Food ideas for a reception before 5pm?

You can still have a dinner before 5, but perhaps a light-plated choice. Like instead of a couple of heavy meats, go for one item, chk or seafood. Lunch type of foods. If you're having reception mid-afternoon(clearly not dinner time) I dont think guests will expect you to stuff them with dinner-heavy foods. also have salads & sides. You can have H'orderves be part of the meal with other fingerfoods.

I def. plan on having sides and salads.

Depending on your catering company or what not, wraps and panini's go over great!! especially if it is kind of a buffet style where people make their own and give it to a staff person to grill it. I went to a wedding like that and it was GREAT! Plus little side salads and things like fruit and a veggie tray type things.

What time is the reception? From when to when?

Kimberly M: Not sure on the exact times yet. I just know that the reception will be done by 5pm. I am thinking maybe start reception around 12:30.

If you are doing late lunch type of thing, then a lot of lunchtime foods would work well. Various types of sandwiches (or wraps or whatnot), fruits and veggies for munching. Tacos or burritos are also fun and let people mix & match items. Kabobs if you want a little BBQ flair. Toasted ravioli is fun.

Bump

We had a daytime wedding with our total event time being 12-4. We had a cocktail hour still with usual hors d'oeuvres and then a meal. By the time the main meal started, it was about 2 o'clock.

We still had a lot of the usual "dinner" foods for our lunch wedding. We had a stuffed chicken, carved beef tenderloin, mashed potato bar, veggie pasta option, mixed vegetables, 2 different types of salads.

We made sure to go lighter on our hors d'oeuvres though because we didn't want to fill people up before the main meal, which is kinda a pet peeve of mine at weddings, when the appetizers are completely overboard and no one is left hungry for their entree.

I heard no complaints about such heavy food in the afternoon. Everybody was just raving over how good everything tasted. People could just eat a lighter dinner that evening instead.

A few questions that might give us a better idea of what you are having:

Are you having it catered or making your own food?

Are you having a buffet or sit down style?

Are you looking for a formal or informal setting?

My first thought would be to have a buffet style make your own sandwiches/salads/taco bar..you can set up all types of items to include and make the tables look pretty and elegant, and everyone can make their own customized meal

Missy: We are doing part catered and doing part of the food ourselves (ex. veggie trays, meatballs, fruit tray, and cracker & cheese tray). I would rather do a buffet style with informal seating.

If your budget allows it, and your venue offers it, consider doing "stations". This way guests can pick what they want to enjoy and you will have your casual seating.

MrsOhler.....That is my biggest pet peeve about Cate's venue. Her cocktail hour is heavy on the butlered apps and has 2 stations. While her ceremony is at 2:00 and the reception is at 5:30(typical wait time for Catholic Nuptial Mass), I feel guests will be ravenous at cocktail hour and then too full for 4 course plated meal (choice of filet mignon or flounder stuffed with crab)and the dessert bar. I hate wasted food and there was no negotiating with her venue. The wedding planner from the venue says that by the time dinner is served, it will be 7:00 and they have never had an issue with over feeding. ???

Okay, so you're serving lunch. What do you like? I picture a nice, light flavorful, fresh buffet. Salmon w/ lemon, herb roasted chicken, some salads… fruit, fresh green salad, quinoa, some sort of potato or pasta.

Carole M: Our venue doesn't do catering, so we have to hire an outside caterer, which allows us to chose what type of service we want.

Kimberly: I eat a variety of things. I just want to serve something all my guests enjoy. I know everyone pretty well that we are inviting and we might have like 5 people who would eat fish.