If you were a guest would you prefer...?

xtinazeternity

An elegant plated dinner (with choice of chicken or steak) and a seating chart

OR

A buffet with no seating chart

I'm having my reception in a ballroom and was originally going to go with the plated dinner (more expensive) but I wonder if guests would prefer buffet?

vegasgroom

Some people look down on buffets for whatever reason, personally I don't care either way as long as the food is good and hot (when appropriate), I'm more interested in the bar (i.e. I want liquor and dont want to pay for it lol) and having fun; at friends' weddings I just shovel the food down and its time to drink and dance!

Gribbles

Plated dinner seems more formal and weddingy... and seating chart saves the hassle of splitting people up who will want to sit together but there may not be enough chairs if it is a free for all.

You could always combine those options... buffet with seating chart...? But I say elegant dinner.

darkling_glory

I'm doing a buffet and informal seating, so I'm biased towards that. How many people are you having? If it's A LOT of people, I'd say do seating charts. If it's only a handful of people, I think the informal idea is more fun because it seems to suggest mingling.

Good luck with whatever you decide!

MNVegas

Having a wedding in Vegas, chances are your guests will eat at 1 or more buffets while they are there. I'd go with the plated dinner option w/seating chart for the wedding.

aegrish

We're doing a plated/seated dinner for the reception/post wedding dinner, and a buffet for the 'non-rehersal' dinner the night before the wedding and a buffet brunch the day after....agree with MNVegas- guests will be eating at buffets multiple nights likely but of course no one would turn their nose at a hosted one I'm sure.

wallacje

It wouldn't matter to me, food is food, I agree with Vegasgroom or even with what Gribbles said too.  And it also depends on the feel of your wedding and your personality.  Are you and your FI the more formal elegant type or are you more laid back?  Will your guests be comfortable in the elegant or buffet atmosphere? I would love to cater to all of my guests but sometimes that can't happen.   

MisEsta

Im doing a buffet, because we want our guests to get stuffed before all the drinking. Also, because we are not a very formal couple.
And I like Gribbles idea of a buffet with seating chart

LilMissScareAll

If you are having a decent sized guest list (more than 40 people), do them a favor and have a seating chart. I was at a wedding a few years ago with my family and they only had reserved seats for the immediate family of the B&G. We didn't know anyone else and had trouble finding a place for 8 of us to sit together. (tables were long and sat 7 on each side) People were "claiming" tables and there we odd seats everywhere. It was just very uncomfortable.
I personally prefer sitdown dinners, but its b/c I don't like trying to juggle plates while in heels. That & I'm a waitress, so I serve people everyday. When I go out, I want someone to take care of me for a change.

aerinpegadrak

I prefer buffet for the sole reason that I don't like having to pick my meal a month or so in advance, and it allows me sample little bits of everything rather than a single slab of protein.

wiwicaty

I would totally prefer a buffet! I do agree with what PP said and take the guest count into consideration when deciding.

ahhhitsshannyn

It really depends on how you want you wedding to fell. The main reason I wanted a plated dinner rather than buffet is I am having 80+ people and I don't want people to stand in line for a long time just to eat. I have been to 2 weddings with buffets and they call by tables, but damn I am hungry I don't want everyone to be eating before me!!

Also, PLLLLEAASE do a seating chart. Do you want your Great grandma Ida to be stuck with your young friends that are getting smashed? God forbid someone has to go to the restroom and a couple gets separated because the seats are filled? It is easier this way and no one should feel awkward if you put them with people they know or people they have similar interests with.

vegasgroom

+1 to everyone that suggested seating chart regardless of which option you choose.  I went to a friend of FI's wedding last summer and it was buffet with no seating chart; well, that resulted in a whole bunch of tables with single seats when friends and couples all filled up each other's tables.  My FI and I had to ask the venue to bring out a second chair just so we could sit together, it was really dumb.

A good friend of mine got married on thanksgiving and he had a four station buffet and assigned tables.  They also put two stations on each side of the room so there was not a huge line waiting for all the stations like a chow line, it worked out very well.

ahhhitsshannyn

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_nevada-las-vegas_were-guest-would-prefer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:91Discussion:6b7886d6-9127-44c4-90f7-86f5b91096bcPost:d8034181-fc51-48e0-82d5-e54a960c5348">Re: If you were a guest would you prefer...?</a>:
[QUOTE]+1 to everyone that suggested seating chart regardless of which option you choose. .
Posted by vegasgroom[/QUOTE]



1 point for me, SCORE!!

aegrish

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_nevada-las-vegas_were-guest-would-prefer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:91Discussion:6b7886d6-9127-44c4-90f7-86f5b91096bcPost:d8034181-fc51-48e0-82d5-e54a960c5348">Re: If you were a guest would you prefer...?</a>:
[QUOTE]+1 to everyone that suggested seating chart regardless of which option you choose.  I went to a friend of FI's wedding last summer and it was buffet with no seating chart; well, that resulted in a whole bunch of tables with single seats when friends and couples all filled up each other's tables.  My FI and I had to ask the venue to bring out a second chair just so we could sit together, it was really dumb. A good friend of mine got married on thanksgiving and he had a four station buffet and assigned tables.  They also put two stations on each side of the room so there was not a huge line waiting for all the stations like a chow line, it worked out very well.
Posted by vegasgroom[/QUOTE]

