To ask if you’d expect more food at this wedding?

[Avelora]

We’re getting married next month and starting to have a panic that we aren’t providing enough food. Ceremony is at 2.30, so everyone will be arriving at the reception between 3.30-4 ish. We’re having a bbq starting at around 5pm

Bbq foods are as follows, and each person can have one of every item if they want to
Burgers
Hot dogs
Chicken skewers
Prawn skewers
Veggie/vegan options
Chips
Salad, coleslaw, potato salad etc

We've also got a cheese table with various choices, crackers, pork pies etc and a dessert table with cakes, brownies and donuts which are both coming out at about 8.30pm

Would you then expect another substantial food option with the cheese and snacks table, such as hot food or a buffet or something!? We're expecting the bbq to be done with by around 6.30, but they can keep going as long as we want them to, and the venue closes at 12pm.

*Edited by MNHQ for clarity.

At 930pm onwards have chip butties
Pizza slices etc.

Mini fish n chips
Bacon baps

@SarahSissions people really do eat multiple burgers. I hosted a BBQ last summer. I made multiple salads and had burgers, sausages, salmon and pork and chorizo skewers. One guy, the amount he ate was phenomenal. I lost count of how many burgers he had.

I would just ask for the cheese and dessert to come our later.

Do you have any guests with dietary issues ie gluten free or lactose free. What your suggesting won't be ok for them? Normally catering teams have alternative offers if its a big venue even even if not pre ordered. DD is ceoliac and she couldn't eat much of this. She'd be on chicken skewers only and would need lots!

I mean, you don't NEED it, but 6pm-midnight is a long time to go with no food if everyone has free access to the bar.

If my last meal of the day was at 6pm, I'd definitely be feeling peckish before bed and would have a snack at around 10pm - toast, crisps, some chocolate, a bowl of ice-cream etc.

We have dinner at 5 and can manage with nothing else till breakfast. It really surprises me the amount for food some people have to eat.

I'm not arsed on eating after dinner either. However if it had been a long day probably involving some travelling, I'd been drinking and dancing I would be ravenous!

We have dinner at 5 and can manage with nothing else till breakfast

You're missing the point. Usually I don't eat between dinner one evening and lunch the following day. But I'm not usually on my feet dancing til midnight either - I'm usually in bed by then.

Weddings mean long days, late nights, more booze than usual and a lot of dancing. This means people eat more than they usually would. It's not that difficult a concept 😄

So I couldn't have 2 burgers? I think you need extras.

Totally agree about policing the veggie/vegan.
I've had occasions where I've only had the lettuce garnish to eat because others have eaten the vegan/ veggies and the meat options.

But if that's what you do everyday, it's your normal, so your body is used to it.

But most adults are still working at 5pm, not eating dinner. If you're suddenly expected to eat a huge meal 2-3 hours earlier than normal, you probably won't eat loads, so of course you'll be hungry again before bed.

Not everyone eats huge meals either - I can't eat loads in one go, I prefer 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day. So while I would eat at 5pm, I'd probably not have much, and would want to be able to have something later too.

i would add sandwiches and already made up food (sausage rolls etc) to the BBQ selection.

If BBQ starts at 5 and starts cooking food then, it will take ages to get through cooking enough food for all 50 whatever guests. Guest 50 has to wait 30 mins for their food - and that assuming guest 1 doesn't go up again beforehand.

Having ready done food means the politer/less pushy guests (usually women or older people) get to eat something at a reasonable time.

the only way i can see the "have every option available" works is

table 1 of 10 goes up - there are 20 burgers/sauages etc there. So everyone can take 1 or 2 of each (but not more as staff advise not doing that)
then the bbq staff cook more to replenish up to 20 for next table.

go through all tables, effectivly cooking to order.
once all tables done, people can go for seconds.

So the BBQ firm actually has tons of spare food, but thats uncooked and they only charge for what is cooked.

Nothing says 'celebration' like a jacket potato

i would add sandwiches and already made up food (sausage rolls etc) to the BBQ selection.
It’s a wedding, not Mavis’s retirement do at the village hall.

BBQ to me says mates garden party with beers and in jeans to be fair, not wedding in your fancy clothes.

My friend was at a wedding the other day and ousted a photo of a “crisp area” - there were a load of assorted packets of crisps that people could help themselves to. If you have teens and kids coming it could appeal ?

Provided the veggies will have as many options as meat eaters it’s fine. Bit unfair if meat eaters get 10 items and the veggie only gets half, if that iykwim.

The major flaw in your plan is for example, my mum won't touch burgers or prawns so will not get much food. It's a very limited menu choice if you can only have one of each. Personally I'd do a few sandwiches at the cheese table serving to catch anyone that didn't have much bbq

No I wouldn't expect more. We had pasties for an evening boost - you have cheese and puddings. It sounds fine to me? They are going to be eating roughly at tea time after all.

If you ensure there's cheese to nibble at all evening (after it comes out) I think it'll be fine.

Have a fabulous day! Make sure the caterers reserve one good bottle of fizz for you to have after all the fucking photos 😂

Sounds fine.

We had a 2pm wedding. Just fed the day guests with canapés on arrival and then a hot buffet about 5/6 and then cake, sweets and snacks in the evening.

Everyone had lunch before they came to the wedding and it was on the invite that we wouldn't be able to do evening food.... people may have muttered but we were open and honest about it
.

I would just say there's a long gap between BBQ and desserts coming out.

Op, could you maybe do a bacon roll about 10.30 ish

I don't get out much, but that food list sounds lovely. If anybody dares to even whisper a complaint, the problem is theirs. Have a lovely wedding! 💘

Sounds fine to me, people don't always eat loads at weddings as they are drinking a lot. You wouldn't want to have tons of food wasted which I've often seen when people have had 2 food servings. If you are having evening guests you might want to have nibbles avaliable for them. Also make sure you have veggie options

Fair enough, hamburgers and fries are your preferred ‘celebration’ food?