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Best Buffet Option??

KerisaHarman21KerisaHarman21 member
Third Anniversary 100 Comments 5 Love Its Name Dropper
in Wedding Reception Forum
So I am opting for a buffet at my wedding but the thing is I don't want the super long lines so how can I go about breaking it up so that people can choose the different stations to go to in order to keep the lines not so long?? I also thought about doing a family style option but I went to a wedding once and they did that and too be honest I felt like I got chipped because by the time the platter came to me there was like nothing left. I'm almost considering having 2 different tables and either end so that way one half can be at the one table and the other half can be at the other table, or perhaps its easier to do it according to table numbers?? I know with some wedding cermonies they dismiss the rows at different times to cut down on the rush of people trying to get to the reception but i'm not sure how that would be received at a reception....
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Re: Best Buffet Option??

  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    Fifth Anniversary 1000 Comments 100 Love Its Name Dropper
    When FI and I went to a friend's wedding they released the tables one at a time to the buffet, a long winding table on the dance floor that had access to the food on both sides. Getting through the buffet was quick and efficient, I highly recommend it. Check with your venue and see what they do for a buffet.
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  • staar987staar987 member
    500 Comments Third Anniversary 25 Love Its First Answer
    We had a buffet and our DJ released tables one at a time. No table had to wait very long and it worked out really well.

    I agree with Jordan to see how your venue or caterer normally handles buffets. I really don't think that it is that big of an issue unless you are having 200+ people rush the buffet all at once.

     

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  • jessicabessicajessicabessica member
    2500 Comments Third Anniversary 100 Love Its Name Dropper
    We had tables released a few at a time.  We also had two identical buffet tables set up so people could go to either.  
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  • fperez7542fperez7542
    100 Comments
    Just make sure the buffet area is big enough to have people walk and get back to their table.  We went to a wedding and the area was very small, and they had a table very close to the buffet which was horrible for those guests.  They were getting bumped every time people were getting their food or walking back to their table.
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  • OwningAHome1981OwningAHome1981 member
    Ninth Anniversary 1000 Comments 100 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited March 2013
    How many people are you having? A buffet might not work so well if you are having a large wedding. In that case, I would do family style.

    Being released by table might be fine to lessen the burden of a line, but is it possible you can have more than one area set up for buffet that offers the same foods? That way guests are not all getting from the same location. I wouldn't like the idea of having to wait for food. Yes you wait when you get plated but they often have bread out on the table when you arrive and then serve you salad and other courses before you get your meal. I can see you having a lot of very hungry and cranky guests.

    Is plated dinner not a viable option? I'm more of a fan of that b/c everyone gets served relatively at the same time.
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  • HobokensFuryHobokensFury member
    5000 Comments Sixth Anniversary 500 Love Its First Answer
    I'm sorry but I'm not going to be of any help to you because I really hate buffets at weddings.  But I will tell you why so you have something to consider.  No one wants to wait in a long line dressed to the 9s to get their food. Also once you get your food you have to be so careful not to drop something or spill it on yourself.  I'm clumsy so if I go to a buffet wedding I really don't eat because I'd rather be hungry then dirty/ embarrassed because I spilled something.
     
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  • KatWAGKatWAG member
    2500 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_best-buffet-option?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:ab141063-7a2c-4d23-8374-854638b61107Post:054820bc-a90f-4ea8-aaca-c779ab1541e2">Re: Best Buffet Option??</a>:
    [QUOTE]I'm sorry but I'm not going to be of any help to you because I really hate buffets at weddings.  But I will tell you why so you have something to consider.  No one wants to wait in a long line dressed to the 9s to get their food. Also once you get your food you have to be so careful not to drop something or spill it on yourself.  I'm clumsy so if I go to a buffet wedding I really don't eat because I'd rather be hungry then dirty/ embarrassed because I spilled something.
    Posted by HobokenBride2012[/QUOTE]

    Ditto. I hate buffet weddings. They never run smoothly. The tables who are served first are always done eating before the last tables are even realeased for food. Then people from the first round of tables want to get seconds when the people released last are still waiting for the trays to be refilled.

