Cocktail Hour, Anyone?

As my friends set to get married and want a very small, inexpensive but yet meaningful celebration, I was thinking what can make it so... And then the words "It's 5 o'clock somewhere..." came to mind. Cocktail reception!

Cocktails and heavy Hors d'oeuvres receptions are gaining in popularity and are actually very common in the South. This type of reception is nice because it can be as formal or informal as you want it to be. If you have passed Hors d'oeuvres for 1-2 hours in addition to a passed or buffet-style dessert, your guests will not leave the party hungry. Or thirsty for that matter.

Some fun and creative ideas to bring a nice touch to your reception would be an assortment of different ethnic salads on white miso spoons, different cheese fondues with an assortment of vegetables, meats and breads for dipping and choices of satay served in mini to-go containers with chop-sticks.

Make up a creative "flight" menu for your guests to choose from. Creative martinis, champagne cocktails and wine tasting station are always good ideas.

If you are concerned that your guests will be expecting a meal, I would recommend either mentioning the Hors d'oeuvres Reception explicitly on your invitation, or starting the party a little later in the evening. It is not required to have a full sit-down meal - after all, it is your wedding and you should go with a reception style that will make you feel the most comfortable.