To think I'm not starving my wedding guests.

[MBlaze]

Helpful Mumsnetters, please let me know if this is enough food for a wedding. I think it's more than enough, but DP thinks we need to add more food!

Timings are approximate...

2pm - Ceremony
3pm-5pm - Crepe or ice cream van, canapes (3 each) and drinks
6pm - 3 Course dinner (Vegan and Gluten-free options so nobody should go hungry.)
7ish? - Cake after dinner
9pm - Cheese board with bread, crackers, grapes, figs etc

Surely that's enough food considering the ceremony is at 2 and people can have breakfast beforehand?

DP thinks we should provide more than a cheeseboard after dinner and should hire a fish and chip/burrito van or ask the caterers for something more substantial. We aren't having any evening only guests, so I really don't think people will need another meal 3 hours after a 3 course meal.

What do you think?

I would warn people to have lunch before hand, and the dinner timing. It sounds fine though.

We went to a wedding last year where after the ( long - additional musical offerings :o ) church ceremony, the reception was a bit of a walk through the village. Photos were outside the lovely church, and as we came out, there was fizz and wedding cake served. It was a very welcome sugar boost . Then everyone trooped off, in a jolly mood, through the village to more fizz before the main meal. The ceremonial cake cutting was done on the cheese tower. Would not work for everyone but it was a charming arrangement for ths particular do.

Bacon sandwiches would be nice at 10pm

I would warn people to have lunch before hand,

Sounds great.

"Come to our wedding- make sure you eat before hand though"

Very welcoming.

That gap in the afternoon before proper food is too long, ime.

The most miserable wedding I ever went to, had a 3 hour gap. No food being served, the bar ran out of crisps and nuts. Hotel in the country, nothing very close and we were continually told 'just getting a couple more photos, won't be long'. It was. And when they finally unveiled the buffet, there wasn't quite enough and most of the vegetarian food was taken by omnivores. And that's what I remember. Being cold (outdoor marquee, no warning), being hungry and being bored.

I agree with your dp, op, the vegetarian food sounds lacklustre. Why basil at both courses? A more substantial starter would be nicer imo and more on a par with the meat option.

Is it true that in the UK that weddings end at midnight or earlier.

Not where I am! They can go on all through the night, so ANOTHER feed is required at about 2 am or so.

Ah it's all good and great fun.

I’d leave it exactly as you’ve planned it except I’d do away with the canapés. It sounds like plenty of food to me and I’m pretty greedy.

Agreed that this thread is a bit crazy. If you don't like something, you can't complain when it's served somewhere just because you don't like it! Some people seem to think their every want and need should be catered for. The no bacon barms thing cause if the smell is ridiculous.

Personally I think it sounds fine. If you want to swap the crepes then do, little fish and chips might be good.

We are getting married at 3, canapés and I'm doing a popcorn/crisp bar after the service as a snack with little bags for people to snack on. Afternoon tea at 5, sandwiches, cheeseboards, cakes. 7.30 hog roast with buffet bits, wedding cake, cheesecake bar type thing.

I'm assuming because it's a 3pm ceremony, people will have lunch and the afternoon tea/hog roast combined will be enough food with a few snacks available.

I’ve been to wedding receptions in a pub, paid for my drinks, with a sausage roll, sandwich buffet type thing. Had a great time! Mingling with friends I haven’t seen for ages, dancing, chatting and enjoying my friends day with her!

I’m not sure when weddings became more about guests and what they ate!

Is it true that in the UK that weddings end at midnight or earlier.Not where I am! They can go on all through the night, so ANOTHER feed is required at about 2 am or so.

Been to tons of weddings (UK) and an evening buffet is the norm. Another feed at 2am?! Everyone'll have gone home/gone to be bed!
Usually last orders is around 11pm, but special licenses means bars/venues stay open until 12am or 1am at the latest.

we went to a wedding like this, by the time of 'the first dance' everyone was absolutely rat arsed. If you are prepared for a really drunken hooly then roll with it!

