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I voted buffet, but now I like your food stations idea. FWIW, I'm having a buffet (or maybe food stations!), but assigned seating. This is to avoid awkwardness, or being forced to run down the few people you know... We want people to sit with others we know they'll have a good time with!
Personally, I prefer a sit-down dinner. I think it is classier and people are fed quicker.
I would prefer a food station over a buffet. However, with either of those two options, I would still have assigned seating. I think it is nice to know that I have a seat and know where it is.
Yeah I agree. I prefer having a seating chart when I'm a guest. As the bride I guess I'll have to deal. :)
The other reason for the question is with our split-level, if we don't have buffet/food stations, we'll have to figure out what to do with the space!
I like food stations with assigned seating. Yes, doing a seating chart is a pain, but I think people like to have a place to go. I like stations because no one's stuck at their table for very long, so if they don't like their assigned table, we're really talking about 1.5 hours...
Are you going for a casual reception feel? If so - food stations with no seating would be fine.
But - if you want a more traditional/formal reception, my preference is plated w/ seating assigned.
I've really hated the receptions I've been to with no seating - that's worse that a bad table, IMO. It's the mad dash for seating and then never finding enough open seats, etc...
I wanted to do family style as I think it always takes so long to get everyone fed with a plated dinner and a buffet. I also prefer a seating chart.
Mmm I think if we were doing it in a tent/outdoors somewhere we could get away with something more casual. Our venue is nice enough (chivari chairs, big dance floor) that I think a seated will 'match' a bit better. We still have other decisions to make (DJ vs. iPod, flowers vs. not) that will also determine how "formal" it feels, but neither of us really has a vision yet for how the whole thing will look. We're sort of taking it one decision at a time.
FWIW, I HATE unassigned seating. It's so stressful and it always feel like there's a mad rush to 'get a good one' you know? I was recently at an outdoor wedding though where they had food stations and no seating chart. They had regular tables, high tops, and blankets for people to sit on in the sun if they wanted. There were also lawn games to play so it wasn't quite a traditional reception, but it was really fun and chill. This however, was on an island on the ocean and we were mostly concerned with exploring the site so it worked really well! If the meal is the main focus, I would do a seating chart and do the dinner however you want.
My mom just went to a wedding with food sations and she said people were a bit confused (especially the older people). My mom said to someone, aren't you going to eat, and they replied, "I am waiting for dinner." Many people are just so accustomed to a sit-down or buffet. I will always prefer a sit-down myself.
i know others might disagree with this, but I HATE plated dinners at wedding. Wedding food, no offense to anyone, is usually not great, and it lacks variety. I am a sort of picky eater, and generally end up only eating a salad, and then some cake (for some reason, caterers always love to put cheese on every single dish and I can't eat it). I love buffets or food stations so I can eat more of the food that I like. I hate the claim that its not "classy". How is it not classy to let your guests eat the food they will enjoy? I think its unclassy as a guest to have to hit up some fast food on the way home because there was nothing in the plated meal I could eat, and I had no other options. Also, its a waste of the couple's money when my plated meal goes uneaten. I say, go for food stations or buffet, especially if it means you don't have to do a seating chart. Win Win, in my opinion.
How large of an area is the split level? Could you make it like a lounge area? Or serve desserts/apps in that area? Not knowing exactly what the split level looks like, it's hard to figure out what to do with that space :-/
It sounds like the real issue is the seating chart - (to do vs. not to do). If you will have formal tables (vs. lots of random, available seating), you need to do a seating chart.
My eating preference is lots of food stations, then plated, and lastly buffet lines.
We are having a buffet because its much cheaper than a sit down dinner and it also suits the feel of our reception and the large guest list. I personally dont like arranged seating because I'd much rather sit with whoever I feel like at that time, instead being assigned to a particular table.
@BlueChampagne: I'm attaching 2 photos - basically, I was standing in the same place when I took both.. one looking to the right, one looking to the left. It's a big space. We won't need tables in the 'upper' level because for 100 people, the tables will all be around the dance floor. We will certainly do our cocktail hour "there" (not much difference, but at least we'll have everyone standing there), but then during dinner not sure if we need to use the space somehow so it doesn't seem so empty.
split_level_2.JPG (2224 KB, 49 downloads) 1 year old Split_leve_1JPG.JPG (2275.3 KB, 36 downloads) 1 year old
@MissBoston: I went to a wedding at your venue last year! I recognize the pictures.
For the wedding I went to at that venue last year, they did food stations on the upper level and it worked just fine. Their wedding was about the same size as yours and there was not a long line for food (although there was a little bit of a line, since some stations were more popular than others). All of the tables were on the lower level, and most of the cocktail hour took place near the tables on the lower level as well.
