Just how tacky are disposables at the reception?

ohwhynot

It costs a buttload to rent or buy tableware (dishes and flatware).  There are so-called high end disposables that everyone swears look like the real thing but really don't.  They look okay, I suppose, but as soon as you pick them up (okay, as soon as you look even a little closely), it's obvious that they are plastic. 

My plan, in trying not to bust the budget, is to get cloth tablecloths & cloth napkins, use the high end disposable plates and flatware, and dollar-store real ceramic coffee mugs. 

How harshly will I be judged? 

jajph1974

Maybe you could get the plates from the dollar store as well? The dollar stores around here actually have some pretty decent plain white plates.

Brie2010

I think it depends on the formality of the rest of the reception.

If you're having a casual backyard BBQ affair in the afternoon, fine.  But if you're trying to pull off a ballroom gown in a fancy hall in the evening...no.  I don't want to be wearing a floor-length gown and eating off Chinet.

betrothed123

For a very casual reception, I think they are fine.  However, if I went to a formal, sit down dinner, I'd be a bit shocked if the food was served on plastic dishes.

laurenclaire1386

What kind of food are you serving? I don't mind eating stuff off disposable dishes, so long as I'm not trying to cut meat on a paper plate with a plastic knife. Nothing pisses me off more. It's not that it's tacky to me, it's that it's a PITA.

J&K10910

Well...it depends on a number of factors.  If you're having a nice sit down dinner and wearing a formal, expensive dress, I'd think you were being cheap to not have real tableware.  Not to mention it's bad for the environment, and some people will judge you based on that.  If your whole reception is more casual, like BBQ type food, cocktail party style, you'd probably be able to get away with it a little better.

shellydiane820

What I'm imagining in my head, isn't so great.

MissLeahM

Have you tried the trash to treasure board, or other similar sites where you might be able to buy dinnerware off of another bride.

jasmineh7777

Depends on the time of day, etc. If you buy $ store plates, someone will have to wash them at the end of the night.

laurenclaire1386

Also, you might try a restaurant supply store for real dishes. I think you can get plates and silverware at wholesale prices, then you can put them on craigslist or something after the wedding.

pumpkinpumpkin

I would judge you if you had real napkins and disposable plates and flatware.

I've been to very, very casual weddings where the cutlery and plates were disposable, as long as it's "fitting" to the reception, I think it's okay. This was bbq with picnic tables instead of round tables, picnic basket centerpieces, so it really fit.

aierardi

I agree that it really depends on the tone of your reception. It would be really odd to be required to dress in black tie attire but sit down to some disposable plates.

However, I will say that my aunt had the really nice disposables at her Christmas party in December. Everyone commented about how cool the plates were and asked where she got them. They were like plastic I think. Anyways, her event could probably be described as semi-formal. No one showed up in jeans-- most were in suits, or khakis at the least. 

jajph1974

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_just-tacky-disposables-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:ee08cc45-670e-4f43-9774-f8476a00f24cPost:7de293aa-d924-410c-9bc9-9e9dc68711a4">Re: Just how tacky are disposables at the reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]Also, you might try a restaurant supply store for real dishes. I think you can get plates and silverware at wholesale prices, then you can put them on craigslist or something after the wedding.
Posted by laurenclaire1386[/QUOTE]

That's a great idea

ohwhynot

It's kind of in-between those two.  The ceremony and reception are at a community hall, but at 6 in the evening.  Mark will be wearing a suit, and I'm going to be wearing a knee-length dress, so it's not extremely formal, but it's not backyard barbecue, either.   One BM on his side, only my 2 kids on my side. 

The community center has mostly long rectangular tables, but a handful of rounds, too.  We're having a buffet, with lemon chicken & beef tenderloin and assorted sides, for dinner.  Our budget allows for hosted beer, wine, and soft drinks.  Live band playing.  

So . . . it's kind of in the middle. 

sarah0725

It's perfectly fine if everything about your wedding and reception is super, super casual. Otherwise, not so sure.

