Wedding Cakes & Food Forum

Served Dinner VS Buffet Stations

I'm going back and forth between having dinner served completely or doing buffet stations.  Which one are you doing and why?

Thanks everyone!
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Re: Served Dinner VS Buffet Stations

  • apaadzzzzapaadzzzz member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    If finances aren't an issue I prefer a served dinner.  I don't want my guests to have to line up for dinner. I also feel like the quality of the food is a little better with a served dinner bc its not sitting out.  I think guests appreciate it more.
  • unplainjaneunplainjane member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    why are you going back and forth? are there certain reasons why you want to do one over the other? i'm doing a served dinner because the restaurant is more fine dining so buffet wouldn't even be an option. and i like the idea of guests being served food instead of having to stand in line. i've actually never been to a buffet wedding surprisingly. though i think that would be nice too especially if you have fussy eaters or people that just like to eat a lot. because one thing we're worried about having a served dinner is that maybe it's not enough food for some people and buffet would solve that. maybe you can do buffet appetizers and desserts and table served mains like at a la cartes at resorts.
  • Ken&CassKen&Cass member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I'm doing both. Appetizers, Tapas will be served buffet style during cocktail hour.
    Dinner will be served sit down.
    Our cheese course will be served buffet style.
    Dessert will be served sit down.
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  • edited December 2011
    Our wedding is pretty intimate and we have serious budget limitations, so we're doing a buffet. It'll be easier for me too, because I'm a vegetarian and I want meat to be available, but I'm certainly not serving it as a course because then I couldn't eat. Lol.
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  • edited December 2011

    We are doing a buffet, not for financial reasons but just because FI and I prefer it.  We are having three entrees (steak, fish and pasta) and a variety of side dishes and deserts.  We would both rather be able to try a little bit everything rather than having one entree. 

    Our wedding will be around 150 people so to make sure the line for the buffet isn't too long we are having two identical buffet setups where people can serve from both sides.  With four lines, hopefully everything will flow smoothly.

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  • edited December 2011
    We had 31 people and did a buffet because of picky eaters. If we hadn't had them (bane of my existence), we would have had a sit down. Having said that, I think our caterers managed to pull off a pretty elegant buffet.

    I don't think there's a correlation between plated and better quality food. The best way to get great food is to go with a great caterer.
  • mica178mica178 member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I like served dinners better, they're more elegant.  Also, my parents and FI pretty much insisted on a served dinner, so it made the decision easier.
  • topchef33topchef33 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I like served dinners. Less people moving around trying to get food.

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  • mstar284mstar284 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    The only thing about buffets is that all that extra food (and your $) gets dumped at the end of the night. If you have a small wedding, it would seem to be better to do a sit down. Larger wedding= buffet.

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  • SuMmErKuTiESuMmErKuTiE member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    At our venue it was the same cost to do either a plated dinner or to do stations and we picked stations hands down. Every wedding we've been to with a plated dinner, we're starving afterwards because they don't give you much plus I normally am not a fan of the miniscule side dish that is offered with the meat option. The portions are small, I'm a picky eater, and the food isn't always hot when it arrives. All the weddings we've been to with a buffet or stations were a huge hit because guests could choose how much and what they'd like to eat and go back up for more if they wanted. FI makes us hit up the drive-thru after going to a wedding with a plated dinner because we're that hungry afterwards.
  • edited December 2011
    My venue charges the same price for both.  We're probably doing the buffet, though we haven't made the final decision yet.  We're having a pretty small wedding, so the lines shouldn't be too crazy.  To me buffet is a bit more casual.  That's what we're going for.  
  • edited December 2011
    I prefer buffet which is what we're doing because then you don't have to worry about people not liking what's on their plate.  Also a served dinner feels kinda stuffy to me, even for a formal reception like ours, its not that hard or time consuming to fix a plate and get what you want and however much you want.
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  • mrstfuturemrstfuture member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I know that a lot of people think that seated = hungry guests, but we found a caterer that serves both the beef and seafood options on the same plate.  There is no way our guests are going to go away from our reception hungry.  For the non-seafood eaters, they can have double beef, same with seafood.  I personally feel that a seated dinner is more elegant than buffet.  As a bride, I do not want to be carrying around a plate of food and wait in line to get my dinner. 
  • lizzi97lizzi97 member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I'm always surprised to hear that people choose buffets because they are less expensive. I used to work in hotel sales, and I never saw a menu (either one of ours or our competitors) on which the buffet is less expensive than plated. In fact, it is usually $10 or more dollars per head than plated!