How many people are at the wedding? I’ve seen these crepe and cone things and the queue involved was crazy, people stood waiting for 45 minutes for a scoop of ice cream. They only really work for small weddings as an extra, not as essential sustainance. I wouldn’t leave the meal so late, bring it forward and ask for something like bread and olives to be added to the cheese board? As people have said guests won’t have eaten since breakfast and will be ready to eat their own limbs by 6pm, especially if they couldn’t face the queue to get an ice cream

Agreed that this thread is a bit crazy. If you don't like something, you can't complain when it's served somewhere just because you don't like it!

Would never complain, I'm a very grateful guest.
I'm the type who if asked "did you have enough to eat?" would answer with "oh, yes, it was lovely thank you."
Then go home and wail "where was all my fooooood......."
I'm very British lol

I’m confused about the canapés and crepes issue. Crepes with fillings are substantial. That’s a lunch. I am greedy and a filled crepe plus three canapés would definitely keep me going until six. I’d move the nine o’clock food a bit later and have something more substantial though. People will have the drink hunger later on.

If I'm attending a wedding that starts at 1400, I have brunch. Surely people can with l work this out for themselves, especially if they know the wedding breakfast is at 1700-1800

And do grown adults, who know and presumably like each other, struggle to occupy themselves together for a couple of hours? Maybe they could socialise with each other for a bit, just like they do every time they meet up at the pub

It all sounds absolutely fine OP. You could save yourself a few quid by ditching the canapés probably.

Personally I'd have the meal straight after the wedding. I can't stand the hours hanging around for no reason.

My dad got married to my step mum back in July, they had a barbecue for the lunch and in the evening they had mini bacon rolls and chips. It was pretty cool to be fair and totally different.

Thanks Dreamy,

As you can probably guess I live in ROI now for a contract, have been to one wedding of a lovely colleague, and me and DH are still in recovery mode! Absolutely amazing time and so enjoyable. The Irish have it sussed, they don't care about anything but their guest's enjoyment and their own too! Mad place but so nice too.

Plenty of food though which helps a lot!

I went to a wedding last summer that had a crepe van. It was a great idea but as they only cooked 2 at a time, the queue was huge. People were waiting over half an hour for a crepe with many people not bothering because of the length of the queue.

OP, you really don’t need to do afternoon tea AND three courses for a 2pm Wedding. People can eat a sandwich in the car before the ceremony.

I would do:

Ceremony
Decent canapés and drinks (like, 6 per person)
Three courses
Party
Bacon type sandwiches / fish and chips cones
Cake at same time (coffee also available).

I wouldn’t want sandwiches / cake at 3pm and then a three course meal a couple of hours later.

THERE WILL BE SAVORY CREPES!!!

People can get their own big breakfast or lunch before a 2pm start. Then they can have savoury and sweet crepes and canapes. Then they’ll have a three course meal at evening meal time, cake, and cheese and biscuits later? Why would anyone be eating any more than that?! On a night out even people arent scoffing their faces at 9pm. I’d have the fish and chips instead though instead of the cheese just because I’d like it ha.
It sounds plenty and lovely.

Op I love crepes but it would take forever to serve 100 people from one van - they tend to be pretty slow in my experience. I honestly cannot see it working. To be honest I really don't see the point of a drinks reception, surely an earlier dinner and then a buffet in the evening would be much better? Maybe it is a regional thing, I don't recall ever being at a drinks reception at a wedding!

I would prefer a more traditional order -
Champagne reception
Wedding breakfast
Cake
Then snacks / buffet for those that want more in the evening.

Thank you Gotdoit! A lot of people were overlooking that

MissDuke - Hmm yeah, that's definitely putting me off.

My DP has just had a look as this thread and couldn't believe how many people had commented and how many would hate our wedding

We're now thinking of maybe getting rid of all canapes and crepes and having afternoon tea at the drinks reception, the 3 course meal, and then pizza and cake served in the evening.