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.

This is what you’d get for £165+ VAT per head at Searcys at the Gherkin:

Exclusive hire of level 39 and 40 from 2pm to midnight (11pm on Sundays)
2 glasses of our house Prosecco per person
3 canapés per person
Half a bottle of house wine per person during your meal
A delicious 3 course set-menu followed by tea and coffee
Half a bottle of mineral water
A Prosecco toast
Event Management

In short it includes venue hire, 3 course meal, wine, canapés and event management.

You'd have to be fucking mental to think that anything over £5 for a hotdog is even legal.

I'm pretty sure this can't be in the uk, could it???

Just had a look where we got married in 2003-still doing a great deal in a lovely country manor hotel.
£75/head to include drinks on arrival/3 course sit down meal with half bottle wine/person plus champagne toast. Also includes free menu taster meal/bridal suite for the night and free dinner/bed & breakfast on your first anniversary. And discounts for people staying over.
You are being well ripped off!

annie Oh I really wish it was a wind up. The quoted price when we were looking was much cheaper. It was £90 a head. Call it stupidity, naivity or what you will, what we didn't realise that was the bare minimum. The cost of the bbq, canapes, dessert, welcome drinks and a glass of prosecco to toast. Then a few people complained that they expected an open bar, so I added a time capped open bar and what I didn't read in the small print was that the prices in the brochure didn't include vat. Or maybe my maths is way off. So I got that to be about £110 pp for the basic, the the extra welcome drinks and open bar was an extra £45 plus vat, then I am working out the sandwiches on a rough idea of what other things on the menu cost as I am still waiting for a quote. I didn't want to ask for a quote until I scoped some idea on how that would go down with guests. But their cheese board apparently costs £17 pp (plus vat) so I am guessing some cheese and ham sandwiches can't be much more than that.

I'd love to know where this is.

Can you give us a rough region you’re based in?

I really have heard nothing like it!

OP, I’m sensing a theme. Stop listening to your family’s opinions!

you need to elope. fucking hell

Who complaints about an open bar? How rude. This is spiralling OP.

Don’t do this.
Seriously. Don’t do it.

Tell us what region you’re in. We’ll save you a FORTUNE.

Don't pay for an open bar!

Everything is negotiable Op. Might sound tricky but they are a business and they want you and guests happy.
Ask them to throw in extras if you don't feel happy chipping down the price.
TBF if this gets in the Daily Mail their are knacked so do what you can Op.!

Maybe ask for the thread to be taken down. I feel like we need to find you a new venue in another thread though!

Don’t do this OP
You are being majorly ripped off

We had a four course amazing waiter served meal with fullyopen bar all through the meal and speeches and then cheeseboards tea coffee in the evening for less than this pp.

Look check around for a better deal because this isn't a good deal for you or anyone. Any unnecessary spending has got to remain in your pocket. Spend it on something else, like a better honeymoon no way would I spend all that on that I would want a 3 course sit down with wine and coffee and cheese. Surely someone is trying it on go check for a better deal.

Seriously look around. That is outrageous.

Come round to mine OP. We’ll stick up some bunting, chuck some Lidl hotdogs and burgers on the barbie for £1.50 a head.

We’ll even throw in a free two man tent marquee.

I’ve work d in wedding industry a lot of my life in varying roles - and usually top end.
They are totally taking the piss
Get an amazing marquee yurt teepee barn etc and normal caterer from miles away who will do brilliant food at sensible prices and you will be quids in.
Seriously if you’re rural just ask a farmer for the land

Then get a bar service who will do whatever you tell them your budget it
This is YOUR wedding
Tough shit if auntie Joan can’t eat chicken without thinking about that time her cousin Debbie was puking

Don't people have bbq for a cheap option?
This can't be right even Harry and Meghan wouldn't have spent 200 per head on fucking Iceland bbq food

Not RTFT, but 200 pounds PER PERSON?! Surely that can't be right.
Been to posh weddings in fancy places before and it''s a fraction of that price!
If you're right,you've been absolutely done up.

Sod those who 'expect a free bar'. How fucking entitled. I've never been given free drinks at any of the weddings I've been to beyond fizz for the toast and wine with the meal.

I would hope for that price that the barbecue is generous with quantities and very high quality, eg organic meat and something a lot more interesting than sausage, burgers and chicken legs. Eg lamb, seafood, filet steak.

If it's in the summer, can the barbecue be extended over a longer period so people can eat from the barbecue if they are hungry again?

Cheeseboard, including bread, crackers and fruit for later on sounds like a good idea as the cheese will save if not eaten and is fairly substantial.

Have you paid a deposit for the spendy venue? The marquee plus caterers looks like a good idea as an alternative.

Am sorry but your relatives are entitled twats 😡.

How dare they dictate your special day.

Lose your deposit, find somewhere else, uninvited those relatives.

Have you signed a contract? Can you post it on here deleting identifying details? What’s your cancellation period? You may be better off cancelling, forfeiting a deposit paid & looking for an alternative venue with help here.