Wedding Etiquette for Food Times
The reception portion of a wedding is the time where the celebration and festivities begin after a day of formalities. Though wedding receptions can vary, with some only offering wedding cake and others providing five-course meals, the timing of food service is essential in keeping guests happy.
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Hors D'oeuvres
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Hors d'oeuvres should be used between the wedding ceremony and reception dinner. Heavy appetizers can be used as a replacement for full meals if you are hosting a reception that is short in length and will conclude before dinner time. For example, a wedding held in the early afternoon and concluding before 6:00 pm can use hors d'oeuvres and wedding cake as a means to feed guests.
Snacks
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To keep guests from getting hungry between the wedding ceremony and reception dinner, make sure to have snacks placed around the reception venue. This is good etiquette to help stave off hunger pangs that can occur during a wedding reception. This works well for large receptions with a plated meal, as serving times take longer.
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Full Meals
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If you are hosting a wedding and reception during traditional meal times, such as lunch or dinner, you should plan on serving a full meal during the appropriate time. If you have a late morning wedding and an afternoon into evening reception; serve a late lunch or early dinner to ensure guests do not go hungry. Serve lunch between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm and serve dinner around 5:00 pm or 6:00 pm. Avoid waiting until very late in the evening to serve a full meal.
Dessert
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A wedding cake is one of the focal centerpieces of a wedding reception. Guests typically can see the wedding cake from all areas of the reception area. You should plan on cutting and serving the wedding cake immediately following dinner or heavy hors d'oeuvres. To make the process go faster, opt to have a second cake cut up in advance of the formal cake cutting ceremony and serve the cake immediately. This shaves time off of the process of waiting until the bride and groom have been photographed after cutting the cake, and gets dessert out to guests sooner.
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References
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