No Place Settings

mlaurie01

My venue is also doing our catering in house. It is buffet style, by my choice, and because of that there won't be any place settings on the tables, not even water glasses. Everything will be buffet style. 

So my tables just have our centerpieces. My centerpieces are simple, just floral arrangements with petals and small votive candles underneath. 

I thought about buying chargers, but those seem like the wouldn't fit by themselves. And we could pay to have place settings done by the venue, but that's an extra $495, which seems silly. 

Do you think the centerpieces alone are enough? Or maybe print menus and/or thank you cards?

any advice is great!

MobKaz

I'm not as concerned about aesthetics as I would be about hospitality and comfort. 

It sounds as if guests might have to make at least two trips prior to seating themselves.  I am trying to picture guests juggling a plate, utensils, napkin, and beverage.  If I was going to "go the extra mile", I would apply it toward the comfort of my guests. 

If you spend an additional $500, would that at least enable the venue to properly set the table with napkin, utensils, water pitchers, and glasses?

downtondiva

An extra $500 to put out place settings? Seems like a lot.

I went to a wedding a few weeks ago that was buffet style. The venue put out water pitchers and glasses on all the tables. It was a lot more convenient than having to make an extra trip just for water.

ahoywedding

We had a buffet as well, and the plates were by the food. Our venue staff did set out silverware & napkins, and I think filled water glasses. 

Would your venue let you hire outside staff? I found someone on Thumbtack to do all of our venue decorating for like $100. That $500 seems super steep, but I would try to have at least part of the place setting there so that people aren't making multiple trips.

short+sassy

@ahoywedding took the words right out of my mouth, lol.

I can understand plates/bowls not being at the tables.  For a buffet, those are typically near the food stations.

But the tables really should have napkins/silverware and water glasses/pitchers.  It's really sh***y the venue isn't providing that and charging an outrageous sum to provide it.  If you think about a buffet-style restaurant, even those have the items I mentioned already on the tables.

I'd also see if I could bring in an outside person to do it.

Casadena

agree with PP's about having place settings and water on the tables if possible.  We also had a buffet and had the silverware and napkins on the tables.

MesmrEwe

Even if it's only a pitcher of water and some plastic glasses, at least have the glasses/silver at the tables...  It's $4 for a pitcher from Restaurant supply and $10 for a pack of water glasses from Sams... Silverware from Sam's is also cheap that you could DIY this yourself, resell on ebay!, and would make a lot more sense than $500 in chargers...  Or, just pay the upcharge for your venue to do it..