Morfudd

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_just-tacky-disposables-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:ee08cc45-670e-4f43-9774-f8476a00f24cPost:a1d591eb-ebce-4b34-940e-615bf156d648">Re: Just how tacky are disposables at the reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]What kind of food are you serving? I don't mind eating stuff off disposable dishes, so long as I'm not trying to cut meat on a paper plate with a plastic knife. Nothing pisses me off more. It's not that it's tacky to me, it's that it's a PITA.
Posted by laurenclaire1386[/QUOTE]

I agree with this statement. It's infuriating!

mrsamyjones

how much is it really saving you to buy plastic plates and glassward and cutlery?

pumpkinpumpkin

jajph - your sig pic is HUGE.

ohwhynot

Oh, and thanks for the ebay/craigslist tip.  I've been trying those sources, but even at wholesale restaurant supplier prices, this is adding between $300-500 to our budget AND, as someone pointed out, then we have to deal with the dishes and stuff at the end of the night.  I just don't know which way to go. 

opalsky007

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_just-tacky-disposables-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:ee08cc45-670e-4f43-9774-f8476a00f24cPost:5bebea3f-3a00-4809-a50c-5e50d335d1a9">Re: Just how tacky are disposables at the reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]how much is it really saving you to buy plastic plates and glassward and cutlery?
Posted by mrsamyjones[/QUOTE]

I was wondering this too...when I priced rental dishes and silverware, it was all in the neighborhood of 30 cents per piece. Are good disposables even that cheap? I don't know.

You might want to keep on pricing rentals if you haven't exhausted your options yet--you may have gotten some unusually high quotes.

aierardi

I would say based off of the way you described your event that it would be fine to have the nicer disposables....... but now it's the dilemma that everyone has pointed out-- what's cheaper?!

pumpkinpumpkin

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_just-tacky-disposables-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:ee08cc45-670e-4f43-9774-f8476a00f24cPost:11a150fa-2466-41a5-9bbf-3e3c937dcab8">Re: Just how tacky are disposables at the reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]The community center has mostly long rectangular tables, but a handful of rounds, too.  We're having a buffet, with lemon chicken & beef tenderloin and assorted sides, for dinner.  <strong>Our budget allows for hosted beer, wine, and soft drinks.  Live band playing.   So . . . it's kind of in the middle. </strong>
Posted by ohwhynot[/QUOTE]

Don't go with plastic cutlery then, it will look tacky.

shellydiane820

I'm surprised the community center or caterer doesn't have place settings for you to rent.

mrsamyjones

ok so i just had to pass this along, you can get these instead for much less than renting cutlery...and you can sell them on ebay later http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50087185

ohwhynot

The difference, for approx. 140 guests, is about $300-$500, using dollar store or ebay-purchased bulk lots of dishes and silver v. going to Costco for the high end look-alike disposables. 

Our caterer recommended the disposables, but I have to admit it seems cheap and tacky to me.  However, we have to be realistic with our budget, too, and the extra money make a real difference to us.  So I am torn. 

laurenclaire1386

Yup, I stand by my previous statement. Trying to cut chicken or beef tenderloin with plastic would aggravate me no end. How many people are going to be at your reception? Another thought I had was borrowing different sets of dishes from friends or family members and doing one set per table. All of the dishes won't match, but I'd rather have mismatched dishes than paper or plastic.

AmoroAgain

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_just-tacky-disposables-reception?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:ee08cc45-670e-4f43-9774-f8476a00f24cPost:ab7aa57e-647d-491a-94db-9f8e797781a6">Re: Just how tacky are disposables at the reception?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Just how tacky are disposables at the reception? : Don't go with plastic cutlery then, it will look tacky.
Posted by pumpkinpumpkin[/QUOTE]

I have to agree with P2.  Based upon your description of the food and other things you're having, the disposable stuff would annoy me. 

BecW2be

As long as you don't need to cut meat using the plastic utensils and toss away plates, I think they would be fine. I think the food dictates what to use in your case, as you could go either way with that sort of reception.

We used disposables, and there's a brand of cutlery that looks like silver AND is heavier than the other type that looks real. I can't remember the brand name now, but I'll try to see if I have a package left over when I get home tonight. Here's a messy pic of the plates and the utensils we used, which were well-received.

BecW2be

Why do half the damn posts not show up until AFTER I post to a thread. Holy fucking annoying.

Go with real stuff if you have to cut meat. I absolutely cannot stand to cut with plastic forks.

shellydiane820

heck, even if you bought the inexpensive flatware, I'd hang on to it for holidays and parties.  My parents have a set of extra dishes because they host thanksgiving every year, and have a house of about 25 people.

You might not need 140 place settings, but I'd hang on to some of it.

MeaghanandMichael

I think disposables are tacky. I may be speaking out of my ass considering I have never been to a wedding casual enough to make them acceptable... but in the long run, it is a wedding - not a fourth of July party.

Plus it seems horrible to the earth.