10 year vow renewal. Need help.

For an evening ceremony, you should serve your guests a full meal. Sandwiches, veggie platter, fruit platter, cheese and cracker platter is more for an afternoon ceremony.

Thanks for your reply. We had just thought with the food not being put out until 8pm that, that would be too late for people for dinner.

If the food was not being put out until 9p, then yes, that's late. But 8p is not too late for dinner.

I think your menu needs to be re-thought. 8 pm is too late for dinner yet you're serving pizza AND cake at 10:30? It sounds more like a children's birthday party when you think about your menu. Why not have tapas-style or stations set up if you want more of a party vibe?

Don't take this the wrong way, i'm honestly just curious. If you had a huge wedding 10 years ago, why the vow renewal? I'm asking because the majority of vow renewals I have heard of are when it was a super small original ceremony and the couple is now at a place they can do a bigger celebration.

Oh, and I would suggest moving the ceremony back an hour to get out of needing to supply a full meal. Salad and sandwiches are definitely more afternoon fare. What about a mix of appetizers that have more substance?

Mrs. F-u-

Alot of couples do that for either the 10-20-50 year mark. It's alot more common than you think to come back together surrounded by alot of the same people and re pledge your love to each other. My parents are planning their 20th.

Thank you all for your reply's.

Mrs. F, my husband and I want to renew our vows again and with it being our 10th wedding anniversary we decided to put them together and make a great day to celebrate with friends and family.

You will need to provide more substantial food at that hour. I like the idea of stations or tapas style. Having hot apps/ heavy hors d'eovres out all night in addition to your cheese, crackers, and fruit would help keep the party vibe without starving your guests. You don't need a sit down meal, but you need to feed your guests enough that it can count as a meal- you need to host them properly which means not letting them starve or skip dinner.

@Mrs F-u-, I always wonder the same thing. I would just have an anniversary party and save everyone the stress, then put the money away for kids' college or their weddings.

I think it sounds just fine since you are serving sandwiches- if it was just small meat and cracker things then I'd say no. you know your guests, I'd decide based on what they are ok with it. long as people have a good time and you're happy that's all you really need to worry about in the end. I thought 7 was the dinner cut off myself.

Since when can't a sandwich be a meal? Your menu seems fine to me. I hate big 4-6 course sit down wedding meals... I find it boring. If I could get a sandwich, a few drinks, dance and get pizza later I'd be thrilled.

I like what Robin said- most people I know just want to get something in their stomach, and be free to have fun. I don't care for the long meals either. they tie you to your assigned seat for a long time and I prefer to be able to move around.

I think a sandwich and all you mentioned is a perfectly fine meal. maybe not fancy enough for some who are planning a wedding, but if I attended a wedding that served what you are looking to serve, I'd be very happy with it.

A lot of people equate sandwiches to lunch. That's why restaurant menus have lunch menus with tons of sanwiches and dinner menus wit entrees, the only sandwich being a hamburger.

I would push it to start at 8.

If you start at 7, people are leaving for your wedding right at dinner time, so they don't have much time to eat beforehand. Start at 8 and invite them to join you for light fare and cocktails afterward.

If you could do some light stations, like pasta or tacos instead of sandwiches and salad, that would also be nice (and if you cant push to 8, substantial enough food).

I based my comment on the fact that OP said they were have an evening ceremony/reception in the same ballroom. A ballroom is formal.

Thanks again everyone for sharing your opinions with me it is very helpful and appreciated.

@KitandKaboodle - Sorry I did say ballroom as that is what the venue calls it but is just a typical event room at a hotel. It's a very nice room just not exactly what I call a ballroom.