No buffet at reception?

Hmmm I'm a bit torn. I think the fact that it's on a work day means I'm even less likely to have had my evening meal. By the time I'd got hone from work, showered and got ready it would be time to leave so probably wouldn't leave time to eat.

Is there a bit of an inbetween option? Maybe butties or chips or something? Not a full buffet but a bit of savoury to nibble on?

That said, If you worded the invitations accordingly I would try and grab a sandwich or something before I arrived.

Thanks both for your replies. No theres no other option just the buffet or this candy table and i dont think we would be able to put something on ourselves or bring in an outside caterer. i am a bit torn too lol. i agree with cat shoes but i also see your point and my work colleagues. Not sure how i would word it either.

I'm getting married on Friday at 3pm and we're having a 3 course meal around 5pm. Evening guests are coming around 7.30pm which will probably only be a handfull few more. I'm leaving cutting the cake until evening so evening guets can have something. It's a slightly larger cake than needed so it'll offer generous pieces. Maybe you could do something like? that I'm thinking of mentioning in their evening invites there won't be any evening food. I'm not paying £15pp for everyone and including those who have just eaten a 3 course meal who won't even be interested. My venue makes you pay for EVERYONE for an evening buffet.

The candy buffet though and popcorn might be good or even a dessert buffet

WelshSam, if you're not providing an evening buffet, I would definitely mention it on the invitations (even the daytime ones, to be honest).

CharlieJack - I would put something at the bottom of the invitation like 'Please note; there will be no evening buffet but there will be some sweet treats' or words to that effect.

I do like that idea think that would be great tho not sure my venue would do that but may well put the question to them, thanks hun

Kharv - Thanks for that, i think it'll be best i do that although day guests shouldn't really be expecting an evening buffet after a 3 course meal. No way could i manage it, i think i'd burst out of my dress!

That sounds fab and i think that may be what we will do, thanks very much, i always think the evening guests miss out on a lot so having the cake cutting later may well work

Thanks kharv thats a good way to put it

Plus if you think about after having your 3 course meal including a pudding would they want cake directly afterwards anyway? Everyone would appriciate it a little later on if they get a bit pekish. No point wasting good food ?

Yes good point, tho my venue is supplying the cake as part of their wedding package and not sure if they make enough for the day time guests ie 40? still im going to ask anyway x

As a guest I wouldn't mind if there was no food but I'd want to be informed so I could make sure I eat before.

I would always assume there would be food at an evening wedding reception.

Not a problem if I knew beforehand, but if I turned up without having had my tea to find there was only sweets or wedding cake I'd be off looking for the local takeaway before properly joining the party (speaking from experience).

On my suggestion, my daughter didn't have an evening buffet.... she had the cake served instead. Although there were a lot of evening guests, no one seemed to notice.

I have been packing my gear away at the end of the night and seen large quantities of buffet being put in the bin on far too many occasions!

At the last two weddings I went to, I was an evening guest. Both had food for the evening guests, but at the first one it was a hog roast, and it rained so much that they couldn't get it started! This meant there was no food at all but I didn't even notice, it was my other half that told me about the problem they had. It was a Saturday and we had eaten a late lunch.

The second wedding had small fish and chip cones which were brought out to guests, but you had to catch them, and we seemed to keep missing them, so we missed out. Again, we weren't really that bothered, but it was a week day and I had no time between work and the wedding for food, so we were quite hungry. In the end we just came home and ordered a pizza.

I don't think it matters too much about serving a full buffet for evening guests. Having something to snack on is fine - so popcorn, cake and candy would be fine by me.

Yeah this. Unless stated i'd always expect there to be an evening buffet so i'd be likely to not eat too much nearer the time to make room for grub at the wedding haha. Definitely mention on invites We're having a 3 course meal for daytime guests but we're having mini steak pies or rolls for evening guests as I appreciate there will be people coming from work etc or have maybe had busy days and not had time to eat. Want everyone to be fed. I'm sure with the popcorn / sweets etc though people will be fine and knowing in advance can just have their dinner before coming

Thanks all for your replies some valid points made ?

