Mines unfortunately another catering one! They couldn’t afford it, simple as.
Winter wedding (December) and a flipping cold one at that! It was below zero degrees.
Service was at 10am at their church. I don’t know why it needed to be so early, but it was. After ceremony, it was pointed out that the reception location was not open for guests until 1pm. It was now just after 11am.
So into the church hall and found jugs of squash and a few plates of biscuits for over a hundred people. And that disappeared quickly. Thankfully, some church guests who were also church regulars switched on the hot water and got out the tea and coffee, someone discreetly went out for more milk and biscuits but Bride was a bit questioning and said “oh I just didn’t think people wanted tea and coffee at a wedding, why have we switched on the urn?” Thankfully she accepted that it was colder than she had anticipated as an answer but it was odd.
Arrive 2 hours later at venue - a very beautiful place that costs a fortune. A popular venue. Off they go for photos. At the venue……no canapés, no drinks. Just a few bowls filled with those tiny bags of Haribo sweets, and we were told the reception wouldn’t begin till 4pm. Someone enquired about the bar and we were told that B&G had not booked for that to be open till 4 so no staff to run it. Isolated venue, no shop or cafe or anything nearby. Thankfully they at least brought out jugs of water (and paper cups because again, refreshments had not been booked or paid for).
B&G and their quite big but close family who were in the photos were completely oblivious to the bored, starving freezing guests when they returned and it was only then that a few more snacks (think crisps and party rings) were brought out.
Into the reception finally, 12 tables plus top table. Food was a buffet, Top Table were first (food was dished out by the staff at venue I should say) - food ran out by table 6. 50% of guests (including myself) were left with nothing. Staff said they served what was paid for. Pudding was purchased separately - ie supermarket desserts, The MOB was a lovely lady doing the rounds and got to our table and wondered why we had no food and realised the issue. She quietly said she had been worried, they wanted this venue but In reality just didn’t have the budget, she was looking so sad at her daughter knowing bride would genuinely be upset if she realised and asked us to keep quiet and she would try and solve it. In the meantime, she approached MC and was having a quiet chat.
When desserts were set out, most of us at the 6 food deprived tables could see that there was a pitiful amount and nowhere near enough. The MC announced that Top Table would again go first, and that they would then go in reverse and used a sweet toothed uncle famous for his cake baking as the reason why they would start at the other end. Good old MOB. However, the first few tables were largely filled with family including a lot of children and the Bride called out that, as she had chosen lots of specificity things for certain people, could all the children and cousins get their pudding after them and then go through the tables. Well you can guess the result! Same 6 tables basically ended up with nothing.
Nothing from bar was included and evening buffet was also absolute minimum. Lots of guests were leaving by 8pm and, myself included, did spot bride getting a bit upset that so many people were departing so early.
This couple are a lovely couple but the reality was they couldn’t afford that location. They really couldn’t, they don’t have the funds at all. They could have had just as beautiful a wedding in a cheaper location - where everyone would be fed. The final carriages were at midnight, a 14 hour party and with Haribo, digestives, a few bags of crisps, a buffet for 60 out of 120 odd guests and dessert for less than that……I could never get the logic.