Wedding Party Food Advice

theoldbreed

Hi all,
So I'm getting married far far away next year and it's just the two of us as that's what we want but on our return we will be having a big party to celebrate with family and friends. It's in a beautiful hotel in my home town and we have a band and DJ.
We're going to start around 8ish. I'm just wondering about the food. The hotel have two options finger food ( sandwiches, sausages, goujons) or hot food and there are only two options chicken curry and/or beef stroganoff or vegetarian dish. I thought it was a bit limited but nevermind that my actual question....
I'm just looking for some opinions. If you showed up for a party around 8pm would you be happy with sausages and goujons etc or would you think it's quite cheap. I have everything else under control but I'm stressing about this.
Thanks everyone in advance.

CaraMay

I think the option of curry etc tbh.

MarieOC

I think it depends on how far people are travelling from. We did the exact same as you guys went away then came back and had a party - original plan was finger food but some of my aunts, uncles etc had to travel 4 hours so we decided on a buffet dinner.

what ever you decide to do make sure to make it clear on your invites so if it's finger food people know to eat before hand

theoldbreed

MarieOC wrote: »

I think it depends on how far people are travelling from. We did the exact same as you guys went away then came back and had a party - original plan was finger food but some of my aunts, uncles etc had to travel 4 hours so we decided on a buffet dinner.

what ever you decide to do make sure to make it clear on your invites so if it's finger food people know to eat before hand

Great thank you, yes some people will be travelling a fair bit so best to feed them properly. Do you mind if I ask what kind of thing you went for?

MarieOC

We'd a sit down buffet with chicken, fish, pasta, potatoes and lots of salads. The hotel did a separate meal for my veggie friends and the kids had a choice of half portion from the buffet or goujons and chips (I was originally dead against giving them chips but it's what they want so why not).

Then apple crumble with custard and tea/coffee for dessert.

Hollister11

Don't forget to cater for peoples dietary requirements! Vegetarian, Vegan, celiac ect

Milly33

I would be for the finger food option most definitely.. It would be such a waste to have curries or something like that.. Most people are going to have dinner before they go out so they aren't going to be that hungry and a nice selection of sandwiches and nibbles is just as tasty...

I would remember to mention it on the invite or however you are planning to invite people let them know it is finger food.. anther fun option if the hotel would do it is the fish and chip cart, that always goes down a treat too or you could ask them would they do up little fish and chip cones along with the sandwiches..

wouldn't see it as being cheap in the slightest more sensible as you aren't wasting food

theoldbreed

Milly33 wrote: »

I would be for the finger food option most definitely.. It would be such a waste to have curries or something like that.. Most people are going to have dinner before they go out so they aren't going to be that hungry and a nice selection of sandwiches and nibbles is just as tasty...

I would remember to mention it on the invite or however you are planning to invite people let them know it is finger food.. anther fun option if the hotel would do it is the fish and chip cart, that always goes down a treat too or you could ask them would they do up little fish and chip cones along with the sandwiches..

wouldn't see it as being cheap in the slightest more sensible as you aren't wasting food

Thank you,
That was my initial feeling as it starts around 8 in the evening and I assume that people will have eaten and finger food would suit them. I'll put it on the invites though either way. I'm so stressed this is exactly why we avoided the big, traditional wedding.

Milly33

Ah just go with what ye want theoldbreed it is so hard to keep everyone happy so just do what ye would like.. We are kinda the same aiming for a non traditional wedding and we have had a lot of you cant do this you must do it this way and it does get hard when you start thinking about it, but sod it all,, Something different is always nice

amor3

Definitely write on the invite what type of food, be it buffet or finger food, was at an evening wedding not so long ago and no body knew, we starved ourselves during the day as the previous evening wedding my oh attended had a buffet so kinda presumed it was the typical thing to do. We found out about an hour before we left, so we were able to grab something quick.

theoldbreed

amor3 wrote: »

Definitely write on the invite what type of food, be it buffet or finger food, was at an evening wedding not so long ago and no body knew, we starved ourselves during the day as the previous evening wedding my oh attended had a buffet so kinda presumed it was the typical thing to do. We found out about an hour before we left, so we were able to grab something quick.

Oh no did they not have any food at all?
Yes I'll put it on invites... Any suggestions on how to word it?

sullivlo

theoldbreed wrote: »

Oh no did they not have any food at all?
Yes I'll put it on invites... Any suggestions on how to word it?