This is an interesting one to read! I've always been of the logic of 'why do we need an evening buffet, we don't eat together when we go out drinking from 8pm' lol.

It's great to see so many of you saying we don't actually need one! I thought everyone would instantly go 'no'.

So if I was to write on the invites 'Please be aware that no evening buffet will be served' (god how can we make that sound better??) you think no one would be offended?

snow bride maybe something along the lines of "Please note there will be no evening buffet served, we would like you to join us for a drink to celebrate our marriage" or something like that....im no good at this stuff!

I don't see why you have to actually point out that there is no Buffett .... It sounds odd to me! If you are going for the candy bar option why not word it something like "please join us for celebration drinks and sweet treats" that's pretty obviously not a Buffett ... Perhaps you could include a drinks token for evening guests too ... I'm personally not separating out day/evening ... As my wedding will be late in the day everyone will come to the whole do .... My view is most evening guests like a bite to eat but that can just be snacks not a full Buffett! Xx

Thanks for your view tho i was saying to the lady who asked what she should put, not what i will be putting. i see your point about providing snacks but unfortunately our venue does not allow for just snacks, it is either the full buffet or candy and popcorn table or both lol

I originally thought that not many people would eat the evening food as we didn't finish our 3 course meal until 6.30pm. We only had an extra 15 people in the evening on top of our 90 day guests, but I wanted to give them something. We had cheese and biscuits, with bread, fruit etc, and also served the wedding cake at about 9pm. The whole lot got eaten and was fully appreciated. You'll be surprised how much people can eat when they've been boozing. So if it was me I'd probably do a buffet as you have so many evening guests.

Personally I would definitely have some hot food in the evening and especially if the majority of the guests are coming in the evening. Could you ask if your venue could be flexible on this?

What about a cheese cake - with crackers, grapes, olives, etc

I would either have something letting guests know there is no buffet (especially for those coming straight from work) or I'd have something to ward off peckish tendencies and soak up a bit of booze.

Popcorn and sweets might work but I'd make sure you have lots of popcorn!

If I was invited as an evening guest I would expect there to be food.

I wouldn't expect food but it's certainly the "norm" to have an evening buffet.

Bacon sandwiches are a very popular option these days, last few weddings i've been to recently have done this or a hog roast. I'd ask your venue straight out for prices on doing bacon butties, or something similar if this is not what you fancy. To me, a sweet buffet is not really a substitute for food.

We didn't have an evening buffet and didn't tell our guests we weren't having one. Wouldn't have occurred to me to do this. But, we didn't have additional guests arrive for the evening and our 4 course wedding breakfast didn't finish until 8pm/9pm.

In your shoes, knowing it's a Friday, then i'd probably try and put something on as those people coming straight from work wouldn't have eaten.

I would expect food... Being from the Caribbean, The evening buffet would usually consist of a full on Hot buffet.

Unfortunately my venue doesn't allow outside caterers so we'lbe having BBQ style food. (Burgers, chicken, potatoe wedge) to be honest still going to try convince venue to allow us to have food brought in for evening buffet.

to be honest my expectations would be based on who's wedding I was attending and I would plan accordingly and eat before going.

It doesn't matter what people 'expect' but I think a buffet is a good idea to soak up some alcohol! One venue we looked at offered a sausage and bacon roll buffet but done in a really classy way, it was £4.95 a head and thought it was a quirky idea and nice and cheap!

We have decided on the popcorn and candy table and we are also bringing in another wedding cake to be cut up for all guests during the evening. Invites will also indicate no buffet and sweet treats instead, so whoever doesnt like it doesnt have to come!

thanks for replies tho x

Hey , we have a similar situation . Our meal ends at 8. Evening guests arrive at 8.30. We are having a candy buffet, candyfloss and pizzas xxx

That sounds great x