Evening Reception

Hi,

Our main meal is from 4.30 to 6.30, we didn't want the buffet too early so we decided on 9pm - hopefully late enough for day guests but not too late for Evening guests. We're having speeches before the meal and cutting the cake in the evening so all the guests can see, then giving the cake out after the buffet.

Ali :o)

Hi ya

Firstly, what time are you eating your wedding breakfast and what time are your evening guests arriving?

9pm might be just fine. It all depends on the above questions.

I have to say that I am finding more couples are agreeing with me when I suggest cutting the cake at the beginning of the evening reception just before the first dance.

The reason being 1) they've spent a lot of money on a cake that looks amazing and it's nice for the evening guests to see it. Also, it involves them in some of the traditions of a wedding. 2) Most people are too full to eat a piece of cake after a three course meal (if that's what you are having?) and it get's wasted. 3) You can serve it fresh with the evening buffet to fill it out a bit and cut down on the amount of meals paid for.

HTH

Ruth

x

We're having our wedding breakfast from around 4.30 - 6.30. Evening guests are arriving at 7.30 and we're having the evening buffet served at 8.45pm - this is when the band finishes their first set so marks a natural break for the buffet. It will be out for most of the evening though so I imagine people will just pick at it.

What we have done is given evening guests info about what time the buffet will be served and what it is, so that they can plan if they want to eat beforehand or not.

We're cutting the cake after the meal because things will fit better this way for us, but it will also be served with the evening buffet. However, I have seen it done in the evening just before the first dance and this worked well too.

Oh..that's a good idea to leave the cake cutting until start of the evening...I might do that! I was thinking buffet about 8.30pm - 9pm too.!

In my experience the average buffet time is between 9-9.30pm

Don't forget to factor in any knock-on loss of time throughout the day, if the meal runs late for any reason and you've scheduled the buffet too early, it'll seriously go to waste. Most bands will allow the buffet time to set the mark for their break rather than the other way around.

x

We're eating our "wedding breakfast" at half 3. The evening buffet will be served at 9. We're only allowed in the room until half 11 so wanted to leave some time after the buffet for people to dance because before that people don't tend to get up and dance.

We're going to fake cutting the cake after the meal, but then have it cut up properly and served in the evening.

Hiya, we are doing it in the evening. Its a lot of money for a cake, when the evening guests can not see it. x

Our wedding breakfast is 5pm to 7pm so we're serving our buffet at 9pm.

We're cutting the cake after the speeches at about 7.30pm but then cutting it again before the evening buffet so evening guests can see it as well, then it will be cut up to be served after the buffet.

HTH x

That's exactly what we are doing. We'll have a sit down 3 course meal at 3pm. Originally we had thought of having our cake as a dessert, but the caterers desserts were too scrumptious to miss out on, so we decided to have the cake as part of our evening buffet. We'll probably cut it at around 8ish after our evening guests arrive and then have an evening buffet around 9pm. Our evening guests are arriving at 7.30, and I thought that after a big dinner, no-one would be that hungry until quite late on anyway. Our buffet is just light finger food - chips and dips, mini onion bhajis and that sort of thing so I'll be advising our evening lot to have a good lunch or a light meal before they come.

Pen

We're having canapes from 2.30 till 3.30

then 3 course meal at 4.30

then evening food around 9

not having a cake... really dont see the point (I think i'm alone on this tho)

;-)

x