Lydia, congratulations to your daughter on her graduation. What if you served from canapes before the meal is served. I'm thinking things like skewers with cherry tomato, fresh mozzarella and a basil leaf drizzled in oil oil/garlic, cheese straws, fresh fruit platter, veggie platter. Since the main food is inside, you could have a table set up outside with the snacks. You can tell guests lunch will start at 3 when they get there.

Maybe some sweets, too. Brownies, lemon squares, etc.

I hope you have a beautiful day and lots of fun!

Make sure the pasta etc is kept cold on crushed ice bowls. Especially anything with mayonnaise etc or the pasta dishes. Congratulations on the graduations and enjoy.

Congratulations on the graduation. Is this a party where beer and drinks will be served? If so, I would have snacks from 2 o'clock on (not too many people will be there at 2) and not put food out until 4 or later. I would also say "Buffet served at 4." I know customs vary so I hope you won't mind my saying that here people would expect more food. Much depends on the number of people and the ages of the guests. I love planning and giving this kind of party, but I get loads of help from my husband and various family members.

If you're inviting people to an open house from 2-8, I think it's imporant to plan so that there will be food and beverages for all who come, no matter what time they show. Also, 3 o'clock is--at least around here--a sort of unusual time to be serving something like pasta.

If I could make a suggestion? Plan on from about 2-4:30 have snacks (chips, nachos, easy appetizers) and beverages for the guests. From about 4:30 to 6, have the main meal (and if you're having alcohol, I might cut back a bit on it then--have iced tea, etc, so the guests can ease off a bit). Then from 6 until the end of the evening, have a sweets table available.

With the kind of time frame you've scheduled you'll have guests arriving and leaving all day--you do want each of them to feel welcome, which means you need to have a variety of foods available. If you serve the main course at a regular dinner time (around 5-6), there should be no need to note the time on the invites. Guests who come for an hour or two midafternoon aren't likely to expect something like a heavy pasta meal, they'll be happy with lighter snacks.

Hi Lydia,

Congratulations to your dughter on her achievment. What has she been studying? Are employment prospects good?

If you're having the gathering for 6 hours, I assume that it's to be a come-and-go affair, that you're not expecting people to come and stay for the whole period.

In that case, wouldn't it be preferable to have their experience pretty well the same, at whatever hour they arrive? Not if you come at two you don't eat ... if you come at three, you do ... if you come at four, you may get some leftovers ... but at 5 ... 6 ... or 7 ... out of luck?

If you are expecting most to stay for most of the period, I would suggest that if a number are driving you serve the alcoholic style of drinks early, in order to forestall their blowing a difficult breath were they to be stopped en route elsewhere or home following the gathering.

ole joyful

Lydia - congratulations!
Do you have a friend/sister/neighbor that can "help out" without feeling "put out"?
I think I would request the caterer set up smaller dishes and stash the rest in fidge or spare room. Have a friend keep tabs on the table - replenishing food, freshen the plates and utensils, and clean up spills as the party progresses into the evening.
This frees you up to relax and enjoy the day.
Perhaps you can find someone that you can return the favor with?

I think it would be smart to put that on the invites and maybe even a little tasteful sign on the door or in the yard, Lydia. You can shoo any stragglers out of the house while the caterers set you up in the house, then you can go throw open the door and have someone announce the food is ready, no rush, at your leisure. Some will want to eat soon and leave and others will want to visit and eat later, sounds perfect to me! You could even put something about "food service from 3 PM until 6 PM, or until it runs out", to let them know it's not unlimited. :)

I hope you have a great party! Sounds good to me.

Are you putting open house on the invitation? When we had a HS grad party, we started with appetizers, with cut veggies, chips etc place all around. This was not an open house and everyone stayed but then a few friends stopped by later on.
Sometimes people put a time limit on the invitaion because they don't want an endless party.
Pasta is fine for a lunch. I am assuming that the party is the same day and directly after the ceremony. If it is on another day all together then I would do as azzalea suggests.

I agree: If you're inviting people to an open house from 2-8, I think it's imporant to plan so that there will be food and beverages for all who come, no matter what time they show

You just need to have extras on hand for replenishing.

Congrats on the graduation!!

I cater and also host a lot parties/events. If the invite states Open House from 2pm to 8pm, then you should have the pasta, salad and bread available during those times. If you only want to serve from 3 to 5pm, then you might want to state that on the invite. I would also add easy appetizers that can be refilled throughout the day, as people like to nibble and for those showing up at 2pm.

