Buffet vs. Seated Dinner

ashynich · December 2010

Originally we were going to do a buffet style dinner, but now we are concerned that people will take too much and other people won't get food. This happened at my Cousin's wedding. So we are considering a seated dinner, but we weren't planning on doing a seating chart/table numbers/etc. So if we do a seated dinner, we will have to.

What are the pros and cons of each? My wedding isn't for almost a year, so we have time, we're just weighing the pros & cons.

skippylouwho · December 2010

I hate buffets. Hate them.

We've been to several weddings lately where the dinners were served family style. Each table is served large platters/bowls of food and people pass them just as they would if they were eating at home. I really like this idea. It is typically cheaper than a plated dinner too.

Summer2011Bride · December 2010

I personally prefer served dinners at weddings, but I have been to many buffet-styles.

Regardless of your dinner option, I would HIGHLY recommend doing assigned tables, even if you don't do assigned chairs. It can be a huge hassle for guests if you let them sit wherever; couples who arrive last could be split with one chair open here and one open there; people might take it upon themselves to move chairs to all sit together, etc. At least do assigned tables and let guests choose their seats within that table.

For doing a served dinner if you want to get away from having to color code escort cards for meal choices, you could do a mixed grill (each guest gets beef and chicken for example) and have vegetarian options for those few guests who are vegetarian.

loop0406 · December 2010

We originally thought about bufftet but decided on sit down dinner instead, buffet is more casual, I don't want guests in line waiting

katheriner89 · December 2010

We are doing a buffet. I guess i'm different, but I HATE having a "served" dinner. The last wedding I went to, the food was horribe/cold. & the servers very rarely gave out any refills on drinks.

No one was dancing, everyone stayed seated. If that the type of reception you want, then I think having a served dinner is fine.

Me on the other hand, I want people up moving around, dancing, etc.

I think it just depends on your personality & the people that you know you will be inviting to your wedding.

Soon2BeMrsTing · December 2010

Get to know your caterer AND his/her food.

If you're doing a buffet, any caterer worth his salt will be prepared with enough food. He will also know how to facilitate the proper timing that should elapse between its preparation and your guests being invited to partake of it. We did a buffet and got nothing but compliments on the food.

As a guest, I have no preference, one over the other: seated dinner vs. buffet. I just want good, hot food, and enough of it.

lyndausvi · December 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_buffet-vs-seated-dinner?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:5d9a4921-5409-462e-8509-54537e6a86d3Post:bddcf1b4-2480-459f-b6a8-c98180828183">Re: Buffet vs. Seated Dinner</a>:
[QUOTE]We are doing a buffet. I guess i'm different, but I HATE having a "served" dinner. The last wedding I went to, the food was horribe/cold. & the servers very rarely gave out any refills on drinks. No one was dancing, everyone stayed seated. If that the type of reception you want, then I think having a served dinner is fine. Me on the other hand, I want people up moving around, dancing, etc. I think it just depends on your personality & the people that you know you will be inviting to your wedding.
Posted by katheriner89[/QUOTE]

interesting. I've attended mostly plated dinners (including my own). Except for the 30-45 minutes during dinner everyone was walking around and dancing. I've never attended a wedding where people didn't mingle all night long. Oh and I've had as many cold dishes at a buffet has a plated dinner. The quality of your caterer will determine whether you will get cold food not if it's plated or buffet.

To the OP - I prefer plated, but I'm fine with buffet. DH refuses to eat off a buffet. He is ridiculous about them.

tenofcups4me · December 2010

My experiences are like Linda's -- mostly plated dinners and certainly everyone is up and mingling and dancing the whole night. Sounds like katheriner just went to a bad wedding, but I doubt that was a function of it being a plated dinner. OP, it also sounds like your cousin's wedding just wasn't handled correctly. If it's a good caterer and the couple has given accurate numbers, there's no reason in the world why the buffet should run out of food. The only way that would happen is if the couple has given wildly inaccurate numbers or if the caterer just sucks.

ashynich · December 2010

Well, the wedding I went to that they ran out of food had cold sub sandwiches catered.(along with other cold salads, think family picnic like stuff) And the sub sandwichs were cut into cut into 4th. And people were taking like 2 or 3 of them, instead of just one 4th like i think we were meant to. I think that's why they ran out of the sandwiches

Buffet vs. Seated Dinner

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