hors d'oeuvres for cocktail hour

You absolutely need something to soak up the alcohol and cheese and crackers won't cut it. Double check if you're even allowed to bring in something like that, I know my venue wouldn't allow it. I think you need at least two appetizers.

Have hors d'oeuvres at the cocktail hour. If you don't it's only inevitable that someone gets way too drunk because they haven't been offered any food to go with all the alcohol in their stomach.

My venue also won't allow us not to serve hors d'oeuvres during our cocktail hour. You'll want something more substantial than nuts, cheese, and veggies. We're having passed meatballs, croquettes, and canapés.

Were in a family members backyard, so we'd be fine bringing it in. We really don't have many drinkers in attendance. I could be wrong and a few people may get plastered but for the most part I don't see it being an issue. Were having a smaller intimate wedding as well. I see the reasoning behind it and was looking into options our caterer had for finger foods but FH is kind of set against it and brought up the cheese & cracker spread as well veggies and dips.

I agree. You need to have some apps at cocktail hour. Chances are you can't bring outside food in, but check with your venue. A cheese and crackers display or veggie display is a start, but you will need something heavier to soak up the booze.

An hour or more is a long time for a wedding to have no food. Do the hors d'oeurves for sure!

The finger foods during cocktail hour is very important for two reasons in your case: 1) alcohol, if you're guests are going to be drinking they'll get drunk a lot faster without food to snack on; 2) it's very very close to dinner time, and they'll be hungry.

As for bringing your own, my venue doesn't allow for outside catering of any kind, so that's something you'll have to check with them. Though it's probably better to go with what they offer. Nuts won't balance the alcohol intake.

Just out of curiosity, do people not have cocktail "hour"? I thought cocktail hour was just that- an hour to have cocktails. I really don't know a whole lot about weddings and the etiquette for certain things but is their an alternative? Out of the two weddings I have been to, one did finger foods and the other did not, so I wasn't sure how it works.

Definitely have food. You have to serve something because an hour at the very least is a long time for guests to go without food. Especially since it will be at dinner time for some and with alcohol added in. Unless you can task someone with bringing the food and setting it up, I would bite the bullet and pay your caterer. The last thing you want to be worried about on your wedding day are the hors d'oeuvres.

I should probably also mention that since we are having a smaller backyard wedding, we are bringing the alcohol in ourselves and most likely will not be having hard liquor. We are planning on beer, wine and 2 signature drinks. We may do a whiskey bar since FH really likes whiskey. I originally thought we should have liquor to make at least a few common drinks, but FH wants to keep it more simple. I don't want to assume people wont drink just because they're not big drinkers normally, as it is a wedding and people let loose during special events like that & I also don't want to NOT do finger foods because people wont be drinking. I just really wasn't sure if an hour would be too long with no food.

eta-words

@Mandy- The wedding that didn't have food, did they serve alcohol as an open bar? If someone drinks on an empty stomach, they generally get drunker much faster. So that's a big factor. Then the time is another, it's very close to dinner and they're bound to be hungry by then. ETA: Types of alcohol affect people slightly differently from my experience. I have a great tolerance for kahula, but wine and whiskey will put me on my ass pretty quickly lol. Just because they aren't "hard" liquors doesn't mean people can't get drunk off of it. Especially hungry.

Cocktail hour is to eat appetizers, drink, and socialize before dinner. Even if people don't drink they are expecting appetizers.

I literally just had to google cocktail hour because I think I thought it meant something else. I thought it meant drinks. Oh boy. Google informed me it means drinks AND appetizers. I think I'm going to have to talk to FH and get him on board with something that has a little more substance. Because we are having a smaller guest list, I think we can manage a few finger foods. I totally understand the reasoning behind it. I can drink 2 glasses of wine on an empty stomach and be feeling pretty giddy. If we have guests that aren't big drinkers downing anything with alcohol, they will probably need something to soak it up..

Exactly so they can make it through the entire wedding. Plus you do not want hangry guests

Something simple like pigs in a blanket would be good. That was my favorite appetizer as a guest! There's a website called Budget Bytes that has recipes that make a lot for very little.

You need to have some type of food, and it can't be an hour long. I think cheese and crackers and veggies with dip are okay, just make sure to have enough for everyone to last the entire hour. It's called a cocktail hour, not a cocktail hour and a half. Can I ask what you are serving for dinner?

You definitely need to serve some food. While it's important to think of your guests that are consuming alcohol, it's also important to make sure that you and your guests, bridal party included have some form of food. Remember you and you BP will be running around for pictures and then right into the ceremony. You don't want anyone fainting from their sugar dropping.

Alcohol isnt the only reason to serve food during the cocktail hour. even guests who dont drink will be hungry right away.

it doesnt have to be super expensive. we are doing fruit, cheese & crackers, and italian cold cuts and bread through our caterer.

if you want to avoid having to serve hors dourves, do pictures before the ceremony and have your reception go right into dinner

Aleigh- We are doing a pasta buffet- chicken marsala, baked ziti, veggie lasagna and eggplant rollatini with salad, bread & grilled veggies. We aren't set on that yet, were still talking to different caterers and getting quotes.

Courtney- We aren't having a bridal party, but I understand your reasoning nonetheless. I cant imagine Ill be eating a whole lot the day of but it would be nice to have something to eat if I do.

Well, the reason for a cocktail hour is so that the bride/groom/family/bridal party can have time to take pictures without having a gap. If you don't need to take pictures in between the ceremony and reception, you don't need a cocktail hour at all. If I were you, take pictures before the ceremony (or at least most of them),and right after the ceremony go into the reception and finish the pictures you want during the reception since it is a casual wedding anyways. No need for a cocktail hour at all.