I also would always prefer assigned seats at weddings, no matter how the food would be served. Having to find your own table can be stressful, especially if you do not know a lot of people at the wedding or are going alone. I would suggest any of your options for the food, but assigned tables for the seating.
Congrats, Gloucester is a pretty place for a wedding. Are you doing the ceremony on the beach?
@doingathing: Oooh nice!! So you know how big the space is - if we did plated dinner, do you think it would look funny up there totally empty?
We're not doing the beach, we are doing the ceremony at Stage Fort Park (a few miles away) in front of a cliff-top gazebo. :)
I guess if you did a plated dinner you would not be using the upper level for anything, but I don't know if that is necessarily a bad thing. At the wedding I was at the upper level wasn't used for anything during the cocktail hour and I did not really notice.
I think a seating chart for 100 people is very do-able... I'd personally go for plated dinners with a seating chart.
I prefer buffet or stations. I'm a very picky eater, so it's nice to have options. Also, when it's plated I usually won't eat half the things on my plate, so I end up hungry and waste food.
I prefer plated dinner. I know that some people dont like them because wedding food isnt that great but Im going to disagree. My food was the shit - every single person loved it - it was salmon with cheddar grits and flank steak with steamed vegetables. It was some of the best food I have ever had and I am so happy we did a sit down dinner because it just feels more sophisticated and refined for a wedding.
I wanted a plated dinner...but now we are leaning toward a buffet. Family style is an option, but I don't like that. Our venue is smaller but also has an upper level, which lends itself to a buffet. Plus, the buffet is less expensive.
Your venue is beautiful. I love the windows. and that it is on the water.
@DeaconBride: Thanks! :) Now that we are committed to the venue and I bought a dress, I'm already having "oh gosh I hope these are the right choices" thoughts... just cause I am not very good at picking either of those things. The consultant who sold me my dress actually asked me, "Gosh, how long did it take for you to get engaged?!" because I kept waffling about whether or not to buy it. :) So I appreciate the feedback!!
I prefer a plated dinner with assigned seating. That way we all get to eat at the same time, no waiting in lines, and no worries about where to sit.
P.S. GORGEOUS venue btw. I may have to PM you for details when I get engaged. ;)
I absolutely vote for stations...we did stations and all 140 guests LOVED it...especially if you have room to spread the stations across your space!
Plated dinners are just so not fresh when serving 100+ people at once.
And not having to worry about a seating chart -- and letting people move around -- is great for mingling!
@BayStateBride: Haha done! Just let me know. It was actually one of the most affordable places we could find - and their preferred caterers are also totally affordable and have AMAZING reviews on Yelp, WeddingWire, etc.
@Madras: Thanks for your feedback!!
Personally, I don't care either way. It's nice to be waited on but it's also nice to be able to choose everything that goes on your plate (and what you don't want). For folks with mobility issues, being served is the best route. I've only attended one wedding (out of countless) that served an actual meal and it was buffet style, which everyone loved. However, some guests had to go through the line a second time to get their own plate since they were filling someone else's plate the first go-round.
Regardless if it is a buffet or plated, a seating arrangement is required for the comfort of your guests. Otherwise you will have awkward moments with guests asking if a table is taken and some couples/families will get split up.
I voted for the plated dinner and I also prefer assigned seating. I really don't like going around looking for a place to sit, or trying to get a table in which FI and I can both sit at. I also don't like to stand in line for food at large weddings, it takes forever!
Assigned seating is a MUST! Without assigned seating its a scramble & it often brings up high school cafeteria memories for the not-so-popular kids! lol
I prefer buffet or food stations as a guest because then I can choose what I want & eat as little or as much as I want. I like options! :)
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Hi Bees!
We aren't quite "there" yet with our list, but I've been thinking about it this week and haven't posted a poll in oh, a couple of days, :) so thought I'd ask.
We're anticipating about 100 people at our wedding, which to me is right on the line of when buffet starts to get annoying (I personally don't love waiting in line for food when I'm hungry, esp not at a wedding). Our venue has a handy-dandy split-level setup that would be perfect for any way we want to serve food, so here's my question:
The main reason I'd consider doing anything OTHER than plated (including budget - it comes out to be only a few bucks cheaper per person) is to avoid having to do a seating chart. Now, I've been to weddings without seating charts, and also am on the fence about how I feel: sometimes it's a bit stressful ("ack! I have to rush to sit with people I know!") and sometimes it's fine ("I'll sit anywhere and not be stuck with the same people all night"). So what to do?
Plated = traditional sit-down with seating chart
Buffet = traditional one-line buffet with no seating chart
Food stations = 3-4 stations set up around the hall so no "one" line forms, people go to one for salad, another for meat, etc. No seating chart