Apps for cocktail hour??

Gotcha!

I couldn't imagine a cocktail hour with no food. I'm a lightweight and without a little bit of anything in my stomach I'll be feeling it after 2 drinks. I absolutely think apps are necessary.

You dont have to go overboard, but there definitely needs to be something to eat. Some ppl may have traveled all day. Once I drove from NY to MD for a wedding and because of traffic we had zero time to stop.

It's 100% tacky not to have some type of app at a cocktail hr

Dij c welp guess i didnt notice the tackiness at a 60,000 wedding without apps

Our caterer wants $900 for a cheese and crackers tray for 200 people.

Hey, money doesn't equal taste. If they had a $60000 wedding and couldn't scrape up enough for some shrimp puffs during cocktail hour, they had a tacky cocktail hour.

I'm not surprised your caterer is charging that. It's for 200 people. And cheese isn't cheap, If you need to save money, cutting the guest list will work like nothing else. Think how much cheaper cheese and crackers for 50 would be.

It's important to remember that not everyone has the same constitution. Some people can drink for an hour on an empty belly and feel fine; some will be on the floor. This is one of those things that can't be measured against what any one person can tolerate.

I dont think "scrapping " up any kind of money was the issue. It was an hour and i had time to drink 2 beers. The only thing im disagreeing is there really wasnt enough time for me to stuff my face with a couple cheese and crackers while talking with other guests and drinking my beer

Look, if you're not going to do it you're not going to do it. I think you should and most people here think you should. You asked and the answers you got indicated that it would be a good idea. That's pretty much all anyone here can offer you.

What happened at some other wedding is pretty much irrelevant.

Delfina. I appreciate your opinion.im asking because i have obviously not the only one who doesnt notice apps at a cocktail hour thanks!

I would suggest one or two types of passed hors d'oeuvres during cocktail hour. We are doing tomato, mozzarella, and basil bruschetta and Italian sausage stuffed mushrooms.

You didn't notice them because they weren't there. If they had been, I can almost guarantee that damn near every one of the guests at the overblown monstrosity you attended would have at least had a few cheese cubes, some baby carrots, whatever they served. Drinking in any quantity requires food to go along with it.

Courtney, $900 for 200 people is only $4.50 per person.

Seriously, you are only doing cheese and crackers for your guests? That sucks!

If it helps, I'm doing a cocktail reception. This cut costs on catering- significantly. I'll be serving heavy hors d'oeuvres

Kathy R in all honesty . Nope probably not even doing that. I dont see a point in them. An hour just isnt enough time in my opinion.

Honestly, the food at our cocktail hour is better than dinner. Dinner is your standard meat and vegetables. The cocktail hour will have shrimp, mussels, Meatballs, pulled pork nachos, cheese, crackers, fruit, veggies, spanakopita, bacon wrapped stuff - I dunno, all kinds of other fancy and filling foods we picked but I've forgotten.

People will probably stuff themselves and then go happily on their way to dinner. That's half the fun of weddings!

EC17 if they were there i can gurantee i wouldnt of even noticed them let alone went and ate anything. There was to much catching up to do ,food wasnt even a close thought.

Courtney, you cannot, in good faith, plan your wedding based on your experiences. It isn't about you. It is about your guests, and making sure that they are hosted properly. Common sense says that if you are serving alcohol, you should have some food to go with it. Some of them may not graze, but others will. Don't plan based on the lowest common denominator.

Ec17. I believe i can in good faith plan my wedding based on experiences. Attending other weddings are great for seeing which things are a waste and unnecessary and which things are an absolute must. This is one of those things where i didnt see necessary.

@Courtney, just finished reading all of the comments.

Yes, apps are necessary. I would think you were extremely rude and cheap if you only provided cheese and crackers at a wedding I attended. I am a lightweight, and I definitely need something substantial when I start drinking. Why would you want me to have a bad time?

Your attitude in general disgusts me. We are talking $4.50 per person here for even the most basic human decency of cheese and crackers. You do realize that the reception is a "thank you" to your guests for taking time out of their lives to attend your special day? By failing to provide them with food, you're basically saying that their comfort is less important to you than....[pick any other feature of your wedding that you spent $900 on]. If I were your guest, I'd look at your flowers and say, "she had to have nice flowers but she couldn't afford apps", or your dress, or your limo, etc. You get the idea. Feeding your guests is literally the MOST IMPORTANT thing you can and should do at your reception. It's not the place to cut costs.

Unfortunately cutenickname. I never said anything about cutting costs. I completely understand food is not the way to cut corners. Im stating that in my previous experience these "apps" werent even thought about. I will continue to do some research and see what others opinions are but you being a lightweight honestly i would think you take into your own consideration on how mnay trios your taking to the bar.