Another non sitdown question...

[Future Mrs Polka Dot]

So on the evening before our wedding, we''re having a "welcome reception" for all guests instead of a traditional rehearsal dinner for OOT guests and bridal party. We''re having it from 8-10pm at an art museum, and we''re having hor d''s only as well - no sit down meal. Ours is a "themed" party which will feature South African wine (all varieties...South Africa is a special place to FI and I, so it make sense.) As of right now, the plan was to have South African inspired hor d''s - I think it would work out to be about 8 pieces per person, but they are small bites - examples: peri peri chicken wings, potato samosa, butternut soup shooters, lobster rolls, a few more and a dessert (a traditional SA pudding). So 8 hor d''s plus a dessert.

Here are my questions:

1) Does it seem cheap to you to have this instead of a sit down meal or a full on buffet? What is your impression as a guest?

2) Would it be better to instead have South African wine, cheese, and dessert instead of a selection of dinner-ish foods?

3) How would you word the invites? I was thinking of saying something like
"Please join us on the evening before our wedding"
8-10pm
South African wine and hor d''s will be served

Thoughts? Thanks guys

 

[Neveah]

I actually went to a wedding that was all h''our dourves. It was awesome!!!! I loved that we got to try so many different things, and I was left satisfied (not hungry but not stuffed.... it was perfect!)
I love the idea and think your guests will too!
I like the different "dinner hor dourves" better than cheese, etc.
wording on your invite is perfect..... that is how it was worded for the wedding too. So we knew to eat a good sized lunch instead of going "starving"


Good luck... sounds great!

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

Maybe this is just me being a dork, but an art museum seems like the perfect "avant garde" location to have a less traditional meal.
I think the dinnery food options are better because to me they reflect more thought than cheese, since everyone does cheese.
I think its better than a sitdown for what you are doing anyway because portable foods encourage mingling which is perfect right before the wedding.
I like your wording, another option might be:
"Please join us on the evening before our wedding"
8-10pm
For a small sampling of South African Cuisine

 

[Harleigh]

It sounds great, Future Mrs. P-D!

I think the wording for your invite is perfect, and I think it''s kind of cool for people to get to try new things from a place that is special to you both.

I think I would actually enjoy an hors d''s type of get together more than a sit-down dinner because it''s hard to socialize when everyone is seated at separate tables, and as it is a gathering the night before the wedding, a perfect opportunity for everyone to meet and get to know one another, hence the emphasis on a welcome "reception," which does not in any way indicate "dinner" in my opinion, and no, it in no way sounds cheap!

I think your guests will be thrilled to be included in an event in addition to the wedding, where they will most likely be getting a sit-down meal, correct?

 

[Future Mrs Polka Dot]

Thank you both for your suggestions! I''m glad you both think it could work well I think I''ll keep with the dinnery food instead of just desserts and cheese!

 

[Future Mrs Polka Dot]

Date: 1/28/2008 10:40:22 PM
Author: Harleigh

I think your guests will be thrilled to be included in an event in addition to the wedding, where they will most likely be getting a sit-down meal, correct?

Thanks, Harleigh Yup, Saturday night (the night of the wedding) will be a typical sit down wedding reception.

I agree that the art museum lends itself to a fun, avant garde type of modern feel...I''m really thinking I may need a few zebra linens for the welcome party

 

[Harleigh]

Ooooohhhhh! I love the zebra! What fun!

 

[CrownJewel]

FMPDot!! Sounds so cool! Can I come? Seriously, art museum, wine, hors d''oeuvres and zebra prints?! I''m THERE. The wording that you suggested for the invitation is perfect. Very exciting! I can''t wait to see the pics from your welcome party!

 

[Future Mrs Polka Dot]

Awwww, thanks CJ!! Of course you can come!! How fun would that be! You would have to wear Dora though so I could just stare at it the whole time.....so pretty!!!!

 

[bee*]

I''d keep the more dinnery foods also. I think that hors d''s sound great, and it''s very fitting for a museum. I like the wording of your invites. It sounds like it will be great!

 

[Sabine]

Wow, with those zebra linens, it all sounds just so perfect! The food sounds great, and I really like BIH''s wording!

 

[fleur-de-lis]

Date: 1/28/2008 10:17:48 PM
Author: Neveah
I actually went to a wedding that was all h''our dourves. It was awesome!!!! I loved that we got to try so many different things, and I was left satisfied (not hungry but not stuffed.... it was perfect!)
...

Good luck... sounds great!

Hey Harleigh and Neveah-- I have secretly been toying with the idea of having a reception with heavy hors d''oeuvres and an amazing live band in a venue of unconventional seating instead of the more commonplace sit-down-at-assigned-table-with-multiple-courses-in-ballroom wedding reception. Might I ask of the receptions you went to, how did they pull it off? How many people were in attendance? Was the event held in a smaller venue (like a Presidential Suite, with regular furniture configured for the event by hotel staff, so it felt like a private residence without the hosts having to redo their actual private residence), or at a lounge/swank nighclub (with low-slung seating and low lighting)? What sorts of things did the host try to do to make it even more enjoyable for their guests than the traditional sit-down reception, and in what ways did it fall short/could have been improved?


(BTW, Futuremrspolkadot, you can tell that I think your idea is very appealing, and I second what the other posters said about it suiting the art venue perhaps better than a sit-down dinner would!)

f-d-l

 

[zoebartlett]

I think it sounds like a perfect evening before your wedding. The foods you mentioned sound very yummy!

 

[Neveah]

Date: 1/29/2008 5:19:44 PM
Author: fleur-de-lis

Date: 1/28/2008 10:17:48 PM
Author: Neveah
I actually went to a wedding that was all h''our dourves. It was awesome!!!! I loved that we got to try so many different things, and I was left satisfied (not hungry but not stuffed.... it was perfect!)
...

Good luck... sounds great!

Hey Harleigh and Neveah-- I have secretly been toying with the idea of having a reception with heavy hors d''oeuvres and an amazing live band in a venue of unconventional seating instead of the more commonplace sit-down-at-assigned-table-with-multiple-courses-in-ballroom wedding reception. Might I ask of the receptions you went to, how did they pull it off? How many people were in attendance? Was the event held in a smaller venue (like a Presidential Suite, with regular furniture configured for the event by hotel staff, so it felt like a private residence without the hosts having to redo their actual private residence), or at a lounge/swank nighclub (with low-slung seating and low lighting)? What sorts of things did the host try to do to make it even more enjoyable for their guests than the traditional sit-down reception, and in what ways did it fall short/could have been improved?


(BTW, Futuremrspolkadot, you can tell that I think your idea is very appealing, and I second what the other posters said about it suiting the art venue perhaps better than a sit-down dinner would!)

f-d-l

They actually had it downtown (cincinnati) at the Design and Arts Center. The reception was held on the 2nd floor (wide open space but with sweeping staircases on either side) that was floor to ceiling windows facing the city. They had 3 different "stations" one with exotic cheeses, etc... a carving station... and different cold appetizers. Also many people walking around with different hot apps. There were a bunch of round and high top tables where you could sit but people mingled and ate.... they all weren''t doing one or the other at the same time so there were plenty of places to sit (but no assigned seating) They also had a "cupcake cake" It was seriously one of my very favorite weddings I''ve ever been to because it was so different!
Attaching a picture so you can get an idea of the space (though it didn''t look like a board meeting of course!)