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?

I'd totally go with a cake of cheeses and crackers, grapes and celery on the side. That plus cake would be lovely.

Yes it was bread rolls with ketchup rhonda.

@PickAChew That M&S Cheese Celebration Cake looks awesome!

I wouldn't go to a reception that started at nine!

That Cheese Celebration Cake looks like it's made up of three or four cheeses you can get in any supermarket.

Great for cheese on toast but I'd rather have proper handmade cheeses for a "celebration".

If you're going to invite evening guests, give them a proper, varied buffet, veggie or otherwise. Don't try to cater for 100 people on the cheap. A 9pm start with a later finish is fine for adult and teen guests - I assume it's going to go on well past midnight to make it worth guests' while.

I think the best solution is as PP said, move your canapes from before dinner to when guests arrive, and unless the pork pie is significant to you and/or DF, ditch it. Cake and canapes isn't much but better than cake and pork pie or nothing imo.

Though I may be biased as a meat eater who doesn't like pork pie (love cheese though!)

I rather liked the suggestion of giving all guests a present on arrival that turns out to be edible... !

Jesus I'd rather nothing be served than pork pies. Either pay the caterers to do cheese or don't bother.

TBH I wouldn't turn up to a 9pm invite anyway - it's quite clear you don't want those people there anyway

TBH I wouldn't turn up to a 9pm invite anyway - it's quite clear you don't want those people there anyway

It's quite clear that they do, or they wouldn't have invited them

They may want them to come and 'celebrate their day' by buying their own drinks and having a slice of cake (a bit of jellied pork too at a push) but the couple clearly don't want these people there, do they?

I agree violicorn

I'm a fully paid up carnivore and HATE pork pies.

but the couple clearly don't want these people there, do they

No, see, again: if they have INVITED THEM, its because they DO WANT THEM THERE. Otherwise, they would not.

It's not difficult, I'm sure you've come across the concept before.

Erm put the caps lock down and re-read my last message.

The couple don't give a toss whether these people show up, they've just added 'everyone we know who we've not invited' to the evening list.

If this weren't the case, perhaps they'd consider actually making it worthwhile for these guests to show up. Which they haven't.

No, you're still not following, are you?

You do realise that in many cultures its standard to have evening guests as well as day. You are being rude and ethnocentric. And you don't appear to understand how invites work.

But then I don't imagine you get many, with that attitude.

Oh have a pork pie and calm down dear.

And 'ethnocentric'! Have you read the thread? Apologies, I wasn't aware that pork pies eaten past dusk were so inherent to your 'culture'

It is also the case in many cultures that hospitality is prized. Inviting people but not catering adequately for them would be frowned on. So maybe you are being ethnocentric in assuming the lack of food is acceptable.

A 9pm start, warm pork pie and paying for your own drinks. Sounds really grim.

I am sure the OP does want them there or she wouldn't have invited them, but serving a 30/40 portion pork pie to 100 people doesn't really demonstrate it, even without the veggie element

OP I really think it would be best to rethink your evening catering, what you've planned doesn't sound good at all I am afraid

You say you wish you had eloped - if you feel that way, could you dial down the wedding a bit? No evenings guests (unless already invited?) and then a get together another day in a park or garden to celebrate? Or a radical shift to e.g a village hall where you can cater fully for all? Or I tend to agree re canapés + cake as an option. People don't need food at 6pm before dinner at 7. Then you can do e.g cheese-cake, pie-cake and cake-cake. Or I loved the savoury muffin cake idea. You could even bake them yourself if you were so inclined - they freeze really well :)