Afternoon tea for wedding breakfast

[WonderingAround]

If you were served afternoon tea as a wedding breakfast would you enjoy it or feel short changed and prefer a hot three course meal?

I attended a wedding recently where the wedding breakfast was "afternoon tea" which was three small filled rolls per person and some tiny defrosted cakes. I think anything you're given at a wedding is gratefully received but DP moaned a lot afterwards that he was starving and it was like a child's packed lunch. It was all discussed more because the groom was very "groomzilla" and obsessed with his wedding telling all and sundry how much it had cost and constantly asking people what they thought of such and such which just seemed like fishing for compliments.

[lalalalyra]

One of the best weddings I ever went too had an afternoon tea. Gorgeous sandwiches, quiches, little savoury pastry parcels and then millions of little mini cakes - the kind you could eat loads and pretend you hadn't really because 'they're only little'. The key was a lot of food! One of the worst was where they had a cold buffet (sandwiches, sausage rolls, cold pizza and pork pies) where the hotel had said that only about half of the people attending ever eat - for the MAIN food, not the night buffet so there was hardly anything to go round and people were starving as we'd all been in the hotel the night before and breakfast was crap.

I'm now craving those little cakes again!

[Pinkheart5915]

I've Been to a wedding that done afternoon tea, I enjoyed it but I really love scones helped DH out with his too.

I thought it was a nice idea

[FinallyHere]

Recently went to a wedding located in the middle of nowhere East Anglia, no hotels less than an hour away. I didn't know this was actually possible in England, no mobile signal either. It started about 2pm, we knew from the invitation that that afternoon tea would be served. There was no other food to be had. Beautifully presented but very delicate, crust cut off sandwiches and tiny cakes. Cake stands were put on the tables, on our table it worked out at two quarters of a sandwich and one tiny cake each.

Later, about 9pm, there was a hog roast, which offered a slice of roast port in a roll for each person.

While I realise this is a first world problem, and millions are starving across the globe, and it is all about the occasion rather than the food... as a guest I really didn't feel cared for. Was not devastated when an elderly relative apologetically indicated she would be glad to go home about 7pm-ish. Never have I felt so glad to be of service.

[HandsomeGroomGiveHerRoom]

Afternoon tea at teatime after an afternoon wedding, with a barbeque in the evening, seems fine. When I first read the op I assumed three tiny rolls and a couple of cakes was all there was for the whole do

[BikeRunSki]

The best wedding I ever went to had afternoon tea at afternoon teatime -straight after the ceremony -and also a hot buffet later.

[CPtart]

Honestly? I'd prefer a hot three course meal.

[derxa]

I wish you'd all stop talking about afternoon tea. I could scoff an afternoon tea right now.

[Frrrrrrippery]

I think 'light' food at 3:30 then nothing until after 9 is way too long. I'd have been hungry especially if I had had a drink.

[BoxofSnails]

We had afternoon tea - sandwiches of various styles, warm scones, homemade jam/ curd, cakes of several varieties and a pudding selection. We couldn't finish it. Plus a tea/coffee lovers paradise, freshly brewed and replaced. DH and I go back to the hotel each year, so far just the two of us, on our anniversary. It was a small wedding but it's still the afternoon tea people compare subsequent afternoon teas to!
Agree it's the spirit of it - generosity towards your guests and a feeling of plenty is key.

[ClashCityRocker]

I don't mind not having masses of food - and tbf most traditional three course wedding breakfasts aren't anything to write home about. I never go to a wedding expecting a gastronomic explosion - just something to soak up the beer!

But it is useful to know in advance what the food plans are - I probably wouldn't each lunch if there was a 3 course meal at three and an evening buffet, whereas I would if it was an afternoon tea style.

Being hungry does detract from the overall enjoyment of the day, I think. One of my favourite weddings the b&g arranged for loads of pizzas and chips from the local takeaway to be bought in. That was awesome (for me anyway, not too sure how it went down with the older guests)

[NotDavidTennant]

The only time I've had afternoon tea at a wedding, all we got was a cup of tea and a couple of cakes stands of food to share between a table of 10 people. There definitely wasn't any chance to get lunch beforehand. Give me a proper meal anytime.