"Finger food and cake served from 8.30 pm"

Gatica

I would think goujons and finger food is fine for an evening, but then I probably wouldn't travel far for an evening only event.
As long as you make it clear in the invite, people can make up their mind themselves...

theoldbreed

Gatica wrote: »

I would think goujons and finger food is fine for an evening, but then I probably wouldn't travel far for an evening only event.
As long as you make it clear in the invite, people can make up their mind themselves...

Everyone knows that it's an evening party to celebrate our wedding which will already have taken place. If people don't want to come to share that with us that's fine, their choice but I have every faith our friends and family who are invited will come no problems.

Gatica

that's great, and if they know what to expect, then I'm sure they'd be happy enough with finger food, I think I would be.

amor3

theoldbreed wrote: »

Oh no did they not have any food at all?
Yes I'll put it on invites... Any suggestions on how to word it?

Yeah they had finger food. The thing with the finger food, if your chatting or out at the loo when it's served you can be left with very little.

freshpopcorn

I'd go with the finger food option to be honest and just make sure to cater for vegans, kids, etc. Just make it clear on the invite.
Also, I know lots of people who wouldn't like curries and those type of dishes whilst with finger food they should be something there for everybody.

Pistachios & cream

I'd also go with the finger food option.

Knowing its a party to celebrate a friends wedding i would defintitely attend. However being typically Irish and late to everything if the invite said 8pm it would probably be 8:30 - 9 before i arrived and i would have eaten dinner before hand.

I personally wouldn't be a fan of the two hot options and while i'd eat them if i was hungry when drinking i'd prefer the finger food.

Also at parties like these i like to able to mingle and find that buffet type events are a bit like replicating a wedding meal with people sitting down at tables. Whereas with finger food people are up and about talking and dancing.

But as others have said just be clear about it on the invites.

theoldbreed

ahayes84 wrote: »

I'd also go with the finger food option.

Knowing its a party to celebrate a friends wedding i would defintitely attend. However being typically Irish and late to everything if the invite said 8pm it would probably be 8:30 - 9 before i arrived and i would have eaten dinner before hand.

I personally wouldn't be a fan of the two hot options and while i'd eat them if i was hungry when drinking i'd prefer the finger food.

Also at parties like these i like to able to mingle and find that buffet type events are a bit like replicating a wedding meal with people sitting down at tables. Whereas with finger food people are up and about talking and dancing.

But as others have said just be clear about it on the invites.

Thank you,
Yes I'll definitely put it on invites and anyone that's coming I speak to regularly so I've told them. The hotel is really nice and the food us great so along with goujons and that kind of thing there will be salad and cold cuts etc so something for everyone.
Personally at a party I'd prefer something like that rather than sitting down to a big curry.
There are no kids coming so won't have to worry about that.
I.wasn't going to have cake as we'll already have had one on the actual wedding day but I suppose cupcakes or something might be nice.

MrWalsh

I did much the same thing and we did finger type food.

However, if I were doing it again Id double the amount of food and do 2 servings, once at 9pm and once close to midnight as people who missed it or werent interested in it at 9pm will devour it at midnight (myself included!).

Pistachios & cream

MrWalsh wrote: »

I did much the same thing and we did finger type food.

However, if I were doing it again Id double the amount of food and do 2 servings, once at 9pm and once close to midnight as people who missed it or werent interested in it at 9pm will devour it at midnight (myself included!).

I agree with the 2nd serving. We are actually doing this for our afters food at the wedding. One serving during the bands break and another when the DJ has finished.

Pistachios & cream

theoldbreed wrote: »

Thank you,
I.wasn't going to have cake as we'll already have had one on the actual wedding day but I suppose cupcakes or something might be nice.

I think a cake can be nice as it's a very traditional wedding thing. However cupcakes can get very expensive so you might be better off getting a single layered cake from a bakery (just don't tell them it's a wedding cake.)

Do you plan on wearing your wedding dress or a wedding dress type of dress? If you are it could be an opportunity for people to get a photo.

A niece got married in Spain, immediate family only. For the bash back home the invite went something like this -
"Mr and Mrs XY, along with their families would love if you could join them at a party to celebrate their wedding. Venue ABC. From 8pm. Finger food and cakes served at 8.30"
It was as the invite said. Goujons, chips, dips, cocktail sausages, a wide variety of sandwiches and loads of cupcakes, tea and coffee.

theoldbreed

Good idea about the second serving! Hadn't thought of that!
Yeah cupcakes are expensive so a simple cake might be better. I will be wearing my dress on the night, any excuse to wear it twice :-)
Thanks so much for all the tips!

amor3

Yeah, the second serving is a great idea!

The Reel Deal

I think a sit down buffet would be a great idea. I've seen this done with a pig on the spit, which the guests loved !