To not serve hot drinks...

[Ilovechocolate87]

DD2 is getting christened next month- we are doing a celebration party after at a local village hall.We were originally going to go with a caterer who would have provided staff to serve teas and coffees, but her quote proved very expensive so we have found a much cheaper but still good & reputable alternative company to do the buffet.Only thing is they won't be able to stay and do any drinks as its just a drop off service.

DH and I will have DD1 (5) and DD2 (10m) to keep an eye on and obviously also general organising to do, and also want to be able to socialise and enjoy the event, so really don't want to be stuck in the kitchen the whole time serving up constant teas & coffees for 60ish people, and would feel rude asking friends or family to do it as they are guests too and deserve to relax and enjoy the event.

Don't know of any local companies who would just come and provide/serve drinks for us.I could put a post on the town community FB page for some paid help, but it would worry if they would definitely turn up, and would likely need afew people anyway i think, as the original lady said she would have provided 3 people to staff it.

AIBU to just forget doing hot drinks and serve (possibly on a a 'help yourself' table next to the buffet) a varied selection of good quality cold ones (talking schloer, nice bottled juices etc, not just fizzy & squash) or pay the hire fee on top to be able to serve alcohol and do everyone a glass of bubbly each instead?

IMO they are getting a generous savoury buffet, a decent slice of cake and will have a varied choice of cold drinks... shouldn't that be enough? :-/
But I don't drink tea or coffee so don't get the whole 'needing a hot drink' thing anyway. DH drinks hot drinks, and he thinks people will expect them.

Opinions please?

Nonsense. Cheese doesn't turn deadly in an hour. In fact you need to always leave cheese out at least an hour before you serve it!

Meat and seafood too, it's not lethal after an hour

Op you’re really overthinking it now with the cups with lids! Seriously, the place you’re hiring with have crockery already and will have hosted a million and one functions so why over complicate it. You just have to wash up what you use after!

This is what coffee urns were invented for. Big canisters that dispense coffee or hot water for the buffet. Add a selection of tea bags. It’s really common for church halls to have a set, or at least it used to be. You can also rent them.

I have a swallowing issue that's made easier with a hot drink. It adds a little reassurance that I won't choke.

Buy a cheap kettle no faffing with ancient urns and guests prepare their own drink
Get disposable cups, tea bags,coffee, and folk will make own drink

Any Village Hall worth their salt will have a hot water urn and/or catering dispensers for hot water as well as enough cups to keep the whole WI hydrated indefinitely, especially if they regularly host functions/events.

Just check with the venue before hand what facilities they have - some hot water urns need a while to heat up so would need to be set up beforehand, some of them just need filling up and are ready in minutes so could be done when you arrive; some places will have a few "cupboard staples" available like sugar/salt/pepper etc, others you have to bring all your own etc - and then bring the things you need - big box of tea bags, jar of coffee and plenty of milk.

I also always have hot drinks (often also with a glass of water).
Hadn't realised this would be viewed as weird? Why so!

OP could you not just purchase 3 or 4 of these or similar?

Navaris Stainless Steel Coffee Jug - Vacuum Insulated Coffee, Tea, Liquid, Drink Flask Dispenser - Hot and Cold Drinks Catering Pot - 1.5 Litres amzn.eu/d/2B3O7ya
I am a "caffeine needs" kind of person, but think tea and coffee at a Christening is a pretty basic (& mostly expected ) requirement.
Cake needs hot drinks !
Hope you all have a lovely day with or without tea!

I’d serve cold drinks, no alcohol.

Cold drinks would probably be fine, but at christening dos like this I’ve been to people have just made their own.

I had a function, not a christening, but we just used big urns. One for coffee and the other hot water. We left disposable cups on the table, sugar, milk and nibbles. A few of my friends decided to help out and manned the table for us which was a great help. But otherwise people would be fine to help themselves.

Why does there have to be a point? Can’t she have a hot drink with her food just because she likes it?

People will survive for a couple of hours without a hot drink, especially in the summer.

That may be true but in my experience hot drinks are very much expected at a Christening, I just can't imagine this in the absence of tea and coffee .

The last time I went to a do like this I think would have cried without a hot drink 🤣 but thats because I'd been up all night with my toddler then driven a very long time to arrive at the event then said toddler was being difficult!

However I am also the type of person to help out serving and helping tidy up etc and have also found there are always plenty of people like me who offer their assistance.

Borrow an urn. The village hall may even have one. Fill it up, put out mugs from the hall kitchen and people can make their own.

Not on mumsnet I can't 😂

I was abit worried about the safety aspect with 30 young children running about and all those people wandering around with steaming hot drinks, but I guess we could provide takeaway style cups with lids to get around that, rather than open cups and saucers
You're over thinking it. People will sit down or stand still while drinking tea, they won't be standing in the middle of the dance floor. Don't go and buy loads of disposable cups and insulated teapots you'll use once - just ask the village hall and I'm 100% certain they will have mugs and urns/kettles you can use.

I'd need a hot drink, I would expect/hope for a kettle, some mugs, teabags, Instant coffee, sugar - it's not any hassle to provide those things so why wouldn't you?