O'dourves- yay or nay?

As a guest, I would expect food when the bar opens. I also think you need more than two choices.

What about just adding a cheese tray and a fruit tray? I wouldn't have the bar open an hour before people get any food. I would probably be so hungry that I wouldn't be paying attention to the toasts.

I feel like that kind of is a long time. If the ceremony is at 5:30, chances are guests probably haven't eaten since about 4 ( and that's probably even a conservative estimate) I feel like by almost 7 I would be a little hangry lol and be like where's the food??? If you can provide your guests with a little snack to hold them over until dinner, I think that would be ideal.

Um, they are called hors d'oeuvres.

And yes, at least a cheese tray is necessary. An hour at the bar with no food, and people will be soused before dinner.

The cheese tray is $400 and the Fruit tray is $360, so I mean, it's about the same price as the hot selections.

I guess I was naive and thought people spent like maybe $500-600 on appetizers for 100 people. Ughhh.... LOL. I guess this what credit cards are for. haha.

I'd expect there to be appetizers to munch on during a cocktail hour. I wouldn't have eaten since lunch, so I'd want a little something to soak up the alcohol so I'm not trashed before dinner is even served.

You guess this is what credit cards are for? I hope you are joking.

Yes. You need food during the cocktail hour. That's basically my favorite part of weddings. Food and alcohol with no expectations of dancing or talking to people at my dinner table.

The advantage of cheese and fruit trays as opposed to passed hour d'oeuvres is that people can easily get to them if hungry. Sometimes passed hour d'oeuvres get devoured by those closest to the kitchen and don't make it to those in the back or they come out too slowly and it takes a while for everyone to get some.

As a guest I expect apps at cocktail hour.

I would expect appetizers at that point. Personally, I’d get sloshed at a semi open bar that didn’t have food for an hour. Agree with PPs that if I was going to your wedding and the ceremony doesn’t start until 530, the last time I ate was probably 1 pm because cocktail hour appetizers would be expected. Also, if no apps were passed, I would definitely be starving during speeches and 100% not paying attention. Prices sound right. Ours were about the same; we offered four choices. Credit cards are not made for people who can’t afford their wedding. ETA - you have a year and a half until your wedding - can you really not save some money between now and then to offer your guests some appetizers?

Have you sent STDs? If not, can you cut the guest list. Fewer people = less food.

My fiance's immediate family is 80% of our guest list. LOL. I guess I can cut the only two friends I'm inviting, haha.

But, we have to have at least 100 people anyway for our venue, they have minimums for Saturdays.

Oh my goodness. Is it me or does that seem expensive for fruit and cheese trays? I can't eat cheese or fruit, so I'd be hungry as hell.

One venue we're looking at, the hors d'oeuvres are included, and we get to choose 8..

You guess that's what credit cards are for? Omg.... :o

Yes, you do need them. An hour of drinks without food at a time when people are going to be hungry isn't a good idea. That hour is a time for people to mingle and take the edge off their hunger. It's the fave part of the meal for many people.

You need something stationery, like cheese and crackers/breads (skip the fruit) , but 100 people fighting for a piece of cheese on a platter is like the hunger games with tuille. You need a few passed things too. Passed fast. Not endive with smoked salmon; if you're going to do just a few, make them substantial and make them things almost everyone will eat (sliders, potato pancakes with different toppings, chicken/veggie skewers, spinach pies, and the always instantly disappearig pigs in a blanket)

If you can, you could cut the cocktail hour down a bit, to maybe 30 minutes, but I'd cut down in other areas rather than skipping hors d'oeuvres.

Time to start saving. Second jobs.

I just totally didn't think about this when I budgeted the wedding. I'm paying for everything by myself (my fiance's is in school full time, so he doesn't work), so I basically plotted everything out in monthly payments, and thus why we booked so far out, but this is at least an extra $1200, so it kind of throws me for a loop. Sorry if I sounded tacky. I don't want to be, obviously why I asked.

Oh, I work 60-70 hours a week, haha. There aren't enough hours in the day