Plates

turtleslove

Question for those of you that are doing stations for your food. How are you handling the plate situation?
1. Do you have to source yours or is the caterer providing them?
2. Are you stacking plates at each station or at the table?
3. How are you clearing plates?

The best I can come up with so far (since I have to source my own dinnerware) is to have 3 plates at each setting (one for each station) and then hiring bussers to clear dirty plates and then man the dessert stations as well. I really don't want these to feel like buffets even though they will be set up like them.. I've priced it out and renting clear glass plates are actually twice as cheap as buying "premium" plastic plates- I was shocked!

melb2013

The caterer is providing the plates.  There will be a stack of plates at each station and they venue provides wait staff to clean things up and clear away plates.

We're buying charger plates to set the table with, but they're chargers, not real plates.

turtleslove

I like chargers, but the people at our wedding probably would use it as a plate... *sigh*

melb2013

Ours appear metal, but are actually plastic.  Some are very plastic-y feeling.  That doesn't look like a plate.  Or I've seen ones that are more woven.  What about a place mat?

kmsst48

We don't have formal seating so our caterers are just picking the plates up wherever they see them and then setting up a "drop" station in the corner. Since we're in an old house the formality of round tables is gone - it's all in an open garden area with hightables. Our cateres are proving 8inc square plates at each station.