Planning a wedding is no simple task. There are countless decisions you need to make to ensure the event is a memorable success! One of the key considerations is catering. While the main course will usually take centre stage the question of does a wedding need an evening buffet may arise. In this blog, we will weigh up the pros and cons of an evening buffet and help you answer that very question.
The short answer is of course no. When it comes to a day like your wedding, there are no requirements or rules that need to be followed. This doesn’t mean that an evening buffet is recommended or greatly appreciated by your guests, just that it needs to suit the day you have planned. There are many factors that are at play, from budget considerations to the impact on the social interaction of guests. Let’s delve in and help you come to your own conclusion.
Weddings are high-energy, joyous occasions that involved a full day of celebrations. Frankly, they are thrilling yet demanding events! With all the excitement, your guests can work up quite the appetite, particularly if the wedding breakfast was served around 15:00. An evening buffet provides the perfect opportunity for everyone to refuel. This can help ensure the longevity of the festivities and keep everyone dancing deep into the night with the help of some light bites towards the tail end of the event.
At its core, a wedding is a social event that brings together families and friends from all circles of the couple’s life. An evening buffet is perfect to facilitate conversation and gives guests the opportunity to mingle while selecting their food. An informal atmosphere that a serve-yourself tex-mex buffet or a selection of bacon baps brings to an event, creates a sense of togetherness.
The possibilities are near endless when it comes to evening food. You can very easily ensure that there is something to suit everyone’s taste. At Blackstock Country Estate, we’ve witnessed savoury options like hog roast and doughnut walls both go down a treat!
While the thought of additional expenses may give some couples the shivers, an evening buffet can actually be a reasonably cost-effective catering choice. Compared to your plated dining experience earlier in the day, your evening food doesn’t have to be too extravagant. Good-tasting food that is cooked properly will be more than sufficient. Who knows, a fish and chips cone may even be better received than the menu you put hours of thought and tasting sessions into preparing!
There are so many mobile food services now, who come to a venue and offer tacos, pizza, crepes etc etc – really anything goes these days so have fun with it!
If you decide to go for evening catering, let your guests know! There is nothing worse than the evening guests arriving having already eaten. Wasting food is the worst feeling so, if you desire, discuss some ‘to-go’ boxes with your caterer. This will hopefully minimise that which is wasted.
However, you should also let your guests know if you aren’t offering food – the last thing you want at your wedding is any disgruntled guests!
Incorporating an evening buffet into your wedding can bring a multitude of benefits. If your budget will allow for it, evening catering can be a wonderful touch that shows your appreciation to your guests.
Hopefully, we have taken you a little bit closer to finding the answer to the question of does a wedding need an evening buffet. If you have any questions or are interested in finding out some more, please give our team a call on 01323 848 006 or email venues@blackstockestate.co.uk. We will be back in touch with you as quickly as possible. We aim to answer all enquiries within 24 hours, so hopefully we won’t keep you waiting too long.