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Drink Station vs. Service

maadee91maadee91
First Comment First Anniversary
in Wedding Reception Forum
We're having a family-style dinner served at our reception.... large plates of food will be brought to the tables and people will serve themselves as they like. I'm trying to figure out, however, what to do with the (non-alcholic) drinks. My caterer offers a non-alcoholic drink "station" where guests get up and fill up their own drinks, but I'm concerned that this will be a little awkward since they are bringing the food to the tables. We could have pitchers on the tables, but that would probably be too crowded with the food AND the centerpieces. OR the caterer is willing to have drink service, where they come to the table, at an additional $300 or so. What do you guys think? That seems a bit high to me but I'm worried about everybody having to get up just for their drinks. 

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Re: Drink Station vs. Service

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    GoodLuckBear14GoodLuckBear14 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited October 2012
    In the grand scheme of your wedding costs, is the $300 something that would be too much?  If it were me, I'd pay it so that guests do not have to serve themselves.  If they were getting their sodas and such from a bar, I would not pay it.
    Proud to be an old married hag!! image
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    maadee91maadee91
    First Comment First Anniversary
    We can definitely fit it into our budget, but it intuitively seems like too much to me. Does that make sense? It's good to hear your opinion, though!
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    GoodLuckBear14GoodLuckBear14 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_drink-station-vs-service?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:66acaba1-51ad-4163-8aa0-e44635f1a183Post:49a93992-26f3-4b9b-a99b-d754c66fa36c">Re: Drink Station vs. Service</a>:
    [QUOTE]We can definitely fit it into our budget, but it intuitively seems like too much to me. Does that make sense? It's good to hear your opinion, though!
    Posted by maadee91[/QUOTE]

    The problem I have with this scenario is that your guests have to serve themselves.  I know it seems like a little thing but to me it screams fast food restaurant and does not fit if you are serving the meal family style.
    Proud to be an old married hag!! image
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    maadee91maadee91
    First Comment First Anniversary
    That's a really good point, amenter. And GoodLuckBear, fast food restaurant is the last thing we want! Eck!

    I really appreciate you ladies' opinions!
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    Simply FatedSimply Fated member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Answer Name Dropper
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_drink-station-vs-service?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:66acaba1-51ad-4163-8aa0-e44635f1a183Post:8b1553e7-0664-4da2-adcf-83f86d79d697">Re: Drink Station vs. Service</a>:
    [QUOTE]Could you put pitchers of soft drinks on the table with the food so that waiter wouldn't have to bring each person a drink, but everyone wouldn't have to get up either? It would be the same as having two bottle of wine at every table.
    Posted by Liatris2010[/QUOTE]
    I was thinking something like this would be a good idea, if it's an option. There could be pitchers of iced tea or water or soft drinks or what ever and then the wait staff could help refill other drinks and keep the pitchers full. This way, guests can help themselves and the wait staff can have an easier time of it.
    image
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    maadee91maadee91
    First Comment First Anniversary
    The potential problem with that, though, is that the tables could get too crowded. We're already having two vegetables, potatoes, and three entrees on each table, so that people can serve themselves whatever they like during the main course. Not to mention the flower centerpieces. The beverage service includes water, sweet and unsweet tea, lemonade, coke, and diet coke. So I could see it getting really crowded really fast. 
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    TheVirginiansTheVirginians member
    5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper First Anniversary
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_drink-station-vs-service?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:66acaba1-51ad-4163-8aa0-e44635f1a183Post:afb130ed-5535-444c-bc88-9cc0c398b623">Re: Drink Station vs. Service</a>:
    [QUOTE]I think if it's family style, people will automatically assume that they are doing beverage service too.  So if the waitstaff didn't refill my drink even though they kept coming to the table to drop off/pick up plates of food, I would be annoyed that they weren't paying attention to drinks too.  I would opt for the beverage service to keep things simple and less confusing. 
    Posted by amenter[/QUOTE]



    This.
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    itzMSitzMS member
    First Answer First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment
    Pitchers of self-service beverages would remind me of when we were kids and the soccer team had post-game party, not a wedding. Not to mention, the carbonated beverages would go flat and get watered down. Yucky.

    Let your guests be served!
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    alithebridealithebride member
    Name Dropper 5 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer
    if it's in the budget then i'd absolutely have the service. imo it's a small price to pay for something that would be SO much nicer than 'heres your cup go fill it yourself'.

     

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