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Calling All New Orleans Style Buffet Brides

grahasegrahase
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in Louisiana-New Orleans
Ok, I'm originally from Atlanta, home of seated dinners and more traditional buffets (i.e. everyone being called seperately to go down a line of food) so when I heard about the New Orleans style buffet I was intrigued, it sounds fun but I still have a few concerns. In regards to only have seating for 60% of the wedding, did you feel that was enough where people could sit if they wanted to? Meaning did anyone look uncomfortable or like they wanted to sit and couldn't find a chair? Also, just in general do people get confused by this set up? I personally have never been to a wedding like this and I don't want people to wonder, is this the dinner or the cocktail hour? Ok, sorry, long post but any input would be greatly appreciated!
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Re: Calling All New Orleans Style Buffet Brides

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    marleemillermarleemiller member
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    edited December 2011
    I had some of the same reservations that you did about the cocktail style reception.  Now that my wedding is like 45 days away I am very happy that I decided to go with the cocktail style reception.  We will have seating for about 60% of the guests.  I think the benefits is that there isn't any slow down time when dinner is being served and people can go back for seconds. I would recommend trying to get at least 8 inches plates that way people aren't trying to pile on tons of food onto little cocktail plates.  I would try to have table that seat at least 6 people and maybe reserve one or two for the older guests.  I'm not sure where you are getting married, but if there is room you may want to look into getting some high boys tables that way people have a place to put their food while they eat (if there is not table space).  I got some stools for the high boy tables so that we would have more seating.  If you don't want your guests to be confused you could have the band annouce that dinner is served and to help themselves.  
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    sarahwallace79sarahwallace79
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    edited December 2011

    Being from Louisiana, most of the weddings I've been to have been "New Orleans-style buffets," and limited seating has never been a problem because people are free to walk around, mingle, and won't feel confined to a certain area.  I went to my first wedding with a head table last year and really didn't like the formality of it, nor the fact that I could not sit with my fiance (who was a groomsman) and instead had to sit and talk to people I didn't know.  I think people unfamiliar with it will find it refreshing, and it will be just another way to set your New Orleans wedding apart.

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    hughe046hughe046
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    edited December 2011
    Loved our NOLA style buffet!!  NO need for seating for your entire list- we did a ton of high bar top tables and danced the night away!!
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    grahasegrahase
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    edited December 2011
    Funny you say that it might be refreshing Sarah, because my parents said the same thing after one too many looooooong seated dinners! Thanks gals!
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    mpzimmermpzimmer
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    edited December 2011

    This is such a helpful message!  I am from OOT, as are all of my guests, so I am very very concerned about this as well.
    My concern is that if a bunch of people who have only been to seated dinners see that they don't have a seat or if they see that they're not enough chairs, will they just leave?  I have seen it happen before and I don't want this to happen!

    How does it work?  After the cocktail hour, won't everyone want to grab a plate and get some food before dancing?

    TIA!

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    ChocolateDelightChocolateDelight member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Ditto to what the others have said.  Doing the New Orleans Style Buffet will made your event unique and fun.  I think you should go for it.
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    hughe046hughe046
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    edited December 2011
    You don't have charger plates of food- you have smaller plates, so people are more inclined to eat your entrees, but in smaller portions, with a cocktail while mingling.
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    HeyGualdoniHeyGualdoni
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    edited December 2011
    I was at Hughe's NOLA wedding and I never felt like I was searching for a place to sit. We had no problem finding a seat to eat our meal, and when we went back later for seconds we stood at a high bar table top and enjoyed it because we were able to mingle and meet new people. Also, I felt like half the guests started with drinks first and the other half ate dinner first, so the eating and drinking times were staggered (not because there wasn't enough seating but because it seemed like people had different preferences) It was really nice!!!
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    rotekiroteki
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We had a little trouble with this, as most of our family and guests were from the northeast and are very used to having assigned seats. A lot of people sat down at the beginning of the reception and did not get up for a while, if at all, so there were people left standing while they ate. It was more problematic for our friends who did not know many other people there. I still like the idea of reception style and moving and mingling, but if I could do it again I would have added more seats. 
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