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Original poster

BBQ at a wedding.....too tacky and cheap???

148 replies

Janeymoo50 · 24/06/2015 08:24

my wedding is booked for 3pm on a Sat afternoon. Tight budget (about 6K all in), roughly 45-50 guests for the whole day. Ceremony at 3pm, informal photos only, then a cream tea with cake, scone and cream, couple of small speeches. Guests will have a drink served straight after the ceremony and there'll be tea/coffee and more fizz with the tea. Then we're having a BBQ as the main food about 7pm. Not having wedding cake but hoping to do either a Krispy Kreme donut cake or some large pavlovas with fruit for pud. A couple of people have "made a face" when I mentioned BBQ???? Would any of you feel it was a bit tacky??

OP posts:
Timetodrive · 24/06/2015 09:38

I would check the cost though as BBQ can be very expensive when guests eat their own body weight in meat.

GymBum · 24/06/2015 09:39

Sounds like a brilliant idea. I would really like to attend a BBQ wedding. Ignore any negative comments. It's your wedding and all that matters is you and your DH are happy.

I once went to a wedding were they hired three fish and chip vans. It was brilliant. I love fish and chips as much as I love BBQs so I would say that Grin

Congratulations and hope you have an amazing day Op. Flowers

Socalled · 24/06/2015 09:40

I think it sounds great. I'm going to a wedding next month where the reception (barbecue/salad buffet/Lebanese mezze for the vegetarians) is in a field by a canal, with a ceilidh and we're all sleeping there in bell tents.

antimatter · 24/06/2015 09:41

Great idea IMHO.

nilbyname · 24/06/2015 09:44

Proper cutlery and crockery
Naice salads, sides and condiments
Plenty of napkins
Lots of seating- I went to a more informal wedding and they had a big hamper full of picnic blankets to help yourself to, and hay bales to sit on. It was lovely. A few proper tables and chairs for those who would prefer.

TheCatsMother99 · 24/06/2015 09:48

Great idea! Next time someone pulls a face smack them hard in itWink

morelikeguidelines · 24/06/2015 09:49

Agree with pps. It's a great idea but think.about how to serve it. Some people feel quite awkward about "free for all" type situations with food.

Number3cometome · 24/06/2015 09:49

Great idea! Next time someone pulls a face smack them hard in it

With a chicken leg Wink

CakeLady1 · 24/06/2015 09:49

Go for it. Even at a BBQ veggies and food intolerance people can still be catered for.
Even if you had a seven course silver service dinner cooked by a top chef you will ALWAYS get people who don't like it. Sod them, it's your wedding.

LibrariesGaveUsPower · 24/06/2015 09:50

One of the best weddings I went to had a barbeque for the food. Just make sure, as others have said, that there is at least some table seating for those that need it (or for everyone).

Congratulations. Sounds marvellous.

Gottagetmoving · 24/06/2015 09:50

I would prefer your wedding plans more than the usual formal wedding dinners I have been to. It sounds lovely.

Skiptonlass · 24/06/2015 09:53

Sounds great. I've been to two bbq weddings, they were ace.

Do provide proper plates, big napkins, places to sit (with tables, bbq is messy) and tons of wet wipes though! And have a plan b for the weather.

AccordingToOurRecords · 24/06/2015 09:57

Your wedding sounds wonderful. Having it in a windmill is amazing, what a lovely day you have planned. The face pullers don't deserve to share it with you. I hope the weather is lovely for you and wish you love, light and happiness in your life together.Smile

OuchLegoHurts · 24/06/2015 10:05

I love the idea of a BBQ...as long as there is more than enough food for everyone!

MaxPepsi · 24/06/2015 10:05

I wouldn't have sneered as I'm not so bloody rude but I'd be secretly disappointed and resign myself to having either nothing to eat at all or a plate of salad. I like the idea of a good bbq but the reality is so very often lacking.

It's the same as when someone excitedly exclaims their evening buffet is bacon/sausage sandwiches with bowls of chips.

Just not for me!

Oh -and I would dispense with the floury rolls - to much mess for posh frocks

UterusUterusGhali · 24/06/2015 10:10

Great idea!

My sis had a BBQ too. Bales of straw for sitting on and then camping.
The guests knew so weren't in their finest silk frocks, or brought mufty to change into.

One tip; don't use cheapo paper plates. The sort that are flimsy. These will not protect your knees from grease and fall apart at the sight of coleslaw. My sis used those and it annoyed me more than it should have.

PrimalLass · 24/06/2015 10:11

You'd rather eat nothing MaxPepsi?

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 24/06/2015 10:13

I think it sounds lovely.

I'm wondering why people are pulling faces though and I THINK it's because as a nation, we generally don't like having to go up and get our food, we prefer table service (huge generalisation there, I know) and possibly, we don't like to have to serve ourselves because our idea of 'portion' might be different and we don't want to appear greedy so we take far less and then some greedy git swoops in with no compunction and hoovers up lots of food... it sends us into a tizzy. Perhaps? Or just a tiny one. And then we worry about where we'll sit! Shock

As others have said, lots of food, maybe several 'stations' and allocate groups to stations (having identical food)?

Oh and wet wipes... lots and lots of wet wipes! Grin

AlmaMartyr · 24/06/2015 10:18

We went to a BBQ wedding and it was fab! Loved it. Only downside was hardly anywhere to sit so we were standing up, trying to juggle plates of food while 2 yo DD ran around everywhere. 6 week old DS was in a sling and it was all a bit uncomfortable. That was the only issue though - if there had been somewhere to sit (straw bale fine!) it would have been perfect.

MiddleAgedandConfused · 24/06/2015 10:18

I would much prefer a BBQ to a formal sit down meal where you can only chat to a few people. Go for it - sounds great to me.

hibbledibble · 24/06/2015 10:21

Do whatever makes you happy and you can afford. You're budget isn't that small either.

BBQ is fine but just check that you will be able to cater for all the guests need including vegetarian etc.

boxofholes · 24/06/2015 10:23

I've been to a couple of weddings with BBQs - it's fine for meat eaters but tends to be awful for vegetarians. The halloumi cheese/pepper kebabs are a nice standard veggie offering but I'll be willing to bet that they are snaffled by the meat eaters (on top of their body weight in meat) leaving the vegetarians will a bun & some salad. Not fun.

Apart from that no problem! Grin

scottishmerlottish · 24/06/2015 10:23

Windmill, Barn, Cream tea and Fizz, then a high quality Barbeque with plenty seating and barn to dash into if it rains - what's not to like? Grin

EVEN BETTER - informal, small, low key - these are the weddings where people relax, have fun, and have a memorable day.

Hope the sun shines for you! x.

swimmerforlife · 24/06/2015 10:23

Fantastic idea! :) A Bbq is much better than having 12 courses which you cannot pronounce the ingredients or have no idea what they are and each course thats one forkful and costs an arm and a leg, plus it's less formal. Or maybe I am a slob Grin

Make sure you have plenty of salads for the veggies or for people who aren't too keen on meat like me Also if it's outside have some hard ground like a patio, so peoples stilettos don't sink into the ground, has happened to me on far too many occasions. And maybe sun umbrellas for some shade away from the sun.