Advice needed

I think the done thing is to provide as a minimum:
1 drink on arrival
1 or 2 glasses of wine during the meal
1 drink of fizz to toast.

But at the end of the day, it depends on what you can afford, I'm sure your guests wouldn't mind buying a drink from the bar if it wasn't in your budget. After all your feeding them.

Hope that helps, I'm a novice myself having not found a venue yet!

Hello and welcome!!
We are just having drinks on entry then guests will be getting their own at the sit down meal as my dad is paying for reception and didn't want it to be to expensive.

We are having our ceremony and reception in the same place. The guests will arrive for the wedding and then after the ceremony they will be taken to another room where they will have a drink (we are supplying 1 drink per guest) then if they want more the bar will be open. Then after we have had our pics done we will then sit down for a meal and we will be supplying another drink and then another for the toast.

M
XX

Thanks for your opinion

Its so difficult to know what people will expect. Without meaning to sound awful all I can remember about a friends wedding is that there wasn't anywhere near enough food in the evening, most people went without. I really don't want someone to be thinking something simular about mine. However food and drink is just so experience for weddings

xx

Personally i would serve canapes. i went to a friends wedding she had very similar timings to your wedding.
we has breakfast, got ready for the wedding, left for the church at 12.15. because we were getting ready and the time spent travelling, waiting in church, we didnt have time for lunch. when it got to about 3 o clock, whilst the bride and groom were having their pics taking. lots of people were complaining that they were really hungry. we stopped drinking, as the drinks started to really "go to our heads" i only had a couple of drinks. her elderly grandfather felt really feint, as he too had skipped lunch, he had to be found a seat and we asked the venue to make him a sandwich
i obviously really enjoyed the wedding, but whenever i chat to friends about the wedding, they always mention how lovely the bride looked and how hungry thy were

Blossom that does sound like a bit of a nightmare. Was drink served during this time or did the guests have to but their own drinks?

Hi everyone hope have had a good day

Just wondered if anyone else had any advice or could let me now you are doing for your wedding.

Sorry about spelling mistake first post should of said canapes not canopys

Hi ?

I would go for 1 welcome drink and then the bar being open as fine on the drinks side of things, but would echo what Blossom said about food. Whenever wedding cermonies are around lunchtime-ish there are always people who miss lunch, so by the time they get to the reception venue they're starving. I would go with some kind of canapés or nibbles of some sort. We're having a wintery wedding so are serving mulled wine along with homemade shortbread as the welcome drinks while photos are taken, just to tide people over till the meal (and give them a wee sugar boost ? ).
It also means people are less likely to get ? straight away, as they'll have something to line their stomachs!!

HTH x

Hi there?

We're getting married at 4pm, serving guests 1 drink each as we leave the ceremony room, then having photos. When we go back into the room for the reception we are having canapes and champagne (or sparkling wine depending how the budget is going by then!) and then the buffet will be served at about 8pm. We did it this way to save money, and with us getting married so late in the day we thought at least most people will have eaten lunch before they arrive so won't have the problem of drinking too much on an empty stomach! I think canapes would be a nice addition with your welcome drinks if you can afford the extra expense but not essential as your food is being served quite soon after you go into the reception.

Thanks twinks was worried that if we did supply drink people would go mad and end up drunk before we even sit down for food. Shortbread for a sugar boost is a good idea.

What sort of canapes or nibbles is everyone else having? How much is it costing? I think at our venue the canapes start from about £7 per head not included VAT![V]

Hi there and welcome to hitched ?.

We have similar timescales to you (our church service starts at 12.45 and I anticipate we'll be arriving at the venue about 2pm). We aren't having canopes but are having arrival drinks and plan to sit down no later than 3pm (not too many photos as it's a winter wedding!). We'll also provide a glass of wine with the meal and sparkling wine/champagne for the toast. There will also be a soft drink alternative for children/non drinkers.

Otherwise the bar will be open for people to buy their own as our budget can't stretch to any more drinks than that!

Food wise I have put details on our wedding web site for the day guests to advise that we won't be sitting down around 3pm so they may want to get a snack before the ceremony, especially as there are quite a few with children coming. I'll probably lay on some healthy kiddy friendly biscuits/snacks at the venue in any case (if they'll allow me to provide my own!).

Good luck with your planning !

Thanks saz 71. I have decided not to serve any other drinks other than the welcome drink and then drink with the meal. Think I might have a chat with the venue about what they can do for canapes or nibbles because were having 100 guests so can't really afford to pay £7 a head.

Thanks everyone for your help ??

Hi, welcome ? im quite new to here too! im planning on providing a drink on arrival, 2glasses at the meal then 1 for the toast. Would love to have canopes, i think its a nice touch, but too much for my budget! when are you getting married?

Canapes are so experience. I'm getting married on 16th August, how about you?

Your so lucky, i booked my venue on tues for 26th june 2010!!!! cant believe im having to wait so long! its good that i get to see what everyone else is doing though, get some good ideas! i bet your so xcited ? hope you get your drinks sorted! x x

I started planning in July last year and it has gone so quickly. The time till your wedding will go so quickly and your be super organised. There is so much help and advice on here your day will be perfect ?