Food for Cocktail Hour

[caleeice]

Hi girls. Our caterer will provide three snacks for our cocktail hour, which are complimentary by the way. However, we feel that this won't be enough to appease hungry tummies. Hence, Mum and I are thinking of adding a Japanese station. Why Jap food? Di ko rin alam. Hahaha. It was just a random thought that we had while we were thinking of what additional food we can serve during cocktails. What we want to achieve is simple: to have our guests happy (meaning: wag silang magutom hahaha) while waiting for our program to start.

What are your thoughts on having a Japanese station for cocktails? Do you have other suggestions? Thank you!

[sevenstars]

Hi caleeice, which food items specifically do you want to serve? I think my concern lang would be ensuring that any sushi or sashimi is super fresh -- raw fish that's been sitting around isn't great. If you want to do a station it might be easier/cheaper to do something that can be prepared ahead of time, like antipasto?

What snacks are being provided by the caterer and how long is your cocktail hour? We're serving a welcome drink before the ceremony, followed by six types of canapes and an open bar during cocktails -- I think that's plenty. I'd worry lang about providing additional food if the snacks are insubstantial.

[aquacharly]

I wouldn't serve Japanese food for cocktails. The match between the drinks & the raw ingredients  !!  -- but what do I know anyway?

I take it you meant  finger foods or hors d'oeuvres to go with the cocktail drinks, and not snack foods?? 

You may consider:

          Presented as finger foods,  skewered with toothpicks for convenience:
                 Prosciutto with melon balls
                 Cheese cubes
                 Rolled sliced wafer-thin salami

          On square thin crackers:
                 Pate 
                 Not runny:  cheese pimiento/spinach or whatever dip

           Stuffed mushrooms

           Veggie sticks presented with a standby dip:  celery, carrots, etc


           

[donselle]

Has anyone had or experienced a cocktail reception? As in not the traditional sit-down or buffet reception -- all finger foods or small servings of favorite food items (ie. baked mac on ramekins). I've heard of one in weddings abroad, pero parang hindi pa ako nakaka-encounter ng ganito sa Pilipinas. Mabusog naman kaya ang mga guests dito sa klase ng reception na ito? And given that food is a huge factor in the success of a wedding (at least dito sa Pinas), will this be a hit? TIA?

[BabyAnnisha]

Sis caleece, for me 3 food items are enough plus coffee & juice for cocktail hour.. ayaw mo namn [textspeak!] silang mabusog na before palang ng reception... but if you really want to add, chose something simple...

we will also serve cocktail, we have different canapes plus coffee and juice, i also make sure they have a comfortable place to stay ( medyo mahaba kasi time frame, 1pm yung wedding 7pm yung reception, and i have my reason bakit ganun kahaba heheh)... kasi my wedding reception will be held in a event place, kaya nag rent pa ako ng isang function room, then imbis high table, ang naka set up doon is typical tables and chairs, yung high tables ko naka set up sa garden.

Sis donselle, never pa ako naka experience ng cocktail lang ang sinerve sa isang wedding.. and i don't think matutuwa ang mga guest... for sure marami ka lang maririnig na negative comments..di kasi sanay ang  mga tao..

[EynaBanana]

hi sis.. i am thinking of a nacho bar do-it-yourself type set-up for cocktail.. hit or miss? ceremony is at 3 pm and target reception program to start at 6 pm... achieve kaya? yung reception ko naman is a 5 minute drive from the church and guaranteed no traffic since sa loob ng village.. thanks

[j.adore]

We were strict to have cocktail hour as literally just 1 hour. The caterer served 3 dishes for hors d'ouvres and the drinks. Happy naman guests

I agree di match sushi with cocktails..

We don't have cocktail reception in the Philippines because people here love to eat.  I've never seen or heard of one.

[caterpillar-girl]

I've been to a cocktail reception here in the Philippines. Caterer was Florabel. At first we were all kinda skeptical. Finger food lang? Paano yun? But then actually we were all stuffed. It helped that the caterer was really fantastic. Mas natuwa pa kami sa reception na yun compared to other receptions na full dinner nga pero so-so lang yung food.

[vitug.annie]

^florabel co-yatco.

[shygirlme]

Me naman since spring rolls lang yung maseserve im thinking of getting fishballs and dirty ice cream cart since its my fave. Kaso wala along mahanap na supplier. Any recos mga sis?

[caleeice]

Thank you, ladies! Food is something that I left my fiance and his family to take care of. Cocktails will be given to us as a gift by our caterer, who happens to be a family friend. Since it's a gift, I'm not sure whether it will be enough. Dyahe naman to ask diba? So I just want to add something to be sure that our guests won't complain and feel cranky during the start of our program.

Will talk to fiance and try to ask if we can add nacho bar and/or ham carving station.

[coco_cola]

Has anyone had or experienced a cocktail reception? As in not the traditional sit-down or buffet reception -- all finger foods or small servings of favorite food items (ie. baked mac on ramekins). I've heard of one in weddings abroad, pero parang hindi pa ako nakaka-encounter ng ganito sa Pilipinas. Mabusog naman kaya ang mga guests dito sa klase ng reception na ito? And given that food is a huge factor in the success of a wedding (at least dito sa Pinas), will this be a hit? TIA?

I've attended a cocktail setup reception for a friend of my mine. High tables and lounge sofas, there were a few regular dining tables din for the oldies. It was actually "heavy cocktails". Busog and masarap ang food. Parang heavy meal na rin. There's a carving station also. Difference lang talaga is the setup and small plates siya. Sagana sa wine and drinks. From what i heard, same rate din siya sa regular buffet setup.

I prefer this kind of setup, cause i want to mingle with my guests however, given our location, and the number of guests, this wont work out. Pero kung 100-150 guests, this is workable.

[Chili1113]

^ Ive attended a similar setup, but it was for a despidida de soltera =) Setup was lounge-y with sofas, and a wide array of heavy finger food, and small plates lang...

[whatswithjuly]

i'm looking for the older thread with the same topic .. please help. di ko alam ang key words kaya di ko masearch  thanks.

[happydee]

in Europe we call that type of reception "Flying Buffet"

[czarina1987]

natawa naman ako dun sa flying buffet. tee hee!

[simang]

Nung una when we were considering a civil ceremony for our wedding, naisip namin na cocktail reception lang kami. Although we wanted a picnic type -- outdoor na may mats lang, and a few regular dining tables for the oldies.

Sa food, i think okay na idea yung DIY nachos. We considered DIY sliders and burgers dati. Also spring and pancit rolls.

We're still going to push through with our picnic cocktail pero may dinner reception na din kami. Since may dinner na, and menu namin sa cocktails ay puro light snacks and sweets lang.

[bzbee]

we're getting starbucks and krispy kreme for cocktail hour. we also have a coffee and tea station c/o caterer with the usual appetizers. any suggestions on what else we can add to this? this is for a lunch reception.

[ayieloveszavi]

Me naman since spring rolls lang yung maseserve im thinking of getting fishballs and dirty ice cream cart since its my fave. Kaso wala along mahanap na supplier. Any recos mga sis?

Partyboosters, sis

[bonzaigirl]

Me naman since spring rolls lang yung maseserve im thinking of getting fishballs and dirty ice cream cart since its my fave. Kaso wala along mahanap na supplier. Any recos mga sis?

hahahaha  sis shygirlme, actually I already asked our caterer for that, kasi we were planning on serving talaga fishballs, kikiam, quail eggs for our cocktail hour.  Additional cocktail sya aside from our normal one.  Sabi naman sa akin ng KbyC eh pwedi naman, kaso it won't be cooked right on the spot. Kaya now we are having second thoughts.