How long to give people to eat at a wedding?

For a plated three course meal, allow 45 minutes for the starter and main together, then 30 minutes for dessert. That gives you a relaxed pace. If you have speeches between courses, add 15 to 20 minutes for each speech. Guests do not want to feel hurried, especially if they are catching up with family and friends. But they also do not want to sit for hours with empty plates. A good target is to have everyone finished within two hours of sitting down. If you are serving a buffet, guests will take 10 to 15 minutes to get their food, then 30 to 40 minutes to eat. For a sharing style meal, allow a bit longer because people pass dishes around. The most important thing is to communicate with your caterer. They know how long service takes for your guest count. You can also help by having a set menu, which is faster than individual choices. If you have children at the wedding, they may eat quicker, so consider a kids' menu served earlier. Always build in a little buffer time, because things often run late on a wedding day.