Evening Food

[RavenLG]

Just after a bit of opinions really.

We’re having a traditional 3 course sit down meal (plus canapés) for our wedding breakfast, but we’re having a tipi style wedding and wanted something simple and casual for the evening. We’ve found a cheese toastie vendor that would set up as a street food style vendor and we love that idea! They can do gluten free and vegan so would cover most of our friends and family dietary requirements, and who doesn’t love a cheese toastie! (The first thing I made for DP was cheese on toast too so we thought it was quite sweet).

Question is would you be happy with just a cheese toastie in the evening? They’re proper good sized (not just sliced white). We would be doing a little sweet bar thing, and I thought we could maybe do our own little savoury station (crisps, breadsticks, chutneys, crackers, pretzels. popcorn etc.). Would this suffice do you think?

I'd probably be starving still. I eat like a pig when I've had a drink

See every full day wedding I’ve been to I’ve been stuffed from the main meal and not ate much on the evening. Our friends a few years ago was even a two course meal, I barely ate half a pork and stuffing bap on the evening. And I’m a size 20 so I love a good feed lol.

We had considered an evening BBQ with our daytime caterers but even the basic option for the BBQ is double the cost, and didn’t seem like you got an awful lot of bbq choices (and we have veggie friends so would need a good range).

We went to an evening do that did something similar.... We were expecting a buffet or similar and Nearly died of starvation. It was fine for the all dayers but not enough fir the B listers

I thought that it sounded fab! Not much difference in quantity to a hog roast roll surely.
Could they complement it with chips or wedges if you're concerned?

Sounds fab! I'm surprised people would go to an evening reception without having had a reasonable meal beforehand.

We had a hog roast in the evening designed for 160 guests as I knew my friends and family are nuts for food when had a few drinks. 110 people - minus 15 vegetarians are the whole lot + sides in under 30 minutes. Even the chefs came to see me after in awe 

However. I love the idea of toasties!

I’d love a cheese toastie at that time at a wedding.

So will the evening have the same guests?

Tbh if yes and everyone will have had a 3 course meal it sounds fine (caveat below) but if you have evening guests arriving who need feeding then I'm not 100% convinced.

Caveat: i know you said they cater for vegan/gluten free but it's a bit risk assuming everyone actually likes a cheese toasty.

Another potentially issue is how many guests. If it's a small catering can then the queues are going to get pretty big if your guest list is substantial.

I think the catering van is potentially a good solution, but if you can afford it I'd try and offer 2 options eg the cheese and then say a van that does something else quite different or alternatively pick a van that offers more variety - for example various hot sandwiches (inc vegan/gf options) and not just toasties.

A lovely one I bought from at festival was a "posh" kebab van - not the fatty meat on a spit, but marinated chicken/lamb cooked on skewers or falafels all served in pitas with a fab array of salads and dressings - again had vegan and gf options. A real meal in itself (I'm salivating just thinking about it).

I think the toastie van is a fab idea but I would also put out some bubbly bits as you have suggested, sticks & dips, crisps, maybe some savoury bits like sausage rolls etc. Depends what time you're wedding breakfast is but every wedding I've been to I've been hungry enough by the time the evening rolls around to tuck in.

Nibbly bits* though bubbles would also work 

Depends if everyone is coming for the full day or if lots of guests are only coming to the evening and are travelling a distance. If it's the former then toasties would work as they will be full from dinner but if you have people traveling a distance to get there for 7pm or whatever then it's polite to offer a buffet or other meal option.

I think it sounds great! A sweetie bar and some cake will fill up anyone who is still hungry. Every wedding I've been to the evening buffet is a roll in square sausage which isn't much different portion size wise to a toastie and I've never heard anyone complain about being hungry!

I think it depends entirely on whether or not you’re having evening guests, and what time your ‘wedding breakfast’ or main meal is being served.

If your 3 course meal is early and you have loads of evening guests it’s not sufficient. If your meal is in the evening and there aren’t any additional guests then it’s absolutely fine. We served a huge dinner at 7pm and had no evening guests so didn’t serve anything else but the cheese and desert bar were left out if anyone wanted more.

I do love a cheese toastie and would never be upset to be offered one though!

I wouldn’t enjoy that - too greasy and stodgy for me. But I’m an old gimmer. If your evening guests are mostly young, they’ll probably be more comfortable with the street food from a van concept. Myself, I’m rather partial to an old-fashioned buffet.

Thanks for the input all. No evening guests and meal will be around 4pm? With the idea of the caterer to start around 8.30/9pm.

I suppose some people could dislike toasties (heathens!) there will be 4/5 options so hopefully someone will like something, I guess you run that risk with any set menu option.

I don’t think they could provide anything like chips / wedges but we did see a fancy chip fan so could look at providing something else. Although after looking on their Instagram they have just put a post up about side dishes so they might actually be able to do something. Will have to enquire.

Our families and friends are definitely in the stodgy camp. Even a buffet (which I would hate) would need to be white bread, lots of pastries and the like.

Sounds perfect in that case- especially if you can provide chips/some sides for any none cheese eaters (I agree they’re heathens but it’s not always their fault if they’re lactose intolerant!)

I think that sounds amazing!

I think it’s a good idea...I’ve been at weddings with chip vans,crisp sandwiches and obviously buffers - all welcomes by guests! I just don’t know about the time? Maybe it’s an Irish thing but are evening food could be half 10?

If it’s anything like the hipster cheese toastie van near us then it’s a yes from me - heaven!! Sides sounds a plan as well though - making me hungry!

Based on your updates (no evening only guests and meal times) I think means you've already avoided the main possible pitfalls of the plan.

Equally if you round out the savoury side table a bit (maybe some nice but hearty salads, that can almost be a meal in their own right - things like rice/pasta/bulger wheat salads with lots of veg - cheap and easy to make) I think it could be a winner.

Wonderful idea if no evening guests. Just check you have no dairy free or cheese haters weirdos

If you have evening guests something more substantial would be better but you only have to half cater for the day guests if it’s a buffet.

Cross post, just seen no evening guests and 4pm dinner. I thing toasties are a great idea!!

I'd rather have a good cheese toastie than any of the fancy crap you usually get at weddings.

I dont like cheese toasties. Dont like melted cheese. Would prefer the option of a small bowl of soup with a toastie to be consumed in between dancing.
Also dont want to queue up for 25 mins for a snack, and get annoyed at pushers-in, especially if i am older or pregnant or cold, such delay maybe a problem with these small vans catering for lots of guests, which is not the atmosphere wanted at a wedding. Maybe the toastie-people have a suggestion for preventing this.