Weddingbee boards

I'm doing the same thing!

My ceremony will be at 7, followed by a cocktail and dessert reception. I am having some appetizers, probably 3 - 4 per person, with a dessert buffet and drinks and dancing.

I think it is perfectly acceptable, just make sure to put it on your invites.

I am doing this type of reception.  I think if you have it at 7 (ceremony or actual reception?) people will expect dinner.  If the reception starts at 7, then the ceremony probably begins around 5:30 or 6?  If you plan to start the reception at 7 pm, plan to have LOTS of hors d'oeuvres because that's smack in the middle of dinner time.

Our ceremony begins at 7:30 pm.  I worded the invitations "cocktail and hors d'oeuvres reception to immediately follow" and I did not include seperate reception cards (our ceremony and reception are at the same place).

I am still working on the menu, but I think the standard is 5-7 pieces per person, per hour.  We are going to do a couple of displays (crudite, fruit, cheese), butler passed hors d'oeuvres (the pricer stuff), and I think we are going to do two stations, but not for the total number of guests.  My venue doesnt do tappas style appetizers, but that's what I had in mind with the stations.

We are only serving food for the first two hours.  Open bar for 3.5 hours.  And we will have the cake and a dessert display (with coffee, tea, etc).  If you are going to do a cocktail reception, I think you definitely need to have an open bar.