    There is so much waiting involved.
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  • NOLAbridealmostNOLAbridealmost member
    2500 Comments 500 Love Its Third Anniversary Name Dropper
    If you do station-style, the key is to have the stations open the entir reception; from the moment guests arrive and for several hours thereafter guests should be able to eat, mingle, dance, get seconds, etc. (think like a huge cocktail hour on steroids). That will eliminate lines, but you have to plan the night a little differently because there wouldn't be a set time for "dinner"
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  • KerisaHarman21KerisaHarman21 member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments 5 Love Its Name Dropper

    with our venue there will be plenty of room and we currently have a guest list of almost 400, now I realize that prob only have of that will show up but you never know, I agree with buffet options as well but it would be extremely more expensive to have a plated dinner and I have seriously considered family style but with the amount of options we want the tables would have to be HUGE! to accomodate all the family style food we want and I have thought about the station options and the food will be available through the entire reception (I want it all gone! like I might even have cute monogrammed take-out bags so people can take some home with them if they want! Not sure if that is tacky??) i'm just concerned with the size of the guest list  with the size of the buffet options and if I should just try and do a plated dinner except that it will be the ladys from our church doing all the catering and I would have to hire some servers as well which equals extra $$$ so i'm not sure what I should do, I don't want to make people wait a long time but I also want to give people options aside from sending out cards saying what their choices are simply because we will most likely not be doing a plated dinner.

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  • OwningAHome1981OwningAHome1981 member
    Ninth Anniversary 1000 Comments 100 Love Its Name Dropper
    400 guests will be a nightmare @ a buffet!
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  • KerisaHarman21KerisaHarman21 member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_best-buffet-option?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:ab141063-7a2c-4d23-8374-854638b61107Post:3872f11c-d79c-432e-8dc4-c04c78316af5">Re: Best Buffet Option??</a>:
    [QUOTE]400 guests will be a nightmare @ a buffet!
    Posted by OwningAHome1981[/QUOTE]

    Exactly my thoughts! Wich is why i'm tryting to figure out the best option!
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  • tara.ctara.c member
    Ninth Anniversary 10 Comments
    Depending on the feel you want, I'd either go with the stations or having two two sided buffets.  Since you want people eating throughout the night, I'd do the stations.  As someone who loves to nibble throughout the night, food stations are always much appreciated!
    Plus, I'm not big on plated dinners, anyway--I like to decide for myself how much of each item I want (I'm a picky eater who usually prefers the sides to the main course, so I always feel a little bummed when I'm given a plate with a huge serving of the main course and three bites of the thing I actually want to eat)!
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  • KerisaHarman21KerisaHarman21 member
    Third Anniversary 100 Comments 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_best-buffet-option?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:ab141063-7a2c-4d23-8374-854638b61107Post:4d1b8603-7e6f-4d71-9bfc-9361915c429b">Re: Best Buffet Option??</a>:
    [QUOTE]Depending on the feel you want, I'd either go with the stations or having two two sided buffets.  Since you want people eating throughout the night, I'd do the stations.  As someone who loves to nibble throughout the night, food stations are always much appreciated! Plus, I'm not big on plated dinners, anyway--I like to decide for myself how much of each item I want (I'm a picky eater who usually prefers the sides to the main course, so I always feel a little bummed when I'm given a plate with a huge serving of the main course and three bites of the thing I actually want to eat)!
    Posted by tara.c[/QUOTE]

    Exactly and unless I get an invitation where I choose my entree beforehand (which sometimes sucks because I did that at prom one year I got the chicken instead of the filet mignon "facepalm" ha ha still haunts me to this day) i'd much rather do a buffet and choose what I want instead of getting a pre-plated dinner, i've watched 4 weddings so many times where brides do the plated option and well half the time the other brides hate the option. I think either a 2 sided buffet or stations are going to be the best option. NO PLATED DINNER! LOL
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