Cake and Punch ideas?

In addition to cake, I would do some cheese and crackers and maybe veggies and dip. Offer something for people who might not want sweets. Make sure you have water, coffee, hot water and tea bags, and maybe iced tea or soda depending on your crowd.

Do you have someone in your family (like a cousin or even a good friend) who is good at coordinating parties and might be a good point person to get the food all set up? It shouldn't be much work if you buy everything beforehand, you'll just need someone to get it all out on tables and get the coffee going.

An hour and a half should be plenty of time.

Great ideas! Yes, I have about 3 people in mind, one of them being my Maid of Honor. Would lemonade with strawberries, and Iced tea with Orange slices be two good drinks to serve along with sodas and ice?

Those drinks sound yummy! What Christine said too, I know our church has those big coffee makers that they let people use for events.

Lemonade and iced tea is perfect. The church might also have a few teenage kids you could pay to just set up and clean up for you so that your family doesn't have to do as much.

When i think of punch, i think of the punch that was made with sherbet and 7 up. You could add fruit slices in there its so tasty, and the sherbet helps keep the beverage chill. i like Saras idea of a few veggie platters, if you have a gfs by you they have a huge veggie tray for under $20. And they also carry those Nancy deli spirals with are really tasty.

Those drinks seem great. You could probably have a local grocery store do something like veggies & dip and cheese & crackers for very cheap - most likely they would also deliver and set up for you.

What time is your ceremony/reception at? That'll help give us more info for food recommendations.

I'd imagine this is an early afternoon wedding @e=mc2 since it's cake/punch and light apps. I'm assuming 1pm? Starts early enough to not run into dinner but is late enough that guests won't think lunch will be served.

I second the cheese/crackers, veggies/dip, and fruit trays. Those are easy to set out, and you would just need small plates. I also love the idea of coffee, tea, and lemonade as well as the fruity punch. You could find some cool ice shaped things that you put the fruit in and freeze with punch? (like those bundt pans?).

You could also check into Costco (or whatever big grocery stores are near you) and see if they sell big party platters. Then you could just have someone pick them up, display them, and toss them in the garbage after.

And please, please, *please* hire someone-- even a couple teens, as someone suggested, or a DOC-- to take care of this. It is no fun to be the friend/family who gets pressed into service, as I found out last year at my younger brother's wedding-- I had to help make 100 pies (that took all of Thursday), then set up for and tear down the RD (thank goodness that was catered!).

Elizabeth i'd hope so- but it looks like if she was contemplating it may be during dinner

@Emily, her post yesterday said the wedding was at 2. Perfect time for cake and punch!

As others have suggested- hire some kids. My sister is much older than me, 20 years, threw a huge party for her husband's 40th birthday, she hired a bunch of my friends while we were still in high school. So cheap, like gave them all $40 and had one assigned to serving guests coffee, drinks, food, and had them as bartenders (which is super illegal to have teenagers serve... and lead to some very strong drinks!). She even had one of them play with the kids so the parents could relax. Point being, she paid $150-$200 and had a whole team dedicated to setting up, serving, and cleaning up.

She said a 2pm start time on her other post. With a 2pm start time and a 2 hour reception. She is looking at 2pm -5pm. I would do a deli patter, fruit and veggie, cake, tea, water lemonade

Call your local supermarket deli and ask about mini sandwich sliders.... they're very inexpensive, easy to eat while standing, and rather filling. I'd probably order around 250-300 if you're expecting 100 guests (men can easily eat 2) and do a mix of roast beef, turkey, and ham. Anything left over just pass out to family to take home and they'll be good in the fridge for the next few days!

Cake and the drinks you mentioned will all be pretty sugary... I think little sandwiches would be a nice balance! Sam's Club also has huge cheese & cracker trays for cheap.

Thank you girls! Those are great ideas!! I will definitely look into that! I want to have really delicious cupcakes as well.