The Essential Guide to Gay and Lesbian Weddings (71 page)

What you can serve:
Tea sandwiches (cucumber, cream cheese, etc.), assorted cheeses and fruits
Beverages:
Coffee, tea, punch with/without champagne, wine
Dessert:
Tarts, cookies, wedding cake

Cocktail party
, 4–6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

 
What guests generally expect:
Drinks, and something to nosh on while drinking them

 
What you can serve:
Hot and cold hors d'oeuvres (passed or buffet)
Beverages:
Full bar or soft bar
Dessert:
Wedding cake

Wedding dinner party
, 6–9 p.m. to ?

 
What guests generally expect:
The world

 
What you can serve:
Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres first hour. Then:
Buffet:
Carving stations, everything listed for “Luncheon,” anything else you've ever wanted
Sit-down:
three- to four-course meal including appetizer, soup, salad, meat/fish/poultry entrée, vegetables, rice or potatoes, rolls
Dessert:
Sorbets, fresh fruit, wedding cake

Late supper
, 8 p.m. to ?

 
What guests generally expect:
Hearty snacks or light fare, and sweets

 
What you can serve:
Hors d'oeuvres
Light supper:
Fish or chicken (no meat), salads, light pasta, omelettes, scrambled eggs
Beverages:
Full bar or soft bar
Dessert:
Wedding cake

Dessert
, afternoon or after dinner

 
What guests generally expect:
Sweets (and plenty of 'em)

 
What you can serve:
Beverages:
Wine, champagne, coffee, tea
Desserts:
Tortes, tarts, pies, cookies, cheese and fruits, wedding cake

Midnight rendezvous
, 12 a.m. to ?

 
What guests generally expect:
Breakfast fare

 
What you can serve:
See “Wedding Breakfast” and “Wedding Brunch.” (Go back and start all over again.)

It used to be that a wedding wasn't a wedding without what
Jeopardy!
calls “potent potables”—specifically, an open bar with full liquor service and free-flowing champagne. But in this era of raised consciousness, people are keeping a close eye on their health and are also cautious about drinking and driving. This has precipitated the growing trend of what is referred to as “the soft bar.”

What's happening is that wedding couples are now serving what they would normally serve at any party, with the possible addition of champagne. This actually makes good sense. You may not want to serve alcohol for religious or personal reasons, and if you are nondrinkers and don't serve
alcohol at home, you're certainly not obliged to serve it at your wedding. Sparkling ciders and nonalcoholic beer and wines can fill the bill.