Can't find venue that allows self catering

People are not going to eat lunch ahead of time.

Venues usually don't allow self catering because of insurance and liability issues.

Five hours is too long for just cake.

Venues that include food can make more money with an entire meal.

Look at women's clubs, community centers, ambulence corps and firehouses, fraternal orgs (like the Elks, VFW's). They will let you bring in your own food from insured sources.

Wait- it doesn't take 4 hours to eat cake and drink punch. What are your guests going to do for the other 3 hours and 45 minutes? I feel like it should be like a couple hours- maybe 2-4. This reception seems way too long for cake and punch.

There is a very good reason venues dont allow self catering. Its dangerous even if it is just desserts.

Self-Catering isn't the same as Outside Catering. Be clear.

One is scary and gross, the other is totally appropriate and delish.

Smh.

I am self-catering (meaning ordering food and having a waiter friend take care of set up and serving) and I found only a couple of venues that allow this. Look at town halls and government-owned building (city or county owned). I'm having my reception at a town hall. They just will require you to have liquor liability (if you will be serving liquor) and a banquet permit ($11 for the permit). Look into having a place deliver your food and hire a friend or two to take care of set up and such. :-)

....

You're not serving food during a five hour event???

No. Just, no.

Specify "outside catering" in your initial title/post. It sounds like you aren't looking at the right kind of venues. Try looking at community centers, state parks, church halls in your area.

A cake and punch celebration is very different from a "traditional reception"

are you expecting people to sit down and eat cake for 4-5 hours, because they won't. Which is totally fine, just adjust your expectations. Where is your ceremony and how many people will be there. Typically, a cake and punch reception would immediately follow the ceremony and only be about 1-2 hours long where you cut the cake and people eat desserts and mingle, then go home.

If you want people to stay for hours and dance, they need alcohol and a meal.

How many of these today? Please don't do it.

Can't find a venue that allows self catering? GOOD!

No no no! The horrors! I didn't need to sleep tonight. Now I'll dream of a self catered mess.

Don't self cater. See if they will allow you to order only desserts from them.

Honestly I think a reception where I just stand around and eat cake sounds boring as hell. Especially if I don't know a lot of people there. You can't possibly plan for people to stay for that many hours.

What about local parks that have pavilions?

I hope your reception is also at a non-meal time. Making it clear on the invite that you aren't serving food doesn't excuse you from properly hosting your guests. Also as PP have said the reason most venues won't let you self cater is because it's a huge liability.