Your wedding day is going to have so many things going on, that sometimes you forget to eat! How does that happen? Well a good way to avoid this, is consider having appetizers in any form at your cocktail hour, that way before the table wine and toasts start flowing, everyone has a bit of food to tie them over until dinner - including you!
Photos: Mandy Wright Photography
Some of the pros and cons of appetizers are pretty obvious, it’s food and everyone loves some good food! Appetizers can give the impression you want to treat your guests for coming all the way to celebrate your day! They are super helpful especially when you have a long-ish cocktail hour (i’m talking anything more than 1 hours), and specifically for couples that do not do a first-look as you’ll be spending most of your cocktail hour taking bridal party and family photos, and might need something to distract your guests in the meantime!
Appetizers are also helpful if you have dinner served a little later or after speeches, (for grandma and grandpa who are used to eating dinner at 4pm), and can be key for guests not getting grumpy or “hangry” when their table is not the first to be served or called up for buffet.
Appetizers can come in so many forms that will fit your wedding vibes (and budget) perfectly! You can have a cute live edge grazing table, mini mason jar charcuterie cups, popcorn bags, a coffee bar, or the classic served appetizers that are going to give your guests a fabulous taste of the caterer serving their meal in just a few hours. Some of these options are very budget and DIY friendly for those couples wanting to treat their guests AND be able to have the honeymoon of their dreams.
An obvious con with appetizers is the price tag, because ultimately it’s more food that you’ll have to pay for on top of any desserts, late night snacks, and favors that your guests will also get throughout the evening. They can also be a tad messy, and without a good wedding planner or venue host, it’s just one more thing for your family members to put out and clean up.
One of our favourite budget-friendly sayings is to make things play double-duty! You can have popcorn bags at each guest seat as their favour, and if the guest is wanting a snack while they’re enjoying a drink, they can dig in.
So are appetizers really necessary? Appetizers are very similar to favours for your guests, in the ways that guests NEVER expect them, but are delighted to join in on having them if they are offered. So many weddings do not have appetizers served and go off without a hitch - and even grandma and grandpa are just happy to be there. Ultimately, pick something that represents you and your partner the best. If you’re fancy foodies, junk food fends, or could eat meats and cheeses for every meal, incorporate that in every way into your day!
Comments