Wood oven pizza for reception?

I am sure that some people would not care for pizza, thinking that it is too casual for a wedding. But not everyone can afford plated steak dinners for their wedding. If you are okay with it, then I think it would be fine. Especially if you are doing a more rustic relaxed feel for your day. Personally I would be happy to have pizza at a wedding because pizza is awesome. Before we found our reasonably priced country club venue, we were planning on renting a park district building and my plan was to get Giordano's to cater because they are my favorite. I don't know how well that would have gone over with grandma, but if you are the ones paying for your wedding then do what makes you happy and what you can afford. Plus more and more people are doing buffet style and more casual food like BBQ now a days anyway. How would the logistics work for pizza? Would it be made on site?

I love pizza and if it goes with you theme, go for it. Just make sure to have a bunch of different types (meats, veggies). I would suggest having something else if you have anyone who lactose. Maybe do an antipasto tray or something that they could have with salad.

I would be thrilled! But I don't know about the rest of your guests. As long as pizza fits your theme/level of casualness, I'd go for it.

I love pizza, but it can get messy at a wedding.

Make sure to taste test the pizza before hand. Make sure it's good quality pizza (cheap pizza just looks bad and can be greesy and messy) and if you think it's good then go with it.

We're having dominos pizza! With a budget of $2,500, costs had to be cut somewhere! It's free food, so if they don't like it, well, thats more for us!

^

I'm going to be straight with you and very direct. If you think your guests would like it, go for it, but personally I wouldn't have pizza unless it's an appetizer. If people are making an effort to come to your wedding, serve them a decent meal.

If you have pizza for dinner, it's the ONLY thing your guests are going to talk about. Getting a cheap italian restaurant or BBQ restaurant to cater would be just as cheap and wouldn't be the topic of the night.

I think this is an awesome idea!!!!

I would love to have wood fired pizza at a wedding! I don't know how your guests would feel though. I think that's something you would have to decide based on what you perceive to be their preferences.

Picky eater here! Quality pizza is basically the 2nd love of my life, so I would have no issues with it.

But, it definitely "casualizes" (if that's even a word) your event. If you're cool with that, go for it!

I am having two food trucks, and my FH really pushed for this awesome pizza truck that made, for example, a blackberry, Brie, honey, and arugala pizza. However, I just couldn't wrap my mind around eating pizza at my wedding or at anyone's, so we are having sushi/hibachi and a taco truck. Still might not be wedding food to some people, but to me it felt a little more special than even "special" pizza would have.

I would freaking love pizza at a wedding.

Some friends of mine got married last weekend at a fabulous venue in Minneapolis. They had pizza from Pizza Luce (super trendy pizza place) and it was a HUGE hit! Guests raved about it. It added a fun element to the reception and it did not come across as informal at all. I think it depends on your crowd.

Christine Kyle -- I think Future Mrs. H! was saying that the Dominoes pizza is free food because her guests aren't paying for it, so if they don't like it, they don't have to eat it (the old refrain -- while you never hand your guests a bill for dinner, attending a wedding is never free. Not by a long shot). I don't think she was saying she's getting Dominoes for free (but if she is, I'd like to know how she's doing that).

Jenny, I really gave this one a lot of thought. The first thing I realized was that wood oven pizza isn't really the same thing as the large, thin slices that come from strip mall pizzarias or from a pizza franchise. I remember watching an episode of Four Weddings in which a couple served their guests regular pizza that was delivered to their beautiful Manhattan tea house venue. They came in those big, white boxes. The other brides weren't impressed, and I can't say I blame them. No salad, no sides, and no wine. Just slices of pizza on paper plates.

I'm really stuck on this one. I don't see much difference between serving brick oven pizza and serving tacos at a wedding -- and tacos are mentioned on WW all the time as the meal couples are serving at their reception. As far as mess goes, I think tacos are messier than pizza. Will people talk about it? They may, but if your presentation is done well, you provide a variety of choices, the pizza tastes excellent, the salad is more than just a bunch of lettuce with a smattering of other veggies, and the sides are good, it could be a hit with many of your guests. The problem with pizza is that it immediately evokes the thought of quick and cheap, so you're going to have to really make an effort to class this up, especially if you want to maintain a romantic ambiance. I don't know where you're getting the pizzas, but you have to make sure they are served when they are hot -- if they're lukewarm, they will be criticized. Print up pretty cards to put next to each pizza so that guests know what is on each pie. See if the restaurant you're ordering from can make the pizzas square as opposed to round. Pizza slices look a little different when they're rectangular and not triangular. Square slices might also encourage people to eat it with a knife and fork as opposed to using their hands. Oh, and you have to have wine. Wine and Italian go together like bread and butter.

So, if you can do all of that, I think it could work. However, if you're in any way unsure of this, continue the search for a budget friendly meal. You might be pleasantly surprised at what some restaurants charge for catering (even our local diner does catering). I know we had one bride, married last year, who went to her favorite restaurant (great food, no ambiance). She asked the owner if he would interested in catering her wedding. He said he had been thinking about catering and he'd be willing to do it. She was able to get prime rib for $10 PP. Sides were extra, but with your main dish being that inexpensive, you can afford sides. Just start calling around.

Sorry - Correction, I meant free food for them. Everybody for us is local so it's not like anybody is traveling far and it's close family and friends only. I guess I don't feel like guests should complain about the food if they aren't paying for it and aren't having to make special arrangements/travel to attend. And even if they do, it should be about seeing two people married. Not food.

Not only that. But thats what's within our means. So it's pretty much that or nothing.

I think pizza with a nice presentation is a cute idea. So long as you're not whipping out some corner store pizza boxes and letting your guests go for it. If you think your guests will enjoy it definitely go for it.

@Future Mrs H!, I have to disagree with your last statement. No, they aren't paying for the food. Yes, it is your special wedding day and that's what's most important. But you have to remember you're hosting an event. Your guests feelings need to be considered. Otherwise, just get married in front of a judge and call it a day.

I'd take pizza over a dry chicken breast with two wilting sticks of asparagus any day!