Tips on a sit down dinner.....

tifanialyse

I just want to know how everyone is doing their wedding dinner. My dad recently went to a wedding where they did a buffet style and he said that he hated it and we will not be doing that, so he wants dinner served. I think that just adds way more work on everyone......
How are we suppose to remember who ordered what? And how are the servers suppose to know where the food goes when we are not doing assigned seating? What if we run out of food because some people forgot what they ordered. I would just like some tips on how you all did your sit down dinner.
Thanks!

sister2groom

Caterers have been doing sit down dinners at banquets, parties and wedding for years, it can be done very well.

If you don't have assigned seating, at least have name cards that guests take with them to their seats because usually there's a mark on the name card that indicates to the server which meal goes with the name (one small dot for fish, two for beef, etc.).

colstj

Like the PP You can still have escort/name cards and have them either have a certain color or mark on them so that the servers know where things are going.

Otherwise you could always just offer one meal choice and then if someone needs a vegetarian meal you can let the staff know exactly which guests that is. I've seen that done before and it's not much work at all.

Angel229_75

It is possible to do a sit down. I'm thinking about this from the kitchens point of view. If you have a meat dish, a fish/chicken dish and a vegetarian dish. you could number the tables, and when people are seated, ask the waiters just to ask who wants what dish. then take it back to the kitchen say okay table 1 - 3 meat, 2 chicken and 3 veg. the kitchen will be able to have the plates done as soon as guest sit down and the food will go out.  You can also just do a meat dish and vegitarian dish.

I know some of the Conventions I've gone to asked when you rsvp that you please say if your vegetarian or only want chicken ect (this might be to inappropriate for a wedding I'm not sure)  

Simply Fated

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_tips-sit-down-dinner?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:8fe8906a-8487-44fc-83ed-5c3bab49a003Post:a064cdee-5bef-41f1-ad1a-27aac40c9daf">Tips on a sit down dinner.....</a>:
[QUOTE]I just want to know how everyone is doing their wedding dinner. My dad recently went to a wedding where they did a buffet style and he said that he hated it and we will not be doing that, so he wants dinner served. I think that just adds way more work on everyone...... <strong>How are we suppose to remember who ordered what?</strong> And how are the servers suppose to know where the food goes when we are not doing assigned seating? What if we run out of food because some people forgot what they ordered. I would just like some tips on how you all did your sit down dinner. Thanks!
Posted by tifanialyse[/QUOTE]
You don't.
And most venues are well aware that the guests usually don't remember, either.

Most places want you to ask your guests so they can get an idea of how much of each dish to prepare. But they make extras, just in case.

Some venues want you to let them know who is eating what at the <em>tables</em> and the severs themselves will take care of getting the right food to the right guest at the table.
Other venues send around servers to re-ask the guests what they had ordered.

In other words, this is not something to stress over. Well equipped and reliable venues will be able to handle this. :)

marksle84

I am having a sit down for my reception as well. I hate the idea of people standing in line holding a plate trying to get food. 

Talk to your cater and see how they prefer to do things. Mine require a count of how many want each dish. I am giving 3 options and having them placed on the rsvp response cards. I'll then have a head count on guests and a number for the caterer on who wants what. Then at the reception I will have place cards with a small notation on the top that lets the wait staff know what they ordered. I am just labeling them with 1, 2, or 3.  The guests can still change their mind if they dont want what they ordered. But most people won't so there will be plenty of food for all. 

The other great thing about a sit down dinner is that the bride and groom get to eat! Most of the time I hear that the B&G never even sit down, but this way you can be served first, finish eating and do your father daughter dance while people are being served dessert! Just a thought.