Just having ceremony and reception... no sit down meal. Anyone done this?

mickym

Hi MSErs
After a long engagement, we have decided to bite the bullet and attempt to get married next year (probably between March and May).

We have to do this within a pretty small budget, so already looking to book it for a Friday in an attempt to get cheaper prices.

However, have any of you got married or been to weddings where the traditional sit down meal has been skipped?

If so how did it go? My worry is that there will be that short bit of time around tea time where people will be feeling hungry.

I thought of maybe a 2 part buffet where early attendees to the reception from the ceremony have a selection to eat from, then have it replenished for the night time gathering?

I did think of hiring a small restaurant for ceremony attendees only for a meal as thought it may be cheaper than arranging a sit down, however I cant think of any reasonably priced, whilst decent restaurants locally that could be up for the job.

Thanks

*manda*

I has this dilemma.

You could opt for a late ceremony I.e 4pm so people are likely to have lunch etc. we have ended up with 4pm as the registrar couldn't do any earlier and actually it's fine for us.

You could possibly serve some canap!s at the ceremony depending on where you do it-the venue we are using is council approved and can bring in food and drink providing you pay for the hire which in our case is minimum 2 hours anyway and thy ceremony should only take 15-20 mins. We aren't bothering now but would have maybe done this if ceremony was earlier.

Afternoon tea style is quite popular. Sandwiches and cakes etc.

I wouldn't bother with 2 actual buffets personally as think it could get complicated.

Guess it kind of depends where your ceremony is etc.

In the end I was lucky to find a reception venue doing a per head cost of £31.50 pet adult for 3courses, and includes welcome drink/toast/wine with meal. Perfect for us and they are happy with our low numbers. Incidentally they were no cheaper on a Friday!

pigpen

I got married at 3pm went straight to a reception with buffet and was home all done and dusted by 9pm.

The food was out about 4:30 so 'tea time' and everyone went home not long after.

Noone seemed to complain, not that I would have cared if they did, it was about me not them and I needed to go home to sleep!

74jax

We got married at four and had a hot buffet at eight. Worked fine for us, I think it's not unusual nowadays.

Spendless

As a child attending extended family members (mostly my Dad's cousins)weddings in the 70s and early 80s, it wasn't unusual to have a buffet as the meal. It followed exactly the same format as a sit down meal with line up of bridal party to greet guests, speeches, toasts etc but then the buffet would 'open' and usually the bride and groom would get their food first. I did go to one wedding where the buffet food had already been spread amongst several plates on the different tables people were sat at.

mickym

Thanks all for your info.

What are the options for hot buffets? Do they work out quite expensive?

Ive heard people mention hog roasts are pretty good for price per person, haven't a clue how much they can be though?

guardiangirl

My friend had a hot buffet at her reception last year, purely (I believe) because it was so much cheaper, then a hog roast in the evening.

However, when I was looking at evening food options I've found hog roasts really unreasonable We're now having a BBQ in our evening - chicken wings, sausages, veggies, burgers etc - and it's worked out cheaper than a hog roast!

guardiangirl

Oh sorry meant to say, my friends hot buffet (if I remember rightly) was the choice of lasagna and hot pot.. I think. With a few bits on the side like salad, red cabbage etc.

pigpen

We had hot buffet for my daughters January baptism and it was a lot cheaper than the cold run and grab style.. and we had leftovers to bring home! NOM!

DigForVictory

First of all, congratulations! Please remember the line you'll see in signatures about it not being about the day but the marriage thereafter. Quote it as often as you need when dealing with those suffering from hallucinations of tulle & tiaras.

The families may want (& in some cases, need) a place to sit & will expect food & drink. Which makes afternoon tea really canny timewise but may not suit everyone. Or their expectations.

We had a registry office ceremony, family meal & then changed into the Great White etc for the extended family remix on no-longer-sanctified but still credibly devout ground.
I'm guessing a family huddle at a Wetherspoons isn't acceptable? Or a chip supper in a park?

Almost everything is possible with judicious planning & detailed expectation management.

Wishing you all the very best for a long & happy marriage!

Wellyboots6

We are having the registry office session at 3.30pm for close family only, with people then moving on to the reception venue half an hour away, and a buffet at about 7pm.

People have asked us about the meal etc, but there really wouldn't be time for a sit-down meal after the registry office to finish in time for a decent evening reception unless it was all in the same place which we just cannot afford.

Cheap and very cheerful is our theme!