For a wedding, is it important to have hor d'ouevres during the cocktail hour, btw the ceremony and reception?

I'm planning a wedding for August. The ceremony is at 4:30, cocktail hour at 5 and reception at 6. We're debating whether guests really care about hors d'ouevres and if so whether the kind of hors d'ouevres matters.

For a wedding, is it important to have hor d'ouevres during the cocktail hour, btw the ceremony and reception?
I would. Your dinner won't actually be served at six, it will be closer to 6:30 or 7. I've been to several weddings in the last few years, and just because the reception starts at 6, doesn't mean that is when dinner will be served.


Also-your reception hall isn't including hor d'ouevres? I just started planning a wedding for next fall, and every reception hall I have checked out, has them included. Anyhow, congratulations!
Reply:you have what you prefer not what is right or wrong. if this makes you comfortable do it. this article has some great tips on weddings the dos and donts and much more. hope it helps
Reply:I'd have a few hor d'ouevres for guests during the cocktail hour. People always appreciate a few little munchies. Your caterer should be able to tell you about how many per person, and I would think it would also depend on if you're having waiters/waitresses serve them from trays, or you're just putting them out on a table.
Reply:I was debating the same situation...I was thinking no hor d'ouvres to save some money. When I told my mom she said "NO" we have to have hor d'ouvres...especially while we are doing pictures, you want to give your guests something to do. Even more so if you are having your ceremony and reception at the same location. What we are doing in after the outdoor ceremony we are opening the bar in the club house with hor d'ouvres (no one is allowed in the reception room until we are done with pictures) This way our guest can mingle in the club house have some drinks and nibble a bit. Another thing we are doing during the time is making sure everyone signs our guest book...It doesn't have to be extravagant hor'douvres just give them something to do :)
Reply:If your pics are going to take 30 minutes or more yes
Reply:You should definitely have appetizers. Even just cheese and crackers, veggies and dip, or just fruit. We had all three of those and also cocktail shrimp and fish dip with crackers. Usually, when the bride and groom show up to the reception, they do dances and a toast before dinner is served, so the guests would be pretty hungry by then. But, you don't have to go all out on appetizers, just simple stuff to hold them over. And it will keep guests from getting too drunk because you're filling them up with food, too. An empty stomach will get you drunker quicker.
Reply:Yes, it's important. I went to a wedding where it was a no-host bar and one small tray of appetizers for over 100 guests. The photos took like an hour to be completed and everyone was grumpy from the lack of alcohol and food. I'd rather serve appetizers galore and have smaller dinner plates (maybe skip the terrible salad portion) and have people happy rather than hungry and grumpy.
Reply:15 years in the wedding industry and only about 40% of cocktails hours have hor d'oueveres for the guests. It's just nice to have a place they can go while you have pictures done. Have open bar for that time and music and that's all you need.
Reply:Weddings I have gone to have had that too. Everyone has made comments like why do they have this? So honestly I think its dumb. It kinda fills people up before the dinner... which is what you pay all your money for! If you had my opinion, I would just skip that.
Reply:Its not really important. I got married at 3 p.m., and had our reception at 6:30 p.m. We did not do an hor d'ouevres hours because we knew we had a lot of food coming at the reception.





Since you ceremony is close to the reception hour, you may want to skip that added cost.
Reply:Yes, it doesn't have to be much, but a little something with the drinks is nice. Especially since most things don't happen on time. People will be getting really hungry at that time.
Reply:I think people expect some kind of nibbles, but I don't think they have to be fancy.





I would be surprised to find chips in a bowl, I think that is a little too ordinary, but anything above that should be fine.





You could just do: veggie and dip tray, cheese and cracker, spinach dip and bread. Plus drinks.





Pretty inexpensive but not something people eat everyday.





Some gourmet grocery stores even have slightly nicer trays like brucheta. and olive trays.
Reply:It's definitely nice to have something to eat and go with the drinks. All of the wedding's I've been to have appetizers during the cocktail hour.
Reply:Yes-- do NOT serve alcohol without some food.





However, it can be simple, like cheese and crackers.
Reply:to me i would not expect that since you will be eating at 6 and if you don't have to spend that money on hor d'ouevres then that is more money to spend on wedding plans you could also just have mints peanuts and chocolates at the tables for guest to snack on that way you don't have to spend a lot on food