Evening buffet or not? Caterers and other brides...I need your opinion...

Tough one I'm having a buffet but I'm lucky that I can take my own food but 8pm til 12am without any food espesh the ones who have had a bit to much to drink and got beer munches is a long time I'd be gutted if guests started leaving to go to the local chippy/Chinese/Indian for food x

Is it a possibility to cater in the evening, but perhaps for smaller numbers? You don't have to cater for all guests and even if it's just finger food/nibble for people to pick at?

It does depend what time your ceremony is though and when your day guests will be eating their main meal. If it's a fairly early ceremony/meal guests may have missed lunch and will therefore be relying on that meal to see them through the whole day and evening. There's a possibility that i'm just greedy, but I know i'd be getting peckish again by about 9pm if id eaten at say, 4/5 (especially if i'd had no lunch). It's always good if there's something to line stomachs too if people are drinking.

What would worry me most would be guests potentially leaving early because they were hungry though, it's happened at weddings we've shot before and it always makes your heart sink a little when you hear people chatting about going to Mcdonalds on the way home

My own personal opinion is that, as hosts, you have a duty to ensure the needs of your guests are met. You don't have to cater for everyone, and it doesn't need a massive buffet. A big lump of cheddar and crackers will do the job. But I think you should provide something.

I've been to a wedding where there was no evening food. The chip shop over the road did great business that night.

I'm only catering for 75% of the total number of guests in the evening, but I do think it's worth having *something* even if it is just cheese and crackers like FTLOMB said! Or just get sandwich platters from M&S? Cheap and cheerful

Last wedding I was at that had no evening buffet, with wedding breakfast at 3pm, got rather messy as so many people were too drunk to stand by 10pm. At least evening buffet spreads out the drinking and gives people something to line their stomachs with!

It wouldn't bother me as long as knew beforehand. It's only the same as going out for the night....I would expect a buffet at the pub lol. I think as long as people know they can eat beforehand.

Xxx

For me its a bit of a no no not to have any food in the evening. Your day guests will be hungry by then. Just think of it like this, when was the last time you ate at 3 and then didn't have any more food for the rest of the day?

I went to a reception once that had no food and found people were either quite drunk or sneaking off for a bag of chips

As a guest I would expect "something" whether it's crackers and cheese or a vol au vent or two. Quite often when attending an evening reception at that time I've been at work all day until 6pm, rushed home to sort the kids for the babysitter, get myself ready and out the door again by 7.30. No time to eat. By 9pm I'd be looking for the nearest place to grab something to eat or I'd be in danger of passing out drunk in a corner on an empty stomach. If it was made clear before hand then I'd make time to eat before hand even if it meant I was a little late arriving.

I think when the alcohol is flowing it's better to have some food.

At the risk of sounding like a princess, I would be expecting a buffet or something if I went to the evening.

As others have said, you can word your evening invitations for 'drinks, cake and dancing' so people know to eat before they come, but the day guests won't have had another meal after the wedding breakfast.....

The amount of food wasted depends on what you have. For a buffet no-one wants to take the last of anything and once it's been picked over it is less appealing, which is why there often appears to be waste, but something simple like bacon baps or a cone of chips always seems to get hovered up quickly by people who have been drinking!!

I would want to offer something.

We are having a cheese tower that will act as our evening food.

Bacon sarnies appear to be quite a popular choice on here too.

I do think that most people will expect some food ... We are on a tight budget so are having a late wedding at 6pm ish, drinks reception with canapés and then a party with a BBQ ... We both really don't like the formality of a 3 course meal etc so is quite an informal and related wedding... Which suits as and because it's so late canapés and a BBQ should be fine enough followed by our cake too!

I remember going to a wedding with no evening Buffett because the couple felt that dinner had been served late enough at 5pm but we were all starving by 10pm and snuck out for a burger as did loads of other guests ... You don't want a lasting memory of wedding for guests being that they were hungry!! Xx

Our ceremony is at 3pm, wedding breakfast at 5pm and evening guests at 8pm, we weren't originally going to have evening food, but we decided to have it now, as we are hosting I think it's only right to provide food for guests who are travelling to be with us, or even if they are just spending the time with us and don't have to travel, since we have decided to have food, talking to people I think it will be very popular...also if guests are drinking and there's no food there's nothing to soak up the alcohol which could be a bad mix!

No one turns up *for* the food, but it's unusual not to have any and people may find they are hungry and might leave sooner to be able to grab something on the way home.

We have the same dilemma. We will be having a buffet at 6pm with 50 guests who are invited to the ceremony. Then around 8pm the evening guests will arrive. Those who have already eaten might not need more but I expect that those arriving from 8pm might be disappointed to arrive to empty platters, so we will probably have the buffet topped up but maybe just for 25 people or so. Incidently I asked a friends opinion and she said that she would be expecting a buffet as an evening guest.

I think that most people would expect/like food at an evening do. 8pm start means that although it's late, people will probably not have eaten a dinner per se. They will be getting ready, getting to the venue, faffing around etc. There would peobably be a lot of rumbling tummys!!
Could you cater for some but not all people? A lot of evening food does get wasted, but we had a hog roast like thing and cheese wedding cake. A friend of mine had bacon sarnies and they went down a treat. much cheaper than a full on buffet, but lines people's stomachs!! You especially don't want people drinking on empty stomachs!!
For our wedding, I was quite convinced that the day guests wouldn't eat much in the evening, but every wedding I've been to, I've eaten a HUGE wedding breakfast AND feasted on evening food. It's amazing how hungry you get at weddings!!

Hi all,

Thanks for your replies! The thing I find tricky is that I know that I will probably want food and, if I do, I am sure that others probably will too. I was thinking of supplying food for around 1/3 of people as I know not everyone will have food but that should cover it without there being waste. The thing is, my OH is VERY adamant that he does not want any evening food. I am also worried that those who really want to relax and have either not had food for ages/at all in the evening may well make a mess! I don't know how to make this clear whilst showing that I really respect his thoughts...

Have you met with the caterer? If they tell him what is the norm and why, it might help! We are having hot sandwiches and cones of chips it is much cheaper than a buffet because they dont have to provide a large variety of food so that is worth a thought? I think guests will be hungry by the evening, don't forget that they will have been up early getting ready for the wedding and wont have eaten much before the wedding breakfast- i know that is a big meal but not to keep people going all day. If your OH is anything like mine he will be hungry too!