How many canapés should you allow?

Planning a wedding, corporate function, or milestone celebration involves a mountain of tiny details—and some of the most important ones are bite-sized! When designing your ideal event menu, one of the most common questions we hear is: “How many canapés should we allow per person?”

Getting this number right is a delicate balancing act. You want your guests to feel thoroughly looked after and satisfied, but you also want to avoid over-ordering, creating food waste, or spoiling their appetite before the main meal.

To help you find the perfect balance, here is a quick guide to choosing the ideal piece count for your gathering.

The Seated Dinner Warm-Up: 4–6 Canapés

If your reception serves as a prelude to a formal, multi-course seated dinner, 4 to 6 pieces per guest is the magic number. Opting for the lower end of 4 pieces acts as a delicious, elegant warm-up that keeps hunger at bay without ruining the main event.

If you opt for our standard 4-canapé recommendation for a pre-dinner reception, achieving a flawless balance of proteins and textures is key to keeping every guest satisfied. We suggest building a menu featuring one white meat, one red meat, one vegetarian option, and one fish selection. This guarantees a variety of rich, light, hot, and cold bites that showcase seasonal and local ingredients.

Explore Our Full Menu

Ready to start curating the perfect menu for your big day? Head over to our website to browse our full list of canapé ideas, discover our seasonal offerings, and find the inspiration you need to delight your guests!

— Sophie x