Reception Food

If you have sufficient amount of heavy appetizers Then I don’t see why not

I think that works. My friend went to our local grocery and got a bunch of party trays with chicken tenders, veggie trays and fruit trays and some sandwich pinwheels. Maybe a bit more but it was filling.

What time will the reception be over? I think as long as it’s over by 4:30 or 5 it’s okay.

Why do you need to end it during 5pm? Not everyone drinks during the daytime.


Heavy appetizers done properly will have your guests stuffed and happy. These are substantial and filling, not cheese and cracker plates for everyone.
Your options would be something like eggrolls, coconut shrimp, beef satay, meatballs, chicken and waffle bites, mini sliders and the list goes on. There's more food at these in an hour than a plated meal, and they typically last 4+ hours of food combined with festivities, and you would have a bare minimum of 20-30+ pieces per person. If someone goes home hungry, that's on them.
Make sure to have tables and chairs to seat every guest. Also make sure you have plenty of nonalcoholic options too.

I mean this depends on where you are. Here the popular wedding foods are


- Tex Mex and doing a diy gourmet taco bar or taco truck
- Texas bbq
- the traditional chicken or steak or veggie entrees
- sandwiches from a deli and fruit and veggie trays
- gourmet pizza

- or a traditional family cuisine to the couple like hindu food for a Indian couple.

The other options that exists but not really prevalent is brunch, italian pasta bar, any cuisine really.

Just keep in mind the things people don't like is.... Hot food that is supposed to be cold. Cold food that is supposed to be hot. Messy food in formal clothes. And just really bad food of and type. It doesn't matter if you serve lobster, nobody is going to like it of it's so chewy and bounces like rubber because the chef severely over cooked it.

I think it depends on how late your reception is going to be. If it lasts past 4:30-5 pm then I think you will need to serve more than just apps.

Heavy appetizers served properly are more filling than a plated meal. You are being served 20-30+ pieces per person of very filling food. The only way someone would leave hungry is if they do not eat.

Yes, definitely. You should make sure you have enough seats for everyone and I would recommend also having seating assignments.

I side with the people who say if it’s past 5 you should serve a proper meal. I have terrible luck with passed apps at every wedding, I’m never offered any! I’m busy signing the guest book, checking a coat, grabbing a drink or just talking to people. So I’m starving by the time we’re seated and would not survive an apps only wedding. 😜 I also wouldn’t travel 700 miles to an appetizer-style wedding unless I was very close with the couple or it was back in my or my husbands hometown and we could save some money by staying with our parents. It’s just a lot to spend for an app or two.


If the wedding is in the near future, I would not be eating anything with my hands (finger foods) with the pandemic going on. Just too risky for me personally.

I think that’s fine as long as it’s a bunch of different options

I agree that as long as your reception ends before 5:00 p.m., appetizers are fine. Past 5:00 p.m. people will need dinner.