Non-veggie evening food?

[boredboredboredbored1000]

I'm planning a wedding and, despite my best efforts, have blown my modest-medium sized budget already. It's an evening thing, ceremony at 530, dinner after, "evening" guests arriving at 9. There will be canapés, dinner, wine and an edible wedding favour for those invited to the whole thing. The "evening" guests will get a welcome drink, then everyone can have some wedding cake (I've bought 3 big tiers in different flavours) at the celebration afterwards. I'd also like to get a "pork pie wedding cake" from M&S (3 pork pies in decreasing sizes, stacked and decorated to look like a wedding cake) as additional food in the evening (cost about £80, I'm allowed to bring this to the venue as it's another "cake"). The alternative would be a cheese board from the caterers costing £520 (can't afford this, also means I can't bring my own cake of stacked cheeses). It's been suggested that the pork pie thing is not fair on vegetarians (we have about 4 coming). I can't find a veggie friendly version, or alternative veggie tier. If I don't get the pork pie cake I won't get anything else. Would I be unreasonable to get it for non-veggie people?

No, but you need to cater for the veggies too. Wherever there is food served you need to cater for everyone.

Surely you can't have many evening guests coming so late?

Well they can have cake... there'll still be lots of people (>100)

Could you add a fourth tier and put a vegetarian pork pie on top for the veggies?

It's entirely up to you. Personally I'd be a bit miffed if there was no savoury food for me as an evening guest where alcohol was being served. I would expect more than cake.

If if doesn't matter to you then it doesn't matter.

Thought I'd do that but they don't seem to exist. I'd have to balance a quiche on top. The problem is all the non-veggies who don't like pork pie would also want quiche, but if I got a bigger quiche, it would have to be a lower down tier and would lack the structural integrity to support the weighty pork pies

You can't like your vegetarian guests much if you're happy to serve the omnivores pork pie and cake and the vegetarians just cake.

If there's only 4 veggies, why don't you just speak to them and ask their thoughts?

They may be totally fine with it, and if you do decide to do something for them you can make sure it's something they like!

Also decide what your approach will be if non-veggies either don't like pork pie or just decide they like the look of the veggie thing better. I'd suggest getting the veggies up to be served first and if there's leftovers then the non-pork-pie-eating-meat-eaters can have it.

I just wouldn't have the pork pies, you can't serve the meat eaters a slice of pork pie and a slice of cake and the veggies just a slice of cake
I think it's fine not to have any savoury food for something starting at 9 as it'd be fair to presume everyone would've already had dinner

Have you got any suggestions for how to cater for the veggies too MoanyCow? I'm happy to go with veggie snacks for all provided I can find an excuse to bring them myself and not have to pay the caterers mark up

it would lack the structural integrity

Instead of so much ridiculous cake you could budget to feed your vegetarian guests?

This is the reason I hate an evening do. Food for these second rate guests really is an afterthought!

Can't you just order a couple of sandwich platters to go alongside the pork pies? They're only £11 each class="underline">pid=40131062845&efid=WQnV8wAAAIHHd1q_:20170825160350:s&mcptredirect. You could always keep them in the kitchen and put a sign out saying to ask for veggie alternative so non veggies don't nab them all.

Cut back on the canapés at the main dinner and serve them (inc veggie ones) for evening guests??

As there are only 4 veggies could you just get one platter of something for them from the caterer?

You may only have 4 vegetarians but the food you put out for them is suitable for everyone, so you may find that people who don't fancy pork pie (and that could be quite a few) will eat the small amount of food you've provided for the vegetarians.

Or they'll eat both.

Could you pay for some extra veggie canapés, and keep them aside for the evening guests?

Did you say you are having a cake of stacked cheeses? That'll do for the veggies!

meat-free food isn't suitable for vegetarians, it's suitable for everyone.

Depends if the cheeses are vegetarian, sunshine.

The venue are quite strict about not bringing your own food, you have to go with the preferred caterer and I think serving canapés after dinner might be odd (and probably not allowed). I'll give it some more thought. Maybe a "cake" made of artfully balanced bags of bar snacks decorated with a few strategically placed flowers and a tiny savoury bride and groom? Really wishing we'd eloped! At the moment I hate all of my guests equally (obviously not really, I just look at the guest list and see financial ruin)

Small platter for the veggies instead

I am also extremely partial to a macaroni pie. You get ones big enough for 4. This could be balanced on top?

Vegetable samosas... mmmmmm

If you go to your nearest Holland and Barrett store which also has a refrigerated section then you will usually find veggie porkless pies there. They do exist!