Not Having Food During Cocktail Hour

I would talk to the venue and get a break down on the 400 or including an app. Maybe it is more then just chips and salsa. I cant imagine any place charging that much for chips. How many people are coming to this reception?

I went to a wedding last year and I don't know if it was poor planning or what but nobody was there to serve drinks and dinner didn't start until another hour, hour and a half. So we sat around literally twiddling our thumbs for about 45 minutes with no drink whatsoever (some guests started going and getting something to drink) and an hour with no food. They're lucky we are good friends or we would've just left. We were all pissed! Drinks are a very good start but I'd say go ahead and get the food too. Chips and dip is better than watching paint dry! Lol!

Sounds like you've already gotten a consensus, but just wanted to throw in there that the only time I have ever verged on fainting was at a wedding cocktail hour without any food. It was quite scary, actually, with these big black clouds puffing up over my vision and all sound being muted to sound super far away--even my own voice--and knowing I was actually losing consciousness and about to hit the ground. My friends rescued me just in time and got me to a seat and scrounged up some tea with sugar to get inside me so I could last. Not. Fun.

I vote that you feed them. It is expensive but SO worth it. My friends and family think a wedding is made up of good food and great drinks -- they would be coming expecting to eat relatively quickly, so they'd be drunk and starving after a food-free cocktail hour. I would never hear the end of that one.... Lol