I am a big fan of placecards too, at both buffet or plated dinner.  I agree it makes things a lot easier for guests and avoids awkward arrangements.  And I think it adds a touch of elegance.

jm521

LOL this post made me laugh...I agree with the seating chart now that I have heard everyones take on it... I wasn't sure before.  Also plated or buffet, I agree..depends on the feel you want and of course..what you can afford!

lsvensson

Another vote for the buffet and seating chart.  As one PP said, as a friend of the bride/groom, I'd hate to end up sitting at a table with groom's great aunt, and having to talk adventures in crocheting rather than getting my drink on.

smokeybailey

Assign tables. No need to assign actual seats. I prefer a plated dinner because the waiting in line or waiting for a dish refill can be a pain, especially if you have older guests. Plus buffets ARE very common in Vegas so people may prefer to sit and be served. That being said, I would prefer a high end buffet to a lower end plated dinner. Get the most bang for your buck! And check with the venue on buffet minimums. Ours had a 50 person min for the buffet.

LilMissScareAll

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_nevada-las-vegas_were-guest-would-prefer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:91Discussion:6b7886d6-9127-44c4-90f7-86f5b91096bcPost:ed050825-7014-42e4-9032-1b6db15ed0f6">Re: If you were a guest would you prefer...?</a>:
[QUOTE]Assign tables. No need to assign actual seats. I
Posted by smokeybailey[/QUOTE]

Are there people out there that actually assign seats? I've never heard of that I thought it was aways just the table. Assigning each seat sounds like a PITA. I would end up moving if I was placed with my back to the door. (It's a weird phobia, don't ask b/c I have no idea why or where it came from)

direy25

It's interesting because at our venue, a buffet is actually more expensive than the plated dinner since they actually have to prepare more food for a buffet. We opted for the plated dinner.

kara811

I'm having a buffet dinner with assigned tables. I think it's the best way to go.

theanglfac

I vote plated dinner because I am clumsy and heels + booze + plates of food = mess for me. Definitely assign tables. It looks like we might be assigning seats because it helps the waiters serve the plated dinners to each guests based on what they selected. If we just assigned tables, we had to add a course to give time for the waiters to re-take everyone's order and cook it and that costs more money.

direy25

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_nevada-las-vegas_were-guest-would-prefer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:91Discussion:6b7886d6-9127-44c4-90f7-86f5b91096bcPost:533bbde6-2cbe-41cc-ad99-4f17a960d33c">Re: If you were a guest would you prefer...?</a>:
[QUOTE]I vote plated dinner because I am clumsy and heels + booze + plates of food = mess for me. Definitely assign tables. It looks like we might be assigning seats because it helps the waiters serve the plated dinners to each guests based on what they selected. If we just assigned tables, we had to add a course to give time for the waiters to re-take everyone's order and cook it and that costs more money.
Posted by theanglfac[/QUOTE]

Sorry, but this makes no sense to me - assigning actual seats would make me feel like I was back in elementary school. Can't you just make escort cards that have a symbol indicating what your guests' ordered? Then they just take the card to the assigned table...

smokeybailey

Just color code your escort cards or something.  There is no need to assign the actual seats...

vegasgroom

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_nevada-las-vegas_were-guest-would-prefer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:91Discussion:6b7886d6-9127-44c4-90f7-86f5b91096bcPost:533bbde6-2cbe-41cc-ad99-4f17a960d33c">Re: If you were a guest would you prefer...?</a>:
[QUOTE]I vote plated dinner because I am clumsy and heels + booze + plates of food = mess for me. Definitely assign tables. It looks like we might be assigning seats because it helps the waiters serve the plated dinners to each guests based on what they selected. If we just assigned tables, we had to add a course to give time for the waiters to re-take everyone's order and cook it and that costs more money.
Posted by theanglfac[/QUOTE]

We gave our guests and their +1's a food choice of beef, fish, chicken on their RSVP card; we'll have the quantities of each time plus extra set up with the restaurant in advance and the guests table/escort cards will tell the waiters which option they chose.

aegrish

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_nevada-las-vegas_were-guest-would-prefer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:91Discussion:6b7886d6-9127-44c4-90f7-86f5b91096bcPost:0dea8c04-dd42-4e95-9a81-341f2b53b254">Re: If you were a guest would you prefer...?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: If you were a guest would you prefer...? : Are there people out there that actually assign seats? I've never heard of that I thought it was aways just the table. Assigning each seat sounds like a PITA. I would end up moving if I was placed with my back to the door. (It's a weird phobia, don't ask b/c I have no idea why or where it came from)
Posted by LilMissScareAll[/QUOTE]

my stepdad is the same way.