Favourite Tea Sandwiches?

All of the high teas I've been to have included a hot protein "main course"- beef, chicken, and seafood. Things like baked scallops and goose liver tarts. The sandwiches are served as the "appetizer" course (and I do love a good lox & cream cheese). I know you're offering a wide variety which is good. But while I agree that 16 finger sandwiches seems adequate, I think the point that most people are trying to make is that they wouldn't want to actually eat 16 individual little sandwiches. Even if there's a lot of options, I'm going to get sick of cold bread when I'm drinking for 3 hours because after a while they all start to taste the same. Maybe approach it like you're having a heavy appetizer reception and offer hot and cold options which will feel more like a full meal.

Thank you Susan, for now insulting most of the people here who are planning hot meals, dancing and drinking. Damn, that's boring......

I think that several PP's have established that what you're planning is not a 'high tea'. It's what you'd like to think of as 'high tea' because it sounds classier than "tea party".

And frankly, referring to the forum as "The Peanut Gallery" is a bad idea.

It all sounds very epic.

@Susan Are you expecting people to stay for your full reception? If so, you need to provide more food. You mentioned that many of your guests have a long drive ahead of them and won't be getting home until later in the evening.

Tea sandwiches are a cute appetizer idea but if you have guests traveling a good distance and you are giving them such little food, please don't be shocked if many of them leave an hour or so into the reception.

Also, I had a tea party for my bridal shower. We had a full bar. When parties are hosted from where I am from, we host them so people have a large variety of alcohol and food. If you don't host this way that's one thing. I'm just giving you fair warning that people will probably be sorely disappointed.

@Celia, I'd say many of the posters here have done quite a good job attempting to insult me, frankly. If they didn't like sandwiches, then serving sandwiches was awful I mean c'mon, seriously? There's lots of things I don't like. That doesn't make them terrible ideas. My fiance and I personally find traditional wedding receptions boring- that doesn't mean that people who love them shouldn't have them. SO if anyone takes offense from that, that's their own doing.

I don't see the insult with peanut gallery, but whatever works.

@MrsBdeG, given that we're hosting more than thirty children, I am in no way concerned about not providing a full bar. Again, I am pretty sure no one is going to go hungry. It's a nice change from rubbery wedding chicken and overcooked roast beef. I seriously doubt anyone is going to leave looking for food.

What you are describing OP is not "High Tea", nor is it "Tea" in the British sense. You are describing a cake and punch reception. You need to move your time to earlier if you want to do that.

@Susan I'm not telling you to serve alcohol to children. Also, parents are perfectly capable of drinking in front of children. I'm just saying, not many people enjoy champagne. For those that don't you wedding will essentially be a dry wedding. Many people leave dry weddings early because they aren't being hosted well.

I was giving you a tip on hosting guests well. Please, feel free to not take my advice. I'm just saying if I went to this style of wedding I would be bored, hungry, and quite frankly, irritated that the hosts were more enthralled with their *offbeat* concept then the guest experience.

@JSarge- that's the point- we're not moving towards dinnertime. That's not the vibe we're going for. And I cannot imagine anyone being hungry for dinner after eating all afternoon long.

Wow I just read through 5 pages of comments and wasted so much time at work, not disappointed. I love the idea and I love to graze but I also always love a good buffet of food. I haven't seen any comments here if you were going to include meat pies or salads or anything else substantial that PPs have mentioned. IF you are I think its fine but I can't eat 12 mini sandwiches, and sweets, and tea, and be full. Its a lot of food for a few minutes but if I'm driving 2 hours home at 6:30, I'm stopping at McDonald's for some fries.

@MrsBdeG, then it's good you aren't one of my guests, isn't it? As I said, my fiance and I are known in our local community as the resident party-throwers. I am sure we've thrown more large events than anyone here who isn't a vendor.

So I think it's kind of funny that y'all are ringing doomsday bells when we know exactly what we're doing. I didn't post here to get opinions on the type of reception we're having. I don't need to make it sound palatable to any of you.

I posted here to get some suggestions for people's favourite sandwiches. I mean, comment what else you like, but we really don't give a damn otherwise because we know what's going to work. We know our crowd just fine and how to pull it off. And just for the record, we usually do all the work ourselves including the catering (and hot meals to boot, often). It's only that for our wedding we won't because we don't want to spend 20 hours that day working like we usually do.

Why do people view OP's opinion of what a boring wedding is as an insult to all others who are planning what she views is boring? It's just that, her opinion. Everyone has their likes and dislikes. Seems overly sensitive to say she's insulting.

OP, you did mention dinner time where you're at is later (Canada it looks like?). How much later is that usually? Cuz maybe there's a disconnect with many here who view dinnertime as a certain time.

Rubbery chicken and overcooked roast beef.....

Not at my weddings.....thought it's fun to say it.

@Susan Oh my gosh, yes! It's so good! How can you possibly know that you throw more events than anyone on these forums? Honestly, my DH and I throw parties and host people all of the time. No one is ringing doomsday bells. We are giving you good, critical feedback. We are trying to keep you from having a wedding that everyone talks about for the wrong reasons.

Oh and patting yourself on the back for self-catering is just...no.

Well, what an insult. I love rubbery wedding chicken, but hey I also hate cucumber sandwiches the size of a quarter! To each his own, this is one of the first times I've agreed with @MrsBdeG.

Unfortunately OP you came here asking for opinions and this is a forum that will DEFINITELY give you theirs, whether they agree or not. Don't take offense if people hate your idea. Throw your party how you want to and move on. I'd like to add though, the whole "know your crowd" only goes so far. You have 5 pages of comments here telling you to add more food or change your time, along with their suggestions. Chances are, we are more similar to your guests than you may think. Happy menu planning!

@Corgibutts-I'm from Ontario and normally the weddings I've been to start at about 3 with the ceremony, go into a cocktail hour until 5, then dinner until about 8, then dancing. There's usually a late night buffet around 11pm and receptions finish between 1am and 2am.

Oh. You're the resident party throwers. That makes all the difference.

@OGA-I think the issue is that this is supposed to go into the evening.

OGA- It wouldnt bother me really either. I think itd be better more lunch time or late lunch. I would just probably eat something later on.

(Plus, I love sandwiches)

I agree with @OGJessie If this was from say 1:30-4PM I could totally see eating finger food. I'd still want to celebrate with a bar of more than just bubbly but...

Are we really only talking about an hour difference between what is acceptable and unacceptable for what OP is planning?

@corgi-If it goes into dinner hour, OP needs to serve dinner.