Plated, Buffet, Stations, or Family Style?

Alko726 · August 2009

Ohhh, the options.... What's your preference? Any particular reason why? Is your answer any different as a guest or as the bride hosting the wedding? I've seen answers where as a guest they prefer plated, but for their own wedding they did buffets because of cost. TIA

pegsterh82 · August 2009

i like em all! lol as a bride i'd opt for the buffet and/or stations. you know asians like to eat a lot so the plate is def out and buffets are the best option. if you're going chinese/asian dinner, i'd go family style because that's the way we eat it. i personally am not a fan of the plated as a bride or guest. you dont get much choice. beef, chicken or veg/fish. no thanks! i like my choices and variety, hence buffet and stations.

foolforfood · August 2009

At my venue, the buffet option was actually more expensive than the plated option. We opted for a 4-course plated white glove service b/c we wanted a formal event. We also had lots of stations at our cocktail hour, so that helped.I personally don't like to fill up like a cow if the night entails dancing, so plated service works in that sense.I also think most buffets sacrifice quality for quantity. Lastly, I don't think a buffet works for parties over 200 or 250. I imagine the lines would get really chaotic.

jenwindy · August 2009

We had stations and LOVED it! Would not have done it differently. We received tons of compliments on the taste and presentation from family and friends. Our wedding was small (65 guests) and it worked out beautifully. Plus, my family is typical asian and they want to fill up on food. They're not fancy people so plated service isn't their thing. I think it was fun for everyone and visually pleasing to the eye. See my BIO for pictures of the food layout.

pinaychic · August 2009

for my wedding we did plated rather than buffet coz its cheaper and more formali've attended a few wedding which was buffet style. one wedding didn't have enough food for the guests.

buttaflai · August 2009

Plated (only if the service is fast)I've been to too many buffet weddings where we were served last since we were friends, not family and the food was either cold or all gone =(

isyuwono · August 2009

We are picking plated style because buffet would be the same price, but it would take too long for our party size (260 guests and counting, hix hix). By the time the last table gets up to get the food, the first table would've finished eating. Stations would be nice, but again, having a huge party size would take forever.Family style is good, if the food is good.

This is very typical for Chinese wedding. But for American food (at least in my area), the option is limited, just fried chicken and beef tip.

NJerseyABC · August 2009

Our venue only offered plated for our dinner but we did have stations at our cocktail hour. We're having a Chinese Banquet in September back home in Tennessee which will be family style. My preference would depend upon the food. I do prefer Chinese food family style and American food plated.

ring_pop · August 2009

I've only ever been to weddings with plated dinner. I like being able to relax and just be served, but I don't like that the service can be slow (not that I'm blaming them... it takes a while to distribute hundreds of plates of food).Never been to a buffet wedding although I've been to other functions with buffet. I don't mind it, but it's always annoying when tables are set too close together and it's hard to move around. When you're having a buffet function, I think you need to allow for the extra space.Never been to a family style wedding. I'll be able to tell you after my wedding next week how it went!

Alko726 · August 2009

Ring_pop: That's right! Your wedding is just around the corner! I'm excited to see how everything turns out.

You've been such a great help to everyone on the board! Good luck with everything and I'm sending awesome Chinese knottie vibes your way. :P

lizbride0609 · August 2009

This question was on my local board. For me personally, our wedding day was the most fabulous day ever, and wanted it to have a very polished feel where everyone felt pampered. We didn't want lines at buffets, nor did we want people reaching over the table to grab food and find that they had to pick conservatively to make sure there was enough for everyone. In the end, a plated, served dinner was the best option for us.

jenwindy · August 2009

[i]nor did we want people reaching over the table to grab food and find that they had to pick conservatively to make sure there was enough for everyone.[/i]Guess I'm not the only one to notice how suddenly modest, polite and shy people become when the food is down to the last piece or spoonful. ; )

ring_pop · August 2009

Thanks Alko, that's sweet of you! I'll be sure to let you guys know how everything goes.

veevixxn · August 2009

We're doing cocktail style stations of lots of appetizers. Personally, FI and I get antsy with seated dinners. We wanted a more casual cocktail vibe for our reception so guests could mingle with each other.

lynlovesjoe · August 2009

My venue caterers only allows for buffet meals. If I don't have a choice.I would prefer seated and served meals, because I would prefer that guests don't have to get up or wait in line. BUT our guest count is only 70, so nobody will have to wait long.I've only been to sit down served weddings, and I was always annoyed. The food gets to people at totally different times, and the second you walk away, they take your food and throw it out. It really pissed me off, but I would just let the caterers know that it is unacceptable to steal meals without asking the guest if they are finished. I've also had my bubbly stolen after the toast. How wasteful! Not at my wedding!My hope about the buffet at my wedding is that my larger guests will wait to gorge themselves until the 2nd serving. I'd really hate for guests to run out of food while a few make pigs out of themselves. I guess that's always the concern. But I think that overall, there shouldn't be a problem. The appetizers will be available at the buffet line after cocktail hour as well. I also plan on getting in more sweets so that people at least have sugar if nothing else.

Plated, Buffet, Stations, or Family Style?

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