no food at evening reception?

burnoutbabe

Was an evening guest at a wedding a few weeks ago and was surprised to see no food in the evening. We were told to be there for 7 30, and it was a mid week event (so went right after work)

but no food, apart from some wedding cake slices were bought out.

maybe day guests finished their meal just before 7 so weren't hungry, but no evidence of meal just being cleared away.

In any case shouldn't the invite mention it if this is the case? (we only got a verbal invite as it was a work colleague)

(event was at a hotel/restaurant type place who had a seperate function room for this)

Idiophreak

Poor form, really...normally people will expect to be fed unless told otherwise....

LEJC

burnoutbabe wrote: »

In any case shouldn't the invite mention it if this is the case? (we only got a verbal invite as it was a work colleague)

I didn't think to put on our invites day or evening what if any food would be served....but maybe as it was a verbal invite you received you should not have assumed that you would be fed...

Although in fairness it was not no food served ....as cake was provided

Dekazer

I prefer to be warned in advance if no food will be provided. Most parties do, so I would assume unless told otherwise. In our invitations we did mention that a buffet would be served in the evening, just so people didn't worry

MaggieBaking

If I was invited to an evening ceremony I certainly wouldn't assume I was being fed. Traditionally evening invitations are cheaper because they don't have to feed you, especially with it being an informal invitation to spend the evening.

Don't get me wrong, I would be surprised but I don't think it's a given. Any wedding I attend to at 7.30 plus means I eat food before I go, any buffet/other food is a plus and wedding cake served in the evening is a nice addition.

As more brides serve evening food it's becoming the "norm" however an evening invitation after "dinner time", I think that serving cake is a nice evening "snack".

(Of course people will argue that they eat dinner later, couldn't have time to eat when getting ready, have a long way to travel etc - which is why there is a buffet but in my opinion it is a "nice to have" not a "necessary".)

LEJC

Ive been having a think about this one and I think its to do with how the invite is given....

If I receive a printed card saying "X and Y invite you to the evening reception following their marriage....."then I possibly think I'm being formally invited..put on a nice dress buy a card and maybe a gift too...and off I trundle to celebrate...hoping that I would get a bite to eat....

However

If Im passing X in the corridor at work and she shouts over her shoulder "hi L me and Y are getting married on wednesday...pop into the reception at Hotel after work...we'd love to see you...." then I think thats a different type of invite...I probably would pop in after work, probably would buy a card...wouldn't expect to be fed...but also probably wouldn't take a gift...

2 different senarios with 2 different outcomes....but either way I would hope the bride and Groom had a great day...

purple.sarah

MaggieBaking wrote: »

If I was invited to an evening ceremony I certainly wouldn't assume I was being fed. Traditionally evening invitations are cheaper because they don't have to feed you, especially with it being an informal invitation to spend the evening.

Don't get me wrong, I would be surprised but I don't think it's a given. Any wedding I attend to at 7.30 plus means I eat food before I go, any buffet/other food is a plus and wedding cake served in the evening is a nice addition.

As more brides serve evening food it's becoming the "norm" however an evening invitation after "dinner time" means that they're not obliged to feed you.

(Of course people will argue that they eat dinner later, couldn't have time to eat when getting ready, have a long way to travel etc - which is why there is a buffet but in my opinion it is a "nice to have" not a "necessary".)

An evening only invitation doesn't include the ceremony, it's an invitation to the after party rather than to an evening wedding. I thought evening invitations were cheaper because informal food was served, like a buffet or chip butties, rather than the expensive sit down meal sometimes served to the day guests. Some people cannot take the day off work when they are not invited to the whole wedding day so may go straight there after like the OP. I don't think 7.30 is too late to eat. I would expect some food to be served or to be advised in advance so I could make other arrangements.

burnoutbabe

LEJC wrote: »

Ive been having a think about this one and I think its to do with how the invite is given....

If I receive a printed card saying "X and Y invite you to the evening reception following their marriage....."then I possibly think I'm being formally invited..put on a nice dress buy a card and maybe a gift too...and off I trundle to celebrate...hoping that I would get a bite to eat....

However

If Im passing X in the corridor at work and she shouts over her shoulder "hi L me and Y are getting married on wednesday...pop into the reception at Hotel after work...we'd love to see you...." then I think thats a different type of invite...I probably would pop in after work, probably would buy a card...wouldn't expect to be fed...but also probably wouldn't take a gift...

2 different senarios with 2 different outcomes....but either way I would hope the bride and Groom had a great day...

well it was all a bit confused, it was mentioned months ago that we were invited, then no actual invite given until a few days before we got "hope your still coming" and had to say well yes, but where and when? (I assumed numbers had changed therefore no longer a guest to be honest)

still took gift and card and dressed up.

(and no one got fed in the evening, not evening guests nor of course day guests who were still there)

PootleFlump_3

I dont think that it should be included on the invites if there is food being served but if there isnt then I wouldnt definately imagine it would be a good idea to mention to guests. I would always assume there will be food unless Im told (verbally or otherwise). Ive never been to a wedding where there isnt food in the evening. Id expect to be told if there wasnt going to be so that I could pig out before I got there!

POPPYOSCAR

Not quite the same I know but it reminds me of a birthday party one of my children were invited to.

Party was at 6.00pm I assumed there would be party food so did not give my child any tea.

When I got there there was one bowl of sweets on the table and the host said that as it was tea time she had assumed all the children had been given their tea so there was no need for any party food.

Would have been nice to have known beforehand.

Scrapaholic

I've been hearing that a few evening wedding parties are now just having a bacon or hot beef roll served . Daytime guests will already have eaten but evening guests , in my experience , probably expect a buffet and everyone seems to eat something at the evening party . In my opinion , evening guests make the effort to attend , dress up , often travel a bit of a distance to the venue, just for a few hours , bring a gift and card etc and may be a bit disappointed with a bacon roll . I realise that it's a very expensive day , of course + not everyone is able to spend lots on an evening buffet . Weddings are an expensive business these days . We were just remembering the days when ham salad and cream cakes were served in a Church hall and that was the wedding reception and no night time party was held at all . Probably early 1960's to 70's !