Veggie wedding question

[RoseRuby26]

We are currently mid last minute wedding plans. In the evening we are having a 7 piece buffet for guests. Day guests will have had 3 course dinner but for evening guests this will be their only food. We have a choice of about 20 delicious items but cannot come to a decision about how many items out of the 7 should be veggie. Partner thinks 2 out of 7 should be veggie. I would rather 3 or 4 veggie items as 2 items of food e.g. a couple of veggie samosas and a Halloumi skewer is not enough for vegetarians and meat eaters will surely eat veggies foods too. He is a big meat eater and is making a fuss. There are likely to be about 10 vegetarians out of 150 guests. AIBU?

You probably don't want to be thinking of all this on your wedding day but just a general suggestion for anyone who organises events - it's really, really helpful if you let vegetarians go first to a buffet. Otherwise they're often left with the scraps by the time they get there. It's nothing to do with being "militant" (whatever that means), just making sure everyone gets a decent portion of food.

Again ,thats a catering issue.

What are the veggie options? Do they look like sides for the meat options?

It might be worth labelling one as "vegetarian main dish" or something that says they get first pick of that one? At least then the vegetarians aren't just left with salad or crisps. I guess it depends on the quantities your caterer is providing a to whether that's necessary. It's not really great just to warn the vegetarians to make sure they're quick at the buffet so they can definitely get something to eat.

freedom I didn't see the thread you're talking about but it sounds pretty unusual that anyone would say meat eaters should only eat meat.

I'd go for 5 vegetarian and 2 meat. The reason why 'meat eaters eat all the vegetarian food' is that they are simply eating a balanced selection and there is usually far too little variety for the meat eaters.

I've seen buffets where the choice is a ham sandwich, pork pie and sausage rolls which are more or less the same food so I would have one of these and then have something different, and probably without meat.

Veggie options:

French bread sandwiches (assorted)
Brie and cranberry parcels
Feta and tarragon risotto balls
Cracked black pepper potato skins
Hot and cheesy Nachos and dips
Halloumi cheese skewers
Mini vegetable samosas
Tempura battered king prawn (for the fish eaters)

What would you go for?

Depends what the options are, but I can't see that 2 would be enough. I'm assuming that at least 1-2 of the things you pick will be a sort of 'accompaniment' that everyone will go for, like a bread or rice or couscous? That would mean you stood a real risk of running out. If you were having 7 items as well as stuff like bread, pasta salad etc, you might be able to get away with 2 veggie things, but I think I'd still go for more than that. If you're not, I'd say perhaps 2 'accompaniment' things like salad or rice, 2 veggie mains and 3 meat.

All sound so delicious! I can't choose.

Cross post...

I wouldn't go for the prawns as one of my veggie options unless I knew the veggies ate fish. Please note, I have no interest in a debate about whether you can be a veggie and eat fish, the salient point here is that rightly or wrongly some people identify as veggie whilst also eating fish and OPs 10 could be amongst them.

I'm a meat eater and your veggie options sound lovely, so 4 of those plus three meat

Veggie options from your list
Brie and cranberry things
Vegetable samosa
Risotto balls

Most of the rest just feel like carbohydrate side dishes

Meat eater here but I would nail anything with cheese! Dec get veggie to go first. If you have an mc, bridesmaid, usher or family member who can be responsible for letting them go first so you don't have to think about it, it would help

So no actual veggies among the veggie options? Eek.

I'd go for:

Feta and tarragon risotto balls
Cracked black pepper potato skins
Hot and cheesy Nachos and dips
Halloumi cheese skewers

But it all sounds delicious (except the non-veg prawns). Everyone's going to want some of everything, veggie or not!

Prawn isn't a veggie option. And where are the actual vegetables, salad etc?

Confirmed carnivore here, I think 4 veggie, 3 meat. Very few meat eaters are going to want an entire plate of the stuff!

I think the French bread sandwiches are risky as they are assorted filling so potentially people will see two or three they like the look of and that will mean there's even less chance of your vegetarians getting enough to eat.

I'd do three meat, three vegetarian and the fish as my 7 choices.

Will there be salad and bread as fillers as well Op?

freedom I didn't see the thread you're talking about but it sounds pretty unusual that anyone would say meat eaters should only eat meat

One person said it and others joined in. Then one said that if it was established that the vegetarians had definitely had enough then the carnies would be allowed some salad. It was nuts. Then a vegan told the veggies off for eating the vegan food, and someone started shouting about gluten free options....
Very entertaining altogether!

5 veggie and 2 meat. The meat eaters can eat everything; it would be mean for veggies to only be able to eat 2 things.

Of the options listed, I'd choose:
French bread sandwiches (assorted)
Cracked black pepper potato skins
Hot and cheesy Nachos and dips
Halloumi cheese skewers
Mini vegetable samosas

4 veggie. I say that as an omnivore. The choices sound nice too - I'd go for risotto balls, potato skins, samosas and halloumi skewers, then get 3 meat dishes.

I'd love ALL of that - seven veggie choices wouldn't bother me at all. It would be a nice change.

I'm veggie. At any buffet I always have to ask DH to try samosas etc first to check if they are veggie so little labels are always appreciated. I think 3-4 choices is good. How thoughtful you are, I've been to some weddings where I've only been able to eat bread, crisps and salad off the buffet!

It's a good point lljkk. It's an unhealthy buffet for definite. It's not a rice / salad type buffet as I guess they are avoiding cutlery?!?! It's served at 8.30pm. Evening guests are arriving at 7pm. I normally have dinner before evening reception and then just have a couple of bits to eat. I see it more as a treat supper or soak up the alcohol plate of treats.

Potato skins x2
Haloumi skewers
Nachos

Then with 3 meat it's almost like 3 + a wedges for veggies and 3+ a wedges for meaties

You know the last time this came up a horde of militant veggies came along and told us that meat eaters should stand back while the veggies went first, and that meat eaters shouldn't touch the salads as they were meant for the vegetarians, and they should only eat the meat!

I was on that thread. To say freedom's synopsis is an exaggeration is something of an understatement