Are you doing buffet or sit down dinner?

TheFutureMrsDewland · February 2011

Something else to consider is how many older guests are you planning to have? There are several guests coming who are either in a wheelchair or may have a hard time waiting in line for any length of time. Meaning that those guests would probably ask their companions to get them a plate. This could hold things up or cause some guests to not even be served. I'm not against a buffet, but in our case at least we are doing plated.

thorpta · February 2011

We are doing a buffet because we wanted more choices. I have been to many weddings and it either can be really hit or miss. Plated service can be slower than a line at a buffet and when the pressure is on to get the plates out they often look messy or be cold. I am pretty picky about my food so I appreciate being able to pick just what I'm willing to eat. But I have also stood in long lines for the buffet or been at the end of the line which also isn't fun. I've never had to get more food after a buffet reception so that for us was the turning point. Ideally just pick what you are comfortable with and have the caterers plan accordingly.

Also remember you cannot please everyone so please yourself.

pattc · February 2011

I don't understand the comment about buffets appearing "cheap." Or "do what is done in your social circle." It all depends on what you like and your budget - all buffets are not created equal. If you have stations, some of these are actually quite elaborate with elegant and they cost more than some plated dinners. Buffets frequently are more expensive becuase more food is needed to make a pleasing display.

Nothing is worse to me than a bunch of plated dinners half eaten because people didn't lke the sides or the entree or one of the petit entrees ( 2 on one). Wasting food is a sin with so many hungry people in this world. With so many people watching this or that and food allegies, I would say have a nice variety of things to chose from and have them set up in stations where people can eat what they like . If you decide on a seated meal, offer a choice - but that can be a headache all on its own.

pattc · February 2011

Caterers are happy to serve the elderly or infirm. Just ask them.

Mamasgirl985 · February 2011

At every wedding I have been to that had a buffet they ran out of food before the last couple of tables were able to get any food.

Sandie66 · February 2011

When I booked our venue to have our reception in I was not told that it was a buffet style dinner that they were going to serve me wedding guests. I cannot imagine the line up, by the time the last guests are getting their food the first pile of people will already be done eating and be bored. I asked to have our food plated and of course for an extra fee it is being done that way. I am having grilled chicken and prime rib so every plate will have both along with the vegetables. Our desserts will be buffet style because if people do want desserts they will know what they want and how much. There won't be a big line up. Plus the desserts will be out longer as they are not having to be kept warm or cold.

031107 · February 2011

When the food is good, plated. I feel that plated is more classy.

Now, I hate when I am at a plated wedding and the chicken (what I always pick) is dry or stuffed with something I don't like. On those occasions I wish I had a buffet of items to pick from.

That is why when my husband and I got married and decided to scale down the guests list to a total of 65 people and upgrade what we gave the guests. Our venue had amazing food; which is the #1 reason we picked that place over others we had seen. We had a 4 course meal + cake. Meal was Appetizer, Salad, Soup and Main Course (Chicken, Pork or Veggie). All courses were plated (yes, even the appetizer). Granted, our cost was $48-$52/person depending on what entree they chose, so it should be good food.

We both hate standard wedding food, so it was really important to us to feed our guests the best quality food we could.

hcontreras3 · February 2011

I have been to many wedding wheret the couple opted to have a buffet. It's nice because it usually give the guest more choices. My FI and I are going with sit down, but that's just my preference, plus also, everywhere we were looking into cost MORE for the buffet, which is weird b/c it is usually less.

eks36 · February 2011

I've been to both, but personally I prefer buffet so that I can choose what I put on my plate. One reception I attended, there was so much food with the plated meal that few guests actually managed to eat all of it and a great deal of food was wasted. I have had plated meals with food that I won't eat, too. In that case, I would have preferred a buffet where I wouldn't have had to eat any of those dishes.

At least with a buffet, people won't be putting tons of food on their plate that they don't like in the first place. If people are still hungry after the first plate, there should also be enough for seconds. Sure, it's not fun if you're the last person in line for the buffet, but you could also be the last table to be served, so in that respect, it isn't that different.

suedoyle · February 2011

We're doing hearty hor d'ovres for a small group, and plan to have items changed or rereshed a couple of times throughout the evening. Seconds, nibbles, etc. all work since they aren't rushing to clear the buffet from the dance floor. By having them available for a couple of hours, nobody goes hungry, or trying to balance an embarassingly over-loaded plate, and guests who are driinking may appreciate the opportunity to nibble later. At a recent event, guests opted for fresh fruit with/ instead of the cake, and devoured the spicy cheese puffs late into the night.

rubymiene · February 2011

Family-style at $400 for a table of 10. The variety of a buffet but more formal, and no lines, but cheaper than plated.

Novsunshine · February 2011

You should also consider how many kids are coming. We have a ton of friends with young children (and kids are welcome at our wedding), and the idea of making our guests balance dual plates of food as they make their way thru the buffet was not appealing for us. For this and other reasons, we're opting for the plated dinner.

butterflyroy78 · February 2011

We are doing plated. I, for no logical reason, HATE buffets. Probably because my family loves them. So mine is just personal prefrence, and that is what you should go with!

heidigm221 · February 2011

It really depends. i'd prefer a seated dinner, however it depends on your venue.
I'm in the NYC area and a seated dinner at my venue runs about $180 per person, where as the buffet option is $160 per person, and those numbers are without tax, and service charges which tack on an additional 22%. So you're looking at $220 per plate vs $195. With about 150pp, the difference is almost $4k. Which in the grand scheme of things, may not seem like much but it does add up. My fiance's parents prefer buffet, they actually convinced me that it was more enjoyable because you get to mingle more vs. being forced to sit and wait in your seat. It's all about preference, and budget, i guess!

blush64 · February 2011

I was going to do plated because that is what most people I know do BUT I am having second thoughts. Sometimes you wait in a buffet but with a plated meal there are also tables who receive their food first and tables who have to wait.

Anyone who would judge me as cheap because I had a buffet are people who I have hopefully not invited. Depending on what is served at either option a buffet may not save money. You can have a cheap plated meal and a gourmet buffet. If your food is good and plentiful it won't matter what you choose.

I don't know why so many people want a formal feel to their wedding but to each their own. I want people to feel relaxed and just have fun while we celebrate.

katenadjohn · February 2011

We're doing a plated dinner. I've been to weddings where it's buffet style, and I'm not trying to be snobby, but I just hated it. The food was good and I liked the selection, but I was STARVING by the time we were "released" to get our food, and I kept thinking of middle school parties where we had to be released to get our food in groups. My mother's side of the family would also be appalled if we did a buffet. I'm trying to not have super "fancy" food, so that people can still choose something they'll like, but we have had to cut down our guest list a tiny bit to accomodate the $5-10 more pp that we'll be paying.

awarm014 · February 2011

We are doing a plated, because at our venue it is actually cheaper than a buffet. But we would have done the buffet if it had been cheaper.

sadieb13 · July 2011

I am still undecided... My venue offers a larger variety at the buffet: eight salad options vs. one, and three choices of protein vs. two at a plated dinner. Plus, you get a carving station at the buffet! That's pretty formal. It should fancy-up the buffet, I'm thinking. It's a double-pass buffet so there will be two lines, and for a guest list of approx 75 it shouldn't take long. But I'm still vacillating! I have always been a "more value for your dollar" kind of girl. Anybody else have any other pros/cons for buffet??

Are you doing buffet or sit down dinner?

Re: Are you doing buffet or sit down dinner?

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