

I love pizza but this is a terrible idea for all the previously mentioned reasons.

I had food trucks at my wedding, so we did burgers and pizzas.
Proper pizza oven can churn out one pizza every 2 minutes (I think) and only had space for 2 pizzas at a time.
Is there no space to hire someone with a pizza oven like pp suggested?

If there is any outside space you could do a hog roast. Fresh and hot.

The only thing I'd be worried about with dominoes would be keeping it warm.
I had pizzas at DS christening (from the venue) and they had to be brought up in waves, so we had about 20 which were replenished until all the pizza was gone. Took up less space and pizza was always hot

I’m sure that a local independent Italian restaurant could cater to your requirements for £600

Casual catering options are my preferred option, but I personally hate pizza so would hate that. I also cant eat gluten so would be excluded and unable to eat.

It is tricky to be fair OP. I think it's one of those things that those who love it will love it and the rest will hate it and be miffed. You also are relying on the local dominos being able to provide on the day which isn't guaranteed, no staff shortages, busy night, supplychain issues etc. I can't imagine much of it would be warm by the time it was all distributed out. Works far better when on site mobile catering is arranged - eg burger vans, pizza van etc

If I went with it I'd be providing other options alongside this, in which case it would likely end up cheaper doing something else anyway.

We had hot pot at our wedding, it was brilliant as it was all cooked the day before, borrowed some very large catering pans, then just heated on the evening. Sliced buttered baguettes to go with it.

Could you order from several different pizza places, so more chance of hot food? Say 15 -20 pizzas from 3 or 4 outlets? All to arrive at same time. Also allows some wiggle room if any one order is delayed.

All those pizzas would take up a huge amount of space. And if buffet style where people take a few slices or half a pizza you would need to have someone there to keep replacing them on the buffet table.

Also, toppings.

Although maybe everyone could preorder? But then you’d need to make sure they get what they ordered.

Is pizza your favourite food? I’m just not sure if the practicalities at an adult do…

If you are having catering issues, do you have any local Middle Eastern places? Several around us will do a full cooked lamb (or several cooked chickens) plus rice, pitta, salads for around what you are suggesting.

You might need two full lambs for your numbers, but it would be more likely to be all ready at the same time that way and also more variety.

I went to a large event where this was the catering option. As other people have mentioned the pizza company couldn't make the whole order in one go so it was sent in two batches (and even then it was still a bit cold). This meant the first batch was devoured but by the time the second batch arrived a lot of people had disappeared to get food from elsewhere. The big slices of pizza were also difficult eat standing up. Plus the inevitable confusion about vegan / gf options. I like pizza and would be happy to be served it at a wedding but I am not sure pizza lends itself to big event catering

I would be over the moon to see this at any party or reception I was attending!!!! Great idea. X

I’d love that although like others I wouldn’t do Dominoes. But pizza makes most people happy, especially with some nice salads and vegetarian options.

Hi OP, I had a 4pm wedding that led straight into an evening do at a sports club without a sit down meal (basically just a party)

I had a mobile hog roast people show up (possibly tricky if outside space is limited) and set aside one of the rooms for a cold buffet - asked close friends and family if they wouldn't mind contributing a dish or two.

It worked really well, lots of compliments on the setup, loads of people went up for seconds and thirds. Cost us £400 for the hog roast.

Add some chips and your onto a winner

@OchreDandelion

If you are having catering issues, do you have any local Middle Eastern places? Several around us will do a full cooked lamb (or several cooked chickens) plus rice, pitta, salads for around what you are suggesting.

You might need two full lambs for your numbers, but it would be more likely to be all ready at the same time that way and also more variety.

Great idea!

Hot pot can also easily cater for a vegan option (different pan). Dead easy.

Pizza is great and I’d be happy with dominos but I don’t think 65 pizzas is enough for 120.

my father in law had chip shop tea for his wedding reception - and ice cream van for dessert - was great, you ordered in advance and then they delivered to the hotel, then van was outside and you could have what you wanted

Do it. They do 50 percent off over £30 so effectively half price.

They do vegan and gluten free ans plenty of veggie options

Oh god no it just won’t work for that amount of people.

Curry house or Middle Eastern caterers would be a far better choice.

HNRTT and it's your wedding but based on 'we LOVE pizza as a couple' how would you feel if you attended a wedding that only served kebabs or a pie or any single food. Even in sit down fully catered weddings, there's normally a limited choice. I know there are a range of toppings but all served on a base with a topping. Have family who would not touch a pizza.

I detest Domino's and would be very upset if I went to a wedding and that was the only food.