[SapphireStrange]

Iam, your classifications of food are subjective, though.

And the bride and groom were at fault for not guessing that you'd have approved of strawberry jam but couldn't possibly deal with blueberry?

There was a number of children also at the wedding and I doubt many ate the sandwiches available

But you're not a child.

And no, it wasn't my wedding.

[Floggingmolly]

To be fair; I would be a bit bemused to be served jam (of any description) sandwiches at a wedding.

[Iambubbles86]

flogging it was cheese and onion not just cheese and the onion was very strong, the jam was blueberry which I wouldn't say is among the most popular jams. Goodness me sorry for joining in people, its not like I threw the bloody sandwiches in the bride and grooms face, I didn't say a bloody thing and had a smile on my face despite hunger, also completely plain scones with no accompniment but don't worry about picking up on that

[WorraLiberty]

I don't think it's sarky at all

I'm pointing out that food is just one part of it. If the rest of the wedding was lovely, then having to wait for a substantial 9pm BBQ, having already been fed at 3.30pm, doesn't exactly show the B&G in a bad light.

There are plenty of other things to enjoy. Although it's clear the OP is just as bothered as she says her DP was.

I think food and alcohol are the 2 biggest 'issues' for guests at weddings, but you cant please everyone.

[Iambubbles86]

sapphire oh dear was it your wedding I went to? I didn't say it was outrageous but I wouldn't say horseradish or cheese and onion is plain which is what I stipulated in my post. I would class plain as cheese, ham, strawberry jam. There was a number of children also at the wedding and I doubt many ate the sandwiches available

[PreAdvent13610]

Alcon gluten free afternoon tea is quite easy to sort. Also the challenge of catering for different needs can inspire a more varied and exciting menu.

[Floggingmolly]

How plain can your tastes be that you couldn't eat a cheese or jam sandwich?

[CrushedNinjas]

We had a 3pm wedding and afternoon tea for our 10 guests in a lovely boutique style hotel.
It was a 'proper' afternoon tea with thin finger sarnies, posh cakes, scones etc. And plenty of fizz.
My DH and I had our first afternoon tea at Raffles Hotel in Singapore many years previously and so wanted to recreate something similar for our guests. All our guests were staying locally in nice hotels and we were the only ones going home straight afterwards, (although that wasn't my idea and I felt rather sad about that!).
I'm still waiting for a honeymoon.

[Floggingmolly]

"Did you enjoy the wedding" is quite sarky, really... Op would obviously have enjoyed it far more if the food had been served before 9pm, irregardless of how good the other aspects may or may not have been.

[SapphireStrange]

there wasnt a single sandwich that catered to someone with plain taste

No, there wasnt a single sandwich that catered to YOUR taste. There's nothing that outré about beef and horseradish or cheese and onion.

[Alconleigh]

That wouldn't keep me going. Im tiny but need a lot of food. Some of the others described here sound great though. Mind you as someone with a wheat intolerance I'd be in some digestive difficulty with a meal which was bread and cake based. I'd eat it rather than be starving and hammered though

[BonerSibary]

I'd try and eat some lunch before a 2pm wedding, but it's not always practical or possible. Especially as I have two preschoolers so any eating would have to be done well before we all got dressed. If you're on site already and there's not much, or have a longish journey, it can be difficult. Later afternoon weddings are actually easier in that respect. I suspect part of the reason why the bigger meal is usually served earlier in proceedings, when the ceremony took place in the early afternoon, is in recognition of the fact that due to travel and getting ready people won't necessarily have had the opportunity to eat much.

[Viviennemary]

I wouldnt think much of this idea. However, if it was made clear on the invitations that's all there was fair enough if people are hard up.

[Iambubbles86]

We went to a wedding that just had sandwiches and scones however all the sandwiches had fillings that I didn't like (cheese and onion, beef and horseradish, blueberry jam), there wasnt a single sandwich that catered to someone with plain taste (plus only 3 small triangles per person) so I didn't eat any and there was one scone per person with no jam or cream. I was starving and the evening buffet didn't come out till 9.45, honestly I was quite annoyed by it all, not that I let the bride and groom know of course