    That being said, our wedding is small and intimate, so I'm leaning towards family style. It's the best of both worlds! The elegance and presentation of seated with the convenience to choose how much goes on your plate.
  • edited December 2011
    We're also doing two buffet tables (so  4 lines) to keep things moving quickly.  Our wedding is a somewhat informal summer night wedding in an old brick courtyard with lights and lanterns and so forth.  A seated dinner with assigned portions just doesn't fit.  We've got some big men in the family and lots of little grandmas with small appetites.  I'd rather let them each take as much food as they like.  It's also going to be semi-self-catered so we won't be hiring a waitstaff, just a caterer who works for an hourly wage and we buy the groceries.  Nothing will be dumped at the end of the night.  It will be put back in the fridge.
    I love the idea of buffet stations  because they get people up and moving around and hopefully mingling!
  • edited December 2011
    I like having a buffet better because I am a lightly pickky eater and prefer to chose my own food. I went to a wedding a couple years ago where they served chicken and steak and veggies and pototatoes as a seated dinner. By the time the juices from the meats got into the other foods  I was only able to eat like two bites of eat of the sides and thats it.  I feel like for me there was a lot of food wasted.
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  • edited December 2011
    My guy drools everytime you even mention the word "buffet" so he's already insistant that we have a buffet.  Our favorite brunch place has stations, which I find really fun and allows everyone to have what they want.

    We're going to have a mashed potato station, a salad station, a pasta station, and a meat carving station.  Something for everyone!  My boyfriend and I also kind of like the idea of a taco/nacho station.  For us, it's more important that the wedding reflect our relationship and personal style than be formal.  We want one heck of a fun party, and I think stations helps get people up and moving and mingling.

    On the flip side, if you really want to have that formal atmosphere, seated dinner is probably better.  It depends on the mood you're trying to set.
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  • kjhildmankjhildman member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We are doing a buffet instead of plated. We are having around 500 people and many are picky eaters. It is less expensive to have a buffet style than plated at our venue and it will better satisfy our needs. We are also having a candy buffet and appetizers before the meal so that our guests will not be going away hungry.
  • loop0406loop0406 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I think buffet is better than having 1 plate served without knowing if guest can even eat what is served. Buffet gives choice of entrees (at least  in our venue) and guests can tell the servers if they want less/more/none of something (starches, vegetables, etc)....
  • laura_fettlaura_fett member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    When I was thinking about our dinner in the beginning stages of planning, I thought for sure that I wanted a seated dinner. I wanted to have soup, which would be difficult with a buffet, and I think that plated meals are more elegant.

    However, when looking for caterers, I found one who was extremely professsional, had large portions, and I was very impressed. Only problem, his plated meals were almost twice as much as his buffets. I decided that I would rather go with this caterer with a buffet, than with another caterer and a seated meal.

    I also have been thinking about who my guests are, we have three vegetarians in our group. With the buffet we won't need to do any special meal for them, for our starch we are thinking of pasta. They all love pasta and said they would be really happy with that (homemade pasta sounds so good!)

    So my advice would be to ask yourself a few questions. What kind of feel are you going for? What type of eaters do you have, picky, vegetarian, vegan? What type of food do you want to serve, some is easier in a seated meal or vice versa. What is the price difference if there is one, is that difference worth it to you? Just a couple things to think about.
  • awolfe2awolfe2 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We're going with a buffet. Cost did factor in (we're having at least 250 guests and the price difference will end up being fairly significant). Also it seems like most of my guests prefer quantity over quality. That's not an insult, it's just that they would rather have a fairly standard chicken and ham dinner and eat however must they want than get a 4 oz sirloin. 
    Also the caterer that does the buffet at my venue allows us to take leftovers! Woohoo!
  • beamer84beamer84 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Seated. It's cheaper since we're having our reception at a hotel that already has all the waitstaff for the seated dinner.
  • jlmarks83jlmarks83 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We're inviting 200 and expecting 150 guests.  We're definitely doing a served sit down.  As others have said, it feels more elegant.  It's also true at my venue that a buffet is actually moreexpensive.  We have 3 options for dinner (prime rib, chicken francaise, or grilled swordfish) and that will be served with green beans and parmesan risotto.  But...before our guests even get to the main course, they'll have already had the cocktail hour with tons of hot and cold hors d'oevres - soup course - and salad course.  Also, there will be wedding cake for dessert as well as two tables covered in cookies.  If someone leaves our wedding hungry, it's not because there wasn't enough food.

