Horderves?

First of all, good on you for moving to a non meal time, knowing your limitations. Secondly, have you considered doing a cake and punch reception? I don't know if I would consider some of the options you mentioned as wedding food but that's just me.

I think it might be best to consult a caterer and see what they can do for you. Having heavier snacks might be a good option. Not only can they provide better options for you, they'll be able to make sure that everything is prepared properly and kept to proper temperatures for your guests!

good luck!

Hire a caterer. I can also bet that guest list can be cut. What is the time for the reception?

Having it in between lunch and dinner is a good way to go if you can't afford to feed people a big meal.

Instead of just snacks, I'd also suggest a tiny bit more filling things, like finger sandwiches, maybe a salad (pasta, potato, etc) and some form of dessert like cheesecake or cookies or something similar! And definitely do this through a caterer. Feeding that many people yourselves sounds horrendously stressful and you want to make sure everything is prepared correctly!

How long is the reception?

Do you have a budget set aside for food and drinks? I would reach out to local restaurants and/or caterers to get an answer to that question. If you explain your budget, any restaurant or caterer should be able to tell you what they can do for you within that budget.

With all of the family parties/holidays I have hosted, I personally find it more expensive to buy snack type foods in bulk than to actually make a plated meal. With apps, you end up having to buy more of a variety in order to have enough food to ensure no one goes hungry.

WOW...thats a huge guest list. I think heavy appetizers are best. Even though there are 300 guests they all have stomachs that should be fed a substantial meal even if its not a full course. My friend is planning for 250 during meal time but she's looked at super low catering costs to be able to afford the plated meal choice and shes done pretty well. Since its between lunch and dinner i think you could do cheese/fruit/veggie trays, but you will want to do some other appetizers a little more filling. Maybe taquitos, mac n cheese bites, sliders, meatballs, mini sandwiches, your caterer should have some options. Also how long is the reception? if its more than 3 hours you definitely need a more substantial meal. Also, your serving alcohol? I'd be cautious in serving alcohol with only cheese and fruit trays. The purpose in serving 300 guests is variety that way people will get a little bit of what they want. Maybe when you get your actual guest count returned this will lighten things for you. Good luck!

I can't imagine inviting 300 people and serving them crackers. This whole shindig needs to be short.

That made me wince, too. I'd feel like I was being invited just to bring a gift.

Cake and punch receptions are fine if you don't have the budget to feed people a full meal, but not for this many people. I think there is a point where it just looks greedy, since you could have used this budget to have a lovely reception with say, 50 people.

Hi Sarah! As mentioned, bite-size sandwiches and wraps, along with other fish and meat bites would definitely help to make sure guests are able to keep full! If you're interested in contacting a caterer, you can search some through our Vendor Section! I hope you're able to work everything out! Good luck!