Buffet or sit-down dinner?

aprahamian2

Just wondering what you ladies are doing...

RebCappon

We are doing a buffet because I have a lot of picky eaters in my family so I figured it was the best way for people to get what they want and be able to also have more if they want. 

My venue has a guarantee of getting people through the line in 20 minutes or less and salad and bread are served at the table. 

tprice11

For my budget and the fact that I wanted lots of options, we're doing the heavy hors d'oeurves buffet style!

SSaltzman87

We're doing a buffet since with our venue it'd be much easier to pull off.

Danny&Mel2003

We're doing sit down. I couldn't imagine 80 something people in a buffet line. Plus we have min amount we need spend at our venue and the sit down allows to hit the mark whereas the buffet wouldn't.

abbyandmatt51

We're doing sit-down. I just think I like the flow and elegance of sit down dinners. We found that it was actually more cost-effective in our area to do a sit-down as opposed to a buffett anyways! So we lucked out on that.

melb2013

We're doing stations.  We have a lot of different dietary restrictions, so sit down would be complicated.  On the other hand, buffets have one or two lines, which is annoying.  Stations mean that there are usually no lines.  I also like the idea of stations or buffets because it creates a more conversational, relaxed party atmosphere.  

aprahamian2

@melb-  With stations, would you have like the main course in one area, sides at another table, etc? Are they spread out across the room?

melb2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_may-2013-weddings_buffet-or-sit-down-dinner?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:ea657a87-d1dc-4588-999f-31c9deeef720Discussion:20b8e3b1-d526-4a6f-a853-42c85c59c931Post:17753895-3701-435a-a391-82e089e1d3c0">Re: Buffet or sit-down dinner?</a>:
[QUOTE]@melb-  With stations, would you have like the main course in one area, sides at another table, etc? Are they spread out across the room?
Posted by aprahamian2[/QUOTE]

<div>
</div><div>There's no one main course.  More of a like a way to sample lots of different things.  So for example, we're having a grilled station that will have a grilled fish with it's own side dishes, a carving station with it's own side dishes, a pasta station with breads, and a soup and salad station.  I've only been to one other wedding that was set up with stations and they had a prime rib and ceasar salad station, a pasta station, and an asian station that had some different main courses and side dishes.  They are spread out around the room so that there aren't lines.</div>

jmozul01

I initially wanted stations but stations and buffets cost more since they need more food.

pittpoint1119

We are doing buffet. I always thought of doing sit down since it looks nicer but when I have gone to weddings with sit down I think the food kinda sucks. We also have picky eaters aka FI. It cost the same at our reception but with the buffet we are getting a WHOLE lot more then what you would get in sit down!

rswans

Buffets and sit downs were the same price at my venue. We went with the buffet because people could have more options and get to taste more things. The food at our venue is amazing, so the more things to taste, the better!

Annas2013

We're doing buffet since it's easier, and goes with the casual feel of the wedding more than a sit down dinner would.

ameliah19

Buffet because it was cheaper. I didn't really have a preference

turtleslove

Were doing 4 stations. I wont do a buffet and We can't find a caterer in the area that can handle a sit down dinner.
Now we just have to come up with enought dinnerware for 200+ guests...

melb2013

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_may-2013-weddings_buffet-or-sit-down-dinner?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:ea657a87-d1dc-4588-999f-31c9deeef720Discussion:20b8e3b1-d526-4a6f-a853-42c85c59c931Post:4f18e262-54a3-42b0-a5cf-39f27b8d5ddb">Re: Buffet or sit-down dinner?</a>:
[QUOTE]<strong>Were doing 4 stations. I wont do a buffet and We can't find a caterer in the area that can handle a sit down dinner. Now we just have to come up with enought dinnerware for 200+ guests...</strong>
Posted by turtleslove[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>Where do you live that you can't get a caterer who brings their own dinnerware and do a sit down dinner?  I always thought sit down dinners were the standard.