    Personally, I don't think you should have to cater to a picky eater.  It's not your fault they're picky.
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  • alimaelafalimaelaf member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We are doing a buffet.  I also had a hard time deciding, because I prefer a sit down dinner.  It is actually more $ at our venue to serve a buffet. But ultimately our decision was made because of my FI.  He is a very picky eater and prefers buffets because then he feels he has more control over what he is served.  He has always been able to find something he will eat on a buffet, he likes having choices. When the plate is served to him, often times he leaves hungry.
  • edited December 2011
    We're doing both.
    Appetizers are "buffet" style althou I don't expect there will be lines made.. just casual trips to the table.
    The meal will be served by a caterer.
    The dessert will also be set up "buffet" style.

    Its casual and elegant at the same time we think!
  • edited December 2011

    Wow!  Thanks for all of the responses.  The price at my venue is actually the same, whether I do sit down or buffet.  I was set on having dinner served, but the closer it gets to deciding the thought of buffet won't get out of my head!  I also feel as though sit down is more elegant, but I'm not really worried about that.  My biggest concern is the lines and chaos.  I've never personally been to a wedding that has had a buffet, but I also have not been to a lot of weddings.  :P

    If I was going to do a sit down dinner, I was going to do a split menu and do chicken and a seafood option.  and then I'd order vegetarian meals specifically for those who requested it.

    For the buffet dinner, it's the same price chosing the 2 entrees to serve, but how does it work with vegetarians?  It wasn't something I had to worry about with served dinners, because their meals were actually cheaper and I would just order it for each individual person.  How did you and your venue handle that without having to do a whole pasta station or whatever?

    Sorry it's so long!

    Thanks everyone!

  • bnvenablebnvenable member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We are doing a buffet or rather 2 stations - one BBQ with all the trimings and one pasta station. we were also going to have a thanksgiving station but were told by our amazing chef that yes that would be too much food for our 120 people. i think it also helps to look at your venue - we are getting married in KY and the reciption is in a barn - come someone say BBQ? :)
    it's great becuase the day after our wedding any unused (not set out) food is donated to a local shelter. Nothing is wasted.
    We wanted to do a buffter not for price (though that helps) but becuase it does get people up adn moving and all of the weddings that we have been too you feel glued ot your seat when it's a seated meal.  the few that we have been to with buffets and stations have been fun - plus i can pick what i wnat and leave the rest. though the good thing about being the bride is everyhting at our wedding is a favorite! :)
    to avoid the "chaos" factor we are seating teh older guests closer to teh buffet and having the DJ release the tables. We have a ton of food that will be passed during the cocktail hour so we are not concerned that peopel will be starving by the time dinner rolls around.
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_served-dinner-vs-buffet-stations?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:2b12a1de-ce39-4217-b4e3-aaa9f0497eeaPost:bcc71b6b-68c4-42f4-93e8-572b61739b54">Re: Served Dinner VS Buffet Stations</a>:
    [QUOTE]  For the buffet dinner, it's the same price chosing the 2 entrees to serve, but how does it work with vegetarians?  It wasn't something I had to worry about with served dinners, because their meals were actually cheaper and I would just order it for each individual person.  How did you and your venue handle that without having to do a whole pasta station or whatever? Sorry it's so long! Thanks everyone!
    Posted by wiezinthejuice[/QUOTE]

    We are having a buffet.  Our caterer just said to let them know when we gave the final count how many people would need vegetarian or other dietary restrictions along with number of children and they would have it covered. 
  • chantico23chantico23 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We are doing a buffet, but will have the salad and bread served at the table.  Then as people finish their salad they can enjoy the buffet.  I did not want seated simply because of service issues, and issues with food coming out cold, both of which I've experienced at most seated dinners.  Plus there is more variety, so picky people are sure to find something they can eat.
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  • edited December 2011
    FI and I are planning a served dinner, as it seems a little nicer and personable than a buffet. The last wedding I went to had a buffet style dinner, and we were among the last admitted to the line. By the time we got there, half of the food had run out (due to WP taking seconds before everyone was served!) and most of it was cold or manhandled by the first 150 guests. Gross! Frown
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