To serve sandwiches at a wedding

[CheesecakeAddict]

So opinions please...
We have an afternoon wedding. Everyone is invited for the whole thing (No one just for the evening). Everyone barring 5 guests are coming from far away. In many cases from abroad, so I don't want to come across as a terrible host.

We are having an informal meal. It will start after the ceremony at 4pm with canapes, a bbq with sides buffet, then dessert and coffee. The caterers have told us they cater for 3 items from the bbq for each guest. 12 of the guests are under the age of 5 so I expect there to be extras as I can't see a 3 year old eating 3 burgers/hot dogs. The venue have told us they expect the meal to finish by 7ish and we have to be off the premises by 11.30pm. I was thinking of putting a spread on at about 9pm but my DM thinks most will still be full from the breakfast. Especially as the cake (not a fruit cake) will feed 130 and we have around 80 guests, so plenty to go around. Wibu to just put on sandwiches rather than a full buffet or do you think people will be upset? All this will be around £200 per head as we have to use their caterers and whilst I am happy to increase that for my guests who have travelled at least 200 miles just for us, I don't want to throw more money if it's all just going to go to waste.

Just do nice cheese and crackers, I can’t imagine your guests will be starving after 2 hours.

OP you have said most people are travelling anyway, why on earth are you having it here?
There are plenty of fabulous venues that would do it for less and serve more than a BBQ!

Holy shit! I would cancel that. You are being ripped off and the food doesn't sound like it's much at all.

If I want to wedding and got burgers and hot dogs I'd judge you, and not silently. At least do a decent bbq

Bet the '3 items' are all small, too - a drumstick, a slider type burger and a skinny sausage. I'd be starving.

You can buy dinner at the Paris Ritz for £200. Fucking hell.

Your Mum is wrong because you will need something unless you want people very pissed guests and people going out for food. I wouldn’t bother with a full buffet, but hot sandwiches if you can have them are nice.

Where is this??

Op, I have recently looked at 100s venues in London, the SE, SW and Midlands. Only 1 of them came near that price.

Where on Earth are you?

DH and I looked at some pretty expensive places for our wedding, and the priciest we found for venue hire was Kew Gardens
But for £9k, you got 3 different venues, including a stunning Orangery, for up to 200 people

Does your venue come with bedrooms for guests as part of the hire charge?

I'd find another venue...

Omg we had a bbq buffet catered at a v smart hotel and that was only £25 per head!

£200 per head , what is in the sandwiches ? caviar and gold washed down with diamond encrusted bottles of champagne, thats really shocking , in answer to your question yes i would do some food later for people who have had a few too many

Is this Princess Eugenie and Windsor Castle?

I had 2 buffets at my reception didn't cost me £200 a head and that was included a van full of wine.

@whatshallidonow oh no. I was worried about that. We have already had a few comments from immediate family that they expect a proper sit down meal. And it would be of no additional cost either as catering is a need cost depending on which package it falls into. But all I had was "Oh, lamb, I'm not touching lamb", "I can't be around the smell of chicken since that time I got food poisoning" "can we switch mash for chips" "Oh you know x won't have veg". So I just thought, you know what, at least this way people have a choice.

Holy crap. My entire wedding cost £10,000 (admittedly 15 years ago) but that was absolutely everything for us and 80 guests.

Oh, just to be clear...CheesecakeAddict, I know you’re a regular poster, I meant YOU HAD to be winding us up, not that you’re a troll!

I know I got married 14 years ago so I will be way out of date, but I spent like it was going out of fashion for our wedding and absolutely everything including the honeymoon cost £11K all in for 120 people, so £100 per person. No wonder you have been heartbroken, this cartel of shysters have got you over a barrel. There HAS to be an alternative - doesn't there??? Even if you end up paying the same but for something better?

Fuck off £16000 just for food! Hire a village hall and caters to do a full on meal. Wedding in a registry office and save yourself about £16000.

But but but... surely not!

BBQs are the cheap option at a wedding, everyone knows that. Suits most people and saves money on the meal. Win win.

Don't accept £200 a head it's absolute madness.

If the £200 per head includes alcohol up to desert can you not serve desert at 11.00pm and encourage all your guests to ask for unopened bottles of champagne....

Yeah right