</div>

turtleslove

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_may-2013-weddings_buffet-or-sit-down-dinner?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:ea657a87-d1dc-4588-999f-31c9deeef720Discussion:20b8e3b1-d526-4a6f-a853-42c85c59c931Post:8c6c33a5-652e-44e7-8074-7438bcbaa40a">Re: Buffet or sit-down dinner?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Buffet or sit-down dinner? : Where do you live that you can't get a caterer who brings their own dinnerware and do a sit down dinner?  I always thought sit down dinners were the standard.
Posted by melb2013[/QUOTE]

Not in rural Wisconsin, unless I want to pay $30 minimum a plate and even then they are limited. Not gonna happen for 200+ guests. 
I talked to one lady who would not even do a green salad because she didn't have the catering staff.

SRRL18

We are doing a sit down dinner. I'm not a big fan of buffets.

Swazzle

Neither. We're having an endless cocktail reception.  There will be 4 stations set up & 20 different hors d'oeuvres will be passed continuously throughout the evening. For dessert, we'll have cake & 4 passed desserts as well. 

PJBHL5

buffet. Our wedding is entirely too casual for a sit-down dinner. You don't normally hear of a fried chicken/chicken fried steak, creamed corn, and sweet tea kind of dinner as a sit down. LOL

deeda77

Buffet - more for our guests to choose from   The salads will already be at the tables before hand though, so we don't have to worry about people "juggling" dishes when at the buffet line.

shano06

We're doing a table platter service. Its a buffet, but at the table. The waiters will bring the different food choices to each table and serve them. That way, nobody has to worry about long buffet lines, and they still get their deifferent choices. My planner called it the 'Buffet at the Table.

bburkel

Buffet.  With our venue set up, all they need to tear down for the dance wil be the buffet tables, so no one loses their seats.  And, I'm a really picky eater, so want to have complete control over what is on my plate, while giving the less picky people options.  In the past, I've noticed that sit-down takes too long to serve everyone and not everyone gets hot food.

kmsst48

We're doing stations since it's outside and we don't have formal seating. We're having an italian pasta station with three diffferent pastas, meatballs and sausages, a taco bar (it's what the FI wanted ) and a carving station with parm crusted chicken, some roasted beef of sorts (I can't remember but I know it's not prime rib) potatoes and veggies, a salad station and then because i'm addicted to greek food we're having a greek station. We also have our food scheduled to be out for about 2 hours with open eating - we're not really a time oriented bunch. I just want people to drink, eat and dance all night and to do it immediatly. 

Now, the only reason I didn't have a buffet is because I HATE them. I don't know what it is but I get very flustered with multiple plates  and then peoples hands and blah! However, if we were doing a more traditional venue I would do a buffet because of options and ease. I've just broken them up. 

Sit down is nice but I always feel when I would attend a sit down some tables were done while others were getting served. It is elegant and provides an intimate setting. 

What do you want to do. Either way your guests are happy to be fed  

One suggestion - If you're doing a sit down, consider sticking a bottle of champagne or wine (or a few bottles) on the table if you are closing the bar during dinner. This is usually the biggest complaint because a sit down takes much longer and guests would like their glasses full.

worrelsj

We have the option of doing stations, buffet or plated. We will be having our tasting in September and will then decide what we will do. We're both partial to the plated dinner though. It's actually cheaper because there is less food. It all depends on what we like for the food!

tandrosoff

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_may-2013-weddings_buffet-or-sit-down-dinner?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:ea657a87-d1dc-4588-999f-31c9deeef720Discussion:20b8e3b1-d526-4a6f-a853-42c85c59c931Post:7f9d970c-ffe0-48bf-b507-8b7c0b4f9953">Buffet or sit-down dinner?</a>:
[QUOTE]Just wondering what you ladies are doing...
Posted by aprahamian2[/QUOTE]

Buffet, a $1.00 more then a served meal, but just has more options for people & not limited to their portions.

charbakes

I initially wanted a buffet because I have a whole host of special dietary needs to accomodate, but with our venue it will probably be way easier to have a sit-down. I'm undecided as of yet, and it'll probably depend on finding wait staff.

bhalpin39

We are doing buffet, because my FI is a fireman, and we have to envite the entire department as to not hurt anyones feelings and then there is my department. We just figured it would be alot easier to have buffet instead of sitdown.