Cake & Punch Etiquette

Have you considered just going to lunch/dinner with everyone afterwards at a restaurant? Some places have fixed menu for larger groups.

then after the meal you can get your sunset pictures

Honestly, no. 7, 8pm is dinner time, I'd be expecting a full meal at that time.

I think that if you want to do a cake and punch then you should a cake and punch. All that matters is that you realize everyone is there to support you and your FH. I agree with saving the money. It's hard combining families. Good Luck and do what makes sense for you and your family!!

I have to agree, we regularly eat dinner anywhere from 7-9 pm, so I'd either expect dinner or enough heavy apps to constitute a meal. The other thing to keep in mind is that people will spend time getting ready to attend before the wedding starts abd that they ususlly arrive early. So for a 7 pm, in town wedding, I'd be aiming to be there by 6:45, which depending on how big the area is could involve 20+ minutes of travel time. So I'm leaving home around 6:15. Say it takes us 1.5 hours to get ready (including taking care of our dogs, signing the card and other last minute things), that means we probably started getting ready around 4:45 or 5. So we'd have to eat dinner around 3:30/4. Honestly, I'd be starving by 7:30 or 8.

I really think the only way this works is to have a dessert reception that starts at 9, which I understand is late when toddlers are involved, or cake and punch in the afternoon. If you want sunset pics, you can always take them later. Another option, a mentioned by a pp, is just to take everyone out to dinner after a 5 pm ceremony, then get your pics, and honestly, as a guest, that's what I'd prefer.

View Quoted Comment Yes that was actually the initial plan. This cake & punch is just something I thought of today. Wanted opinions from others before presenting it to my fiance (who was at work anyway when it came to mind)

View Quoted Comment Is there a such thing as a dessert reception? Honestly, that was my initial question. Or at least what it was suppose to be.

View Quoted Comment Thx Danniel!

View Quoted Comment You can totally do a dessert only reception at a non meal time. The issue here is trying to have no meal at a meal time. Heavy apps are supposed to make up for a meal and generally cost more than an actual meal would cost. A cake and punch reception doesn’t have to be actual cake and punch it’s just a light refreshment instead of an actual meal that takes place at a non meal time.