Potluck the Appetizers???

I just had a get together and folks loved the honey bbq meatballs, cheese quesadillas, mini quiche and popcorn chicken. All that stuff is really easy to make.

Welcome to WW. Hon, it really depends on you want to do. If you think that your guests are going to be okay with it then do the potluck. In this economy it is not a bad idea. Though, just a word of warning...there are several people that are going to tell that it is tacky. Just remember that it is your wedding and you do what you think is right.

Lucky I love your warning and advice! I agree with both of the brides above. I just wanted to add that if you have a Sams Club or Costco near you you can do great appetizers for a really good price. Good luck and welcome to WW.

Agreeding with all the above responses...although I'm leaning toward the position that some guests may find it tacky to do potluck. Wedding etiquette sources say it's a definite no-no.

Although, there are many places you can find inexpensive appetizers, it will just take some time.

Also, depending on the times you are having dinner and the ceremony, appetizers may not be necessary. But if you are having a cocktail hour or a long wait between the ceremony and the dinner, and that wait is right when dinner should be, then appetizers are called for.

Good luck!

P.S. Close family may be ok to ask, if they have voiced that they are willing to help.

Instead of going with appetizers, you could set some snacks out (mixed nuts, pretzels, crackers and cheese, etc.)

Hi kerrynkelly! Welcome to WW. As with so many questions on here, I think the answer is It Depends! What is the style of your reception? If you are hosting it at home then potluck would be more fitting than if the reception were at a facility. But then again, even if it is at a facility, if potluck is the norm in your family, then go for it! Since the reception is for the guests, you can narrow down most of your choices by evaluating them from the point of view of your guests. In this case, how would they feel being asked to bring appetizers? How would YOU feel if you went to a wedding and were asked to bring an appetizer? That will help you decide what to do.

If you are having it at a facility, you will need to check with them with regards to outside food. If they are a licensed catered facility they will not allow it due to safety reasons. They do not want to take responsibility for Aunt Ida coming down with food poisoning. Most foods have a two hour window when being left out, especially since you are getting married in July. If it is an unlicensed food facility, others on here have provided good suggestions, sam's club, platters from a local restaurant, etc. You can save money by having stationary apps and not passed. You may want to ask one friend to be in charge of the appetizers and that would be her gift to you but I would'nt ask everyone to go pot luck, you could end up with 23 varities of spinach and artichoke dip. Yes, you are providing dinner, but they are providing gifts. Think of the appetizers as a courtesy; you will probably get enough in cash in gifts to pay for the apps.

Yes that is EXTREMELY tacky. When people go to a wedding that want to dress up, relax, and have fun. The last thing they want to be doing is cooking food, carting it around( think of your guests traveling a distance with hot food in tow) At least provide cheese and crackers, fruit and veggie tray to tide your guests over until dinner but whatever you do I would not ask your guests to bring food. They will most likely already be bringing you a gift most!

Marcy I think you took that a little too far. I read nothing in the question that directly stated or implied that Kerry was trying to "make money off the wedding."

I say potluck appetizer is tacky. I say do cheese crackers fruit and veggies. It can be done before hand. If you are really low on money maybe you can ask a Aunt or Uncle or Grandparent to handle this aspect of your wedding instead of a gift.

I think trying to cut costs and affording appetizers has nothing to do with wanting a wedding. I think it is fine to discuss it with some friends and some close family members about bringing say...a crock pot with meatballs, a few cheese trays and maybe a veggie tray. You dont have to have much. We had fruit and cheese trays and veggie trays from a local small deli. Because they were small, the cost to have them make the trays was about the same as us buying all the fixins and trays and doing it ourselves. We then got a few bags of frozen cooked shrimp and did a cocktail shrimp tray as well. you dont need much, just something light. Price it all out at several places. We did apps for 180 people for $450 and had a lot of left overs. But my girlfriend had her family do her apps and dinner and everyone was happy to help. Judge your family by how you know them, not how others will think people will react. You also dont need everyone you invite to bring something. Pick and choose.

It would depend on how many of your guests are from out of town, If I was a guest invited to a wedding and told to bring an appitizer, and I had to travel, I wouldn't be very happy! But, If you can afford to get a few trays made up at a Costco or something, then I would go that route, but if you can't afford it, I would forget it. But that's just me.

What time is your ceremony and what time do cocktails start and when is supper being served? If you're getting married later in the day, say 3 or 4pm,and cocktails start @ 5, and supper is at 6, I wouldn't worry about the appitizers, that's a short enough time period. Also consider that after all those appitizers, guest won't eat a whole lot of the meal you provide, it might go to waste and you spent all that money on food that won't get eaten because your guests had appitizers..

I personally would skip appetizers before asking people to bring something. Maybe just ask a few very closer family members to bring something if you need the help. Otherwise stick to inexpensive snacks like CelticChick mentioned if you feel you must have something before dinner.

I'm sorry I never really answered your question. I wouldn't do pot luck appetizers. I would just provide them if the venue allows that (which is what I was eluding to with my first post) You most definitely can go to Costco or Sam's club and find very reasonably priced appetizers to tide your guests over. See how nicely I put that? Unfortunately some folks don't have those type of manners. Excuse them please.

I would either skip the appetizers altogether then, lower the price of the entrees somehow, or limit the number of ppl invited....good luck....i think it is tacky, but really that is just my opinion.....agree with the Costco, Sam's club, safeway suggestions, with food on a budget for the other wedding events: so many times it's the quantity and not the high end super ritzy quality part that counts.

Thanks for all the feedback. I do appreciate those who were kinder with their choice of words. COSTCO it is.

Welcome, kerrynkelly! I LOVE potlucks, in fact, I love them so much that my reception dinner is potluck. Yes, some people say it is tacky. Personally, I think that it depends on who you and the majority of your guests are. All of my family/friends are pretty laid back and used to potlucks.

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I view potlucks as a show of community coming together to share something that we all love... good food! My guests are being asked to share their traditional family recipes with us as we begin our own family unit. Their dishes will be accompanied by the recipes, so that we can try the foods and then make them ourselves in the future.

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PS. We're not registered and really don't want/need gifts. So we're not overtaxing our guests. Also our out of town guests know that they are not expected to contribute a dish to the potluck. We are also supplementing the potluck with some food ourselves to make up for the out of towners or other folks who don't bring a dish.

Well said Jessy.

You should plan on 4-6 pieces per person for passed and 6-8 per person for stations for an hour cocktail reception. good luck. Some will always take more and some less but it tends to even out.

Not to be cheap but we didnt have appitizers. We went right from our ceremony to dinner. We didnt mind that guests started to eat dinner with out us since dinner is such a long process. Also, do what you feel is right its your day! Ideas are cheese and crackers, mini casadillas are good, mini bruchetta, i wouldnt go with the meat balls sorry i would be afraid someone might drop on.