Alternatives to a traditional wedding breakfast

Hi Nutme87,

Exciting times, I loved looking at venues! We also didn't want traditional, and wanted everything in the same venue. I'm not in Essex, I'm up North but we've gone for a city centre hotel with a rooftop terrace and are having a BBQ.

Then having pizza in the evening, we were restricted to hotel options and they were similar but I also think it's the sort of food people want when they are drinking all day!

I do know someone who had afternoon tea, and they said this worked well 2 xxxx

Hi!

Didnt even think of Pizza for the evening! That's a brilliant idea, thanks ?

I didn't want a sit down dinner either. I got married at 3pm, had a prosecco and canapés reception from about 3.45pm to 6ish and the a buffet from about 6.30pm. It worked really well and was just the relaxed and chilled out vibe I was after. Cake and other bits were dessert. It meant I only fed my guests once, so I let them know via our wedding website that they might want to have lunch before hand.

That's a good idea. I was considering a bit later ceremony to allow for this. I won't be inviting a great many more people to the reception so it just doesn't make sense feeding the same people twice within a few hours!

Thanks

No problem, We actually to a wedding where they did pizza in the evening and loved it, plus pizza is one of my favourite foods!!! ?

I like the idea of later and feeding everyone once, I actually wanted to do this but h2b wanted to make the most of the day so it's a longer party!!! Ours is going to be almost 12 hours long ?

We're going to have a hog roast with the addition of roast potatoes and some salads in the day and then a cheesecake (of the savoury variety) and loads of breads, chutneys etc in the evening

Lexi

Have you considered fish & chips? I've been to one wedding where they had this, very relaxed and informal. And for dessert they just had an ice cream cart

We had paella - seafood or vegetarian with tapas sharing boards and olives as a pre main course nibble, desert was just our cake. For the evening we did a cheese tower and stuff from costco - so dips, nachos and cheese biscuits. Worked great as evening food worked out at £3 per person and Paella and boards worked out about £17 per person so good value too!

I've cooked paella at christenings for two friends of mine now and it's always gone down great guns. In fact one relative asked where they found me and do I take outside catering bookings. Errrr nooooo lol.

I've seen fish and chip vans, lunch boxes and street food. All went really well.

Google festival wedding food suppliers, first link gives you this https://onefabday.com/well-fed-festival-food-inspiration/ hope it helps.

I'm in Essex & at a wedding fair we saw an amazing retro pizza van, possibly the best pizza I've ever had!!
Also in colchester town centre they have s really good burger van!!
I suppose it depends if you can have them at your venue! X

We're having a BBQ as the main meal, but I know the caterers will do plenty, so any leftovers can be nibbled at in the evening, alongside sandwiches, cheese and crackers and our cake table. We're asking guests to bring a home-made cake if they want to, for a GBBO style competition, and the cakes will be complemented by a naked cake made by me (our cutting cake), some cupcakes, brownies, macarons, doughnuts and a big cookie cake from Millie's Cookies.

Mobile catering perhaps. just an idea for you as we have a mobile catering business. if you like you can check it out: www.kkcatering.co.uk. good luck!

Barnston Lodge or Winsey Farm are some of the wedding venues I know in Essex.

I know a few people who did an afternoon tea. This was good as it was laid back and just nice.

I'd go to a few venues and see what they offer. 3/5 of the venues that we went to see used the same catering company, Galloping Gourmet that offer a wide range of different meal options. Finding a venue that allowed outside catering was a challenge for us, so we went with the set options. From our venue, you could have standard / premium / deluxe menus (all sit down meals) OR afternoon tea OR buffet (those two were the most expensive). The afternoon choices were all street food, like chinese, thai, pizza, BBQ, mexican, or even like sandwiches, hog roast, bbq etc. Loads of options for the evening. Definitely shortlist the kind of venues you like and see what they offer. If you really want something really different, then find a venue that allows outside caterers. Hope this helps!

Thank you everyone for your suggestions - some great ideas!

Now to find a venue that will accommodate us

We are the same,a wedding breakfast isn't us.
Our plan is to get married at 4pm then head to the reception venue where we will have speeches, a band, drinks and a buffet followed by wedding cake!

We have a meeting with the reception venue on Thursday to find out what they can do.

Hi- we're getting married i a barn, and we want things to be relaxed, so we're having pie and peas ?

Im having not a sweet table as in candy, but jars of cookies and brownies, fudge that sort of thing. Also having cupcakes so this can be desert if people want- but also having a buffet later- this will be your normal style buffet.

Hope that helps x