Dessert bar for reception??

How long will your reception last?

I agree with Emma - how long is your reception? If the reception will go to 7pm or later, I think a meal should be provided, since it'll run right through when most people eat dinner. Otherwise, if the reception is ending before dinner time, providing just desserts should be fine.

If your reception will end by 4:30, a cake and punch reception is fine. If it will go over into dinner time, you should provide a meal.

I think it depends on how long the reception is.

Light appetizers, cake and drinks(bake in the day it would have been punch) would be okay for a few hours but I would make sure it’s clear on invite. No booze as you need food for it.

Agree with others. If you are done by 430 then a cake and punch reception is ok. But if it goes beyond 430 I think a some proper food will be required.

I’m kind of with your mom on this one. At 2pm, I wouldn’t want a variety of desserts to be my only option. I’d actually swap and have appetizers over sweets. If your wedding starts at 2, then guests will arrive around 130. So that means they’re getting ready around 11:30/12, depending on the distance. My guess is that they may have only eaten breakfast by that time they start getting dressed. So leaving the ceremony and only seeing desserts would be a bummer for me in the afternoon. However, if you decide on a dessert bar, be sure to list something like “dessert only reception” on your invitation and website so that guests know they’ll need to get food after your reception.

As previous people have said, it really depends on the timing of the wedding. If you decide to go this route, I would strongly suggest including detailed information on the invitations or details cards (ie, clearly stating it is a dessert bar and the hours it will be held). Including this information could save you a lot of grief. One of my best friends did a ceremony followed by a dessert bar and she was bombarded with phone calls, text messages, etc. from guests asking if there would be “real food”, and what time the desert bar would be held because they were worried about meal times, getting their children off schedule, etc. She had multiple guests complain to her about her choice and even more family members complain to her mom. Honestly, it was a huge headache for her. If you decide to go this route, I would highly suggest having a dessert-only reception end by 4:30 PM at the latest, in order to avoid guest questions, complaints, etc.

View Quoted Comment Sorry I guess I should have specified that. We are planning on having it at a church and then just a small reception. I was thinking desserts to say thanks for coming but not really an invitation to stay forever. We wouldn’t be having dancing or anything.

View Quoted Comment My idea was to have just a smaller reception. Mostly to say thanks for coming. We wouldn’t be having much dancing or anything.

View Quoted Comment Oh! Then no it wouldn’t be tacky at all! If I were a guest I would feel grateful for the desserts! I would recommend having bottled water or other individual drinks if you go through with the dessert bar

View Quoted Comment Yes, that is exactly what my friend did. No dancing, no DJ, etc. Just tables, chairs and desserts!

I think that would be fine!

I think it would be ok

Many receptions have cake and dessert only. It's perfectly acceptable given your timeframe.

View Quoted Comment Totally fine!

Cake and punch receptions are totally fine when done well. I think you'll be fine with just a dessert bar since your event is not during a meal time and will end well before dinner time

I agree that it will be fine and not tacky. I would include on the invitation something like "Dessert Reception to Follow". This way people won't expect food. They know that dessert will be the only thing served.