Should we have a menu?

amberella.eves

We are having our wedding catered by Moes, not the fanciest, but my fiances favorite type of food. Since it will be a buffet style of food should we provide a menu? & also, since there will not be anyone serving food, besides the people going up to the bar we will have for their beer, wine or mixed drink how has anyone had the champagne poured for the toasts?

RebeccaB88

You don't have to have a menu, but as a guest I always really appreciate them.  It doesn't have to be fancy, just something you print off your computer at home onto nice cardstock, or onto regular paper slipped into an inexpensive frame (one per table).

For the champagne, I've always seen it either served at the bar to those who ask for it, or on trays passed by waitstaff.  I assume your caterer will have waitstaff to help clear tables, remove trash, replenish the buffet, etc.  Ask if they are allowed to pass champagne.  Not  everyone likes it, so not everyone will want any.

JoanE2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_should-we-have-a-menu?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:224a7291-b4e0-4b6d-bb63-26f4d390aea2Post:e8a5a60c-a8db-4804-9b39-99590628306e">Should we have a menu?</a>:
[QUOTE]We are having our wedding catered by Moes, not the fanciest, but my fiances favorite type of food. Since it will be a buffet style of food should we provide a menu? & also, since there will not be anyone serving food, besides the people going up to the bar we will have for their beer, wine or mixed drink how has anyone had the champagne poured for the toasts?
Posted by amberella.eves[/QUOTE]

I would have a menu or signs in front of the buffet trays.  Doesn't have to be anything fancy, but I always appreciate a small sign in front of the buffet tray so I know for sure what I'm eating.  :)

Texanyorker11

I'm in the same boat as you.. We're having a buffet style but i defnitely want to do menu cards at the tables.. we have a few vegans coming so they need to know what the options are.

NotreCharme

I think it would be more elegant if you provide the menu, you can have a single big one (a sort of tableau de mariage just for the menu) printed with the paper or /and decoration that match the floral arrangement.
they should provide staff that cleans tables etc. this is one thing I really recommend!
champagne can be served at the bar (they should have enough staff to serve all the guest without creating unpleasant queues) or, it would be nicer to have some waiters going around with the trays.
anyway... enjoy!!  

amberella.eves

Well, you see the venue we have booked is a park so there will not be any waiters, or anyone other than one bartender..which is why I asked. but I know that not everyone likes champagne so that makes sense for it to be like any other thing and them just get it on their own. I dont believe Moes provides any kind of staff either. I'm pretty sure it would be just like any other buffet. The things they will have the food in is just disposable things so I was going to rent chafing dishes and etc. to make it look better.  

RebeccaB88

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_should-we-have-a-menu?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:224a7291-b4e0-4b6d-bb63-26f4d390aea2Post:781de75d-ca85-40b5-a8e4-6a0fa813de66">Re: Should we have a menu?</a>:
[QUOTE]Well, you see the venue we have booked is a park so there will not be any waiters, or anyone other than one bartender..which is why I asked. but I know that not everyone likes champagne so that makes sense for it to be like any other thing and them just get it on their own. I dont believe Moes provides any kind of staff either. I'm pretty sure it would be just like any other buffet. The things they will have the food in is just disposable things so I was going to rent chafing dishes and etc. to make it look better.  
Posted by amberella.eves[/QUOTE]

Ooh. You REALLY need to have at least a couple of staff to take care of food and cleanup.  Are you going to be setting out food and bussing tables in your wedding dress?  Because it's really rude to ask family or guests to do that.  Moe's should have people available for you to hire, and you really need at least one person from the restaurant on hand to make sure that the food is kept at a properly warm or cold temperature, so no one gets sick with food poisoning. I would hire at least two people to set out and clean up the buffet, keep track of the food temperatures, clear tables, haul trash, and clean up afterwards (especially if you're using real plates and silverware as opposed to plasticware).  The bartender can probably pour glasses of champagne a few minutes ahead of time so that he can just hand them to people who want them, or have them on a table close to him where people can help themselves.

amberella.eves

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_should-we-have-a-menu?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:224a7291-b4e0-4b6d-bb63-26f4d390aea2Post:4eb244b8-53a8-4df6-a05f-41d14f34b92b">Re: Should we have a menu?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Should we have a menu? : Ooh. You REALLY need to have at least a couple of staff to take care of food and cleanup.  Are you going to be setting out food and bussing tables in your wedding dress?  Because it's really rude to ask family or guests to do that.  Moe's should have people available for you to hire, and you really need at least one person from the restaurant on hand to make sure that the food is kept at a properly warm or cold temperature, so no one gets sick with food poisoning. I would hire at least two people to set out and clean up the buffet, keep track of the food temperatures, clear tables, haul trash, and clean up afterwards (especially if you're using real plates and silverware as opposed to plasticware).  The bartender can probably pour glasses of champagne a few minutes ahead of time so that he can just hand them to people who want them, or have them on a table close to him where people can help themselves.
Posted by RebeccaB88[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>
</div><div>Well, my bridal party is going to take care of clean up after we leave the venue to the hotel for the night...but I intended on having a couple people on the side to help the bartender or help with food. Moes is supposed to provide plates and silverware, plain black throw-away kind. I was probably going to just go with that since its a buffet anyways. The park people come to clean the next morning after and they take care of the trash cans and whatnot. 

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NOLAbridealmost

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_should-we-have-a-menu?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:224a7291-b4e0-4b6d-bb63-26f4d390aea2Post:4c1c38b4-8dbf-4382-9cf0-9f295e6b4253">Re: Should we have a menu?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Should we have a menu? : <strong>Well, my bridal party is going to take care of clean up after we leave the venue to the hotel for the night</strong>...but I intended on having a couple people on the side to help the bartender or help with food. Moes is supposed to provide plates and silverware, plain black throw-away kind. I was probably going to just go with that since its a buffet anyways. The park people come to clean the next morning after and they take care of the trash cans and whatnot. 
Posted by amberella.eves[/QUOTE]

<div>That's really rude for you to ask them to do that.  Even if they go along with it without saying something I am sure they'll be pretty irritated.  Hire someone.  Even if you just pay a couple high school students 50 bucks to do it; your bridal party should NOT be working your wedding (especially after you and H flit off to the hotel for the night; if bridal party is working you really damn well better be working right alongside them). </div>

amberella.eves

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_should-we-have-a-menu?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:224a7291-b4e0-4b6d-bb63-26f4d390aea2Post:565484a3-719e-485a-968a-957ffde59622">Re: Should we have a menu?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Should we have a menu? : That's really rude for you to ask them to do that.  Even if they go along with it without saying something I am sure they'll be pretty irritated.  Hire someone.  Even if you just pay a couple high school students 50 bucks to do it; your bridal party should NOT be working your wedding (especially after you and H flit off to the hotel for the night; if bridal party is working you really damn well better be working right alongside them). 
Posted by NOLAbridealmost[/QUOTE]

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</div><div>EXCUSE ME, but they offered to do it for me. So before you assume that I just put them up to it without asking or anything back up. It would be AFTER everyone is gone anyways. If its a buffet style that means you get up yourself, get your own food, and throw your own crap away anyways. </div>