No Cocktail Hour - Serve dinner?

I would have at least some sort of snack and drinks available, nonalcoholic ones. Even something simple like cheese and crackers or chips and pretzels or something to have people snack on.

Would it be an option to do the pictures before the ceremony. You could also do a first look but if you dont want to do that at least get all the other pictures out of the way other wise you would need something to snack on to occupy your guests. To.me it would be strange to eat dinner without the couple but also strange with sitting around with nothing too.

Could you bring in your own cheese/crackers and fruit platters from Sams/Walmart? Lemonade/tea /bottles of water?

View Quoted Comment

We aren;t doing the first look part but we are going to get all the photos done that dont require my fiance and I to be in them at the same time. My caterer wanted an exorbitant amount for appetizers so trying to get all of right

View Quoted Comment

I definitely could do that. I didn't know it that would be uncouth. We will have the drinks out and ready

View Quoted Comment

I'm not as worried about the alcohol just not sure how to occupy them.

View Quoted Comment

Ask your caterer or the venue if they could set it out for you. But be sure to ask the venue if you can even do that. Some don't allow outside food. Good luck!!

So to all, it is acceptable to have something small rather than full appetizers? It was going to double my catering cost.

View Quoted Comment

Luckily, my venue will let me do just about anything since they are very flexible. I have a friend playing wedding coordinator so even if the caterer can't, they can get it out.

Find a way to fit apps in your budget or do photos before the ceremony so that your guests aren’t left bored and hungry waiting around for you for an hour.

View Quoted Comment

Yes, I have been to weddings that had chips and dips/hummus fruit/cheese/crackers. It doesn't need to be fancy. You don't want them to be too full before dinner anyway in my opinion.

View Quoted Comment

Are games an option? Like cornhole or giant jenga?

I went to a wedding recently that had a harvest table for cocktail hour. I had never heard of it before WW. So I was pleasantly surprised to see one. They did it themselves and it worked out great. They had about 100 people at their wedding. Here are some pics I pulled off line

Oh this looks GOOD!

Do fruit and veggies with chips and dip. If you can grab em at Walmart before hand do it. It doesn't have to be fancy.

View Quoted Comment

I agree totally

I agree, simple snacks and drinks. Games are also a good idea.

I’m in the same predicament. Usually when we have weddings we don’t have to worry about what everyone else is doing during pictures cuz family usually lives in the area and just go home for a break or they only come to the reception only but now I have to think about those two hours before the reception because FH family is all out of towners

If you’re not doing a first look your photos might take longer than you expect. Having guest wait for an hour without drinks and food might be too long. See what your venue allows and have some interactive games, some entertainment, a photo booth, and interactive guest book. Something to keep them busy. I would try to incorporate an appetizer table and this is something you can buy yourself. Trader Joe’s and Aldi offers amazing cheese and hams and crackers at a great price. Costco or Sam also has a great variety and good prices as well as fruits and you can do something simple for them to snack.

View Quoted Comment Something like this would be perfect and enough to keep them happy while you take pictures.