I don't think it would be disruptive to the party to have the caterers show up an hour after the party starts. As long as you have the serving area clear and available serving dishes, then all should be fine.

Yesterday I attended a open house housewarming party where the invite stated from 12:30 to 5pm. Hot foods were kept in crock pots or the fridge and warmed up as needed. There was food out the entire time for whoever showed up.

Have fun and enjoy!!

I have done a lot of big party planning events and conventions. For your event, and yes big congrats are in order, I personally would have an out door table or station with an assortment of snacks that need no refrigeration, like chips and salsa, veggies, crackers and cheese some things you can put a plate of ice under the serving tray, pickled items like the mix of cauliflower, peppers, pickles, olives and celery. I generally have some type of cut up fruits, and some nuts. They can graze on this till the meal. I agree I would have it more around the 4:30 - 5:00 frame for the meal. I would include on the invite there will be munchies and drinks served on the patio prior to the indoor meal which will be served at this time period. You are then letting them know what is expected. If you are planning desserts I might say desserts and coffee following the meal. That usually lets them know that the drinking has ended and the party is rounding up.

2-8 is a really long stretch, once you also factor in the later arrivals of between 6 and 8 who may stay, perhaps, 2 hours? (Is your daughter cool with being the center of attention for that long? Do you know whether she was thinking about going out with friends after the party?)

I like Azzalea's idea about dividing up the timing between small (relatively inexpensive) appetizers, then a "buffet will be served at X p.m.," then a sweets table.

I just fear that you're gonna be up early getting the house ready, then supervising the caterers, being with the guest and then falling into bed way too exhausted!

Thanks everyone!

Joyful, my daughter will have a Bachelors in Recreation Management.. she had her internship at the zoo in Omaha and already has been offered (and accepted) a job there.

The party will be on a Sunday and our family has always had a large meal around 2:00 on Sunday parties. I may rethink the time to serve the main meal though.. maybe change it to 4:00 or 4:30. We are not having a open house, but I know we'll have the usual late stragglers. I hadn't planned on having appetizers, but may add some now. It'll have to be ready made stuff cause I will be out of town the day before the party for DD's graduation. Trying to make this easy on myself. :) I do plan on hiring someone to tend to the kitchen while I socialize with the guests.

There will be plenty of food. Probably 4 different pasta selections and 3 or 4 different salads plus breadsticks.. olives, pickles.. that sort of thing. Once the food is set up we will continue to replenish it.. it's not that I thought we would run out of food, I just know hot pasta and bread tastes better when it is first brought out.

Beer. Yes! I'll also have plenty of coffee, bottled water, tea and sodas. Desserts will include a large cake and hot from the oven cookies.

Any more suggestions are welcome.

sounds fabulous I would love it! I am sure it will be a wonderful success and hiring help is a wise decision!

Ohhhh, I getcha now. It's not an open house.

Now I understand and it sounds fabulous and loads of fun!

Enjoy!

congrat to your dd and that she already has a job is awesome...being this is the time of grad parties, i sure hope you get rsvp's, or follow up with evites...the one year dh was coaching for hs we had 3 parties in one day! lol...

I like to have my food set out for the first arrivals and keep replenishing it til it's all gone. I'm the type that doesn't have an ending time on their invitation - my parties have been known to go to the wee hours!

We use a small child size swimming pool filled with ice to set bowls of salad inside. I have several nesco roasters and crock pots for the hot items. And mesh-type covers (they open up like a small umbrella) to put over chips and other items that I want visible and accessible but it keeps the flies off.

For my last big party (son's graduation) I had a few of my daughters friends helping in the kitchen; washing dishes, emptying trash, replenishing food, etc. I always set out containers for the recyclables and trash. Even though I offer alcohol and soda it seems that the bottled water is most popular.

Congrats to your daughter! I work at a University and I get sentimental at this time of year.

Thanks again everyone! I needed the info to order the invitations and just got them done. Whew!

I decided to start the party at 3 pm (no ending time), will start serving the meal at 4 pm. We'll have some snacks set out early. 4 pm may seem early for the meal, but we'll have several guests (including my parents) who don't drive at night and will be leaving fairly early, so I want to make sure they have time for a leisurely meal and dessert.

I did add "food served starting at 4 pm", so that anyone not being able to stay long can show up after the food has been set out. Our high school graduation is the day before the party, so I'm sure some will have other parties to attend.

Your ideas were helpful and made me rethink a few things. Thanks KT!

Good wishes for a successful party, Lydia.

Thanks for filling us in on her field and plans. She'll be happy that she has a position lined up.

Again - congrats to your daughter on her achievement.

ole joyful