- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee boards
Hi! I really think it's up to you because both are great! I've been to quite a few weddings where the buffet was amazing and the lines were not bad at all. I will say though that the weddings with a buffet have been more casual. We are having a plated reception, but we are only having about 110 people at our wedding.
I get where you're coming from. I personally don't feel strongly about either option. I agree that plated is a bit fancier but I think most guests will forgive that and prefer buffet because they have more choice in what they can eat - plus they can have fish AND chicken AND beef if they just can't choose!
I think I would tend toward buffet for that reason, BUT I might choose plated if you could offer your guests a choice of entrees ahead of time. If not, I'd probably go buffet. As you said yourself, the food can be perfectly delicious.
Guests probably won't remember much about the food anyway, except if it's really bad then they'll remember that. So just go for tasty and beyond that, I don't think it matters all that much.
I had the same dilemma, and my wonderful caterer suggested a compromise. We're having a family-style sit down dinner. It's the perfect combo of sit-down and buffet...there will be 2 entree choices, a vegetable, starch, etc. all on big platters on the table.
Not only does it have the best of both options, but I really think it makes for a more lively atmosphere, especially when you don't have all your guests waiting in a buffet line and eating at different times.
We're going to have passed hors d'oeuvres and a sit-down salad first. Hope that helps!
You could also do food stations. This allows people to grab a bite without standing in one continuous long line. We opted for food stations, as plated dinners for weddings aren't the norm in my area. :)
I've never loved buffets because it does take a while, they usually call people by table, etc... I thought it would be a lot cheaper, but it wasn't going to end up saving us much money. I personally love family style, but couldn't find a place I liked that offered that option, so we're debating between stations and a plated meal. I think stations are a perfect in between option.
Thanks everyone for the feedback! Unfortunalty the way our reception site is set up and their restrictions (its a historic mansion) stations are not an option!
I feel you pain!! After going back and forth for some time, we decided to have a *drumroll* seated buffet. The guests' seats will be assigned. Everyone will be seated to a plated salad. Then, as the guests finish their salads, they'll serve themselves from a choice of three food stations.
So, there are options out there. Don't let your vendors force you to be all plated or all buffet. Food stations are an option. Seated buffets are an option. Family style (though not popular in the South) is an option. Heck, I went to one wedding where passed hors d'oeuvres were given to guests as they waited in the buffet line! As long as the food is good, the means of serving it is up to you.
We did a plated dinner because we both didn't want a buffet. My uncle had a buffet for his wedding and they only had about 90-100 people with two lines. However, it took a LONG time to get through the line and by the time we sat down at our table with our food, the other people at the table were mostly done. Thus, we felt rushed as the night went on because we didn't have as much time to eat. It also made us feel awkward to eat our dinner with 8 people staring at us.
Hi JenniferB -
The costs will probably work out to be the same. Buffets put out more food but seated meals require more wait staff.
How formal you want your meal to be? You mentioned dinner so I'm betting it's after 5pm, right?
Also, a seated meal can be served Russian, French or pre-plated. If your heart is set on filet mignon for an entree choice, it's very hard to get 180 medium-rare filets out to the guests. It's not impossible. I remember one large (250 ppl) wedding where the service was either Russian or French and they had the steaks done perfectly to order. Very tough but this venue is top shelf.
Is presentation important to you? Buffets can look quite lovely but nothing beats a perfectly adorned plated entree. My venue will not do buffets as they pride themselves in their presentation - even with the wedding cake!
That said, most venues have perfected the guest movement of a buffet meal. Ask for double-sided buffets (with your two buffet lines that would be four lines of guests getting food at once).
Hope that helps!
I think a buffet only looks cheap if you let it. We are having one and will be "dressing up" the area with some greenery and candles. I think it can be done classy - it's ultimately up to what you want though. Good Luck!
I believe it all depends on the "mood" you're aiming for your wedding. For a very formal wedding, a sitting dinner is more common, I think buffets are making a come-back for more casual and relaxed weddings. This doesn't mean it's cheaper or cheap looking.
We went with buffet, and it was not any less expensive. though our wedding is quite formal, we wanted it to be more of a "party" than a "dinner". I have also noticed that SOME of the sit down dinners I have eaten were not very good because 150 meals have to plated at the same time. I am also loving that menu cards, table numbers, and escort cards are not in my vocabulary!
That being said, I am a little worried about the long lines mentioned above!
I've been to a fancy wedding of over 250 guests and it was a sit-down buffet. Every guest was assigned a seat, and we were called up by table number. There were about 10 different stations but I still had to wait in line for about 15 minutes after my table was called. I thought the food was delicious and worth the wait, but I did hear some of the older guests complaining, especially after some of the stations ran out of food.
So from this experience, I think a buffet can be great but only if you have a smaller guestlist and/or have more serving stations, and you have people who can usher and coordinate the lines. Also make sure the food doesn't run out!
My ideal situation would be to have food stations, particularly presentation stations that make it fun. Not only do you get to have watching a carving station, or somebody on a wok, or making sushi, but you get a great selection and avoid long lines.
The stations also give a more elegant atmosphere, rather than some of the typical buffets out there.
My location also has the option of family style. At first I was weirded out by this, but a friend who went to a wedding that did this thought it was a great idea. It brings the guests closer together and everyone is served in a matter of minutes, instead of waiting for a buffet or to get their order of choice.
I personally dislike assigned seats and plated dinners, unless it is a small wedding (40 people or less.) It means less mixing, less dancing, and a generally more fussy, scheduled atmosphere. Buffets work great *if*: you have several set up (with the same food options) have a lot of food, and don't have a set dinner "hour" but instead have food out for several hours so people can eat when they like. I'm a big fan of the "more of a giant party" kind of wedding though.
At the reception place we decided on, we didn't have that choice. But at the other venues we looked into, the plated vs. the buffet were at the same price range so it won't actually be cheap. I know what you mean about it may look cheap, but it actually gives people more of a selection. They don't have to decide months earlier on what they will feel like eating at a wedding so far away, which is actually kind of nice. I've been to so many weddings wondering, "what the heck did I pick to eat??" Or, as someone else mentioned, try family style. Anyway you do it, it's going to be great!! Good luck!
We had 120 people at our reception, buffet, two sides, people did get through pretty quickly, and because of what we had in our buffet I don't think anyone though it was "cheap". Plus the food was fantastic! Salads & rolls were brought out to each place setting before the buffet started.
Plus I think the guests enjoyed not having to choose their entree 1-2 months in advance. Our buffet included seafood, chicken french, pasta with 2 different sauces, fresh veggies, fresh fruit, seasoned roasted potatoes, and a beef carving station.
Personally, Mr. Snow Pea and I prefered a sit down because we felt it was more formal. Also, our event manager for our RD commented that many times the food that you get at a buffet isn't "worth as much" as what you're paying for. We also felt a buffet would infringe on all the dancing time.
i've always imagined a sit-down for mine, but if you do decide to go buffet, you'll just have to be extra organized when it comes to setting it all up for your guests. i'm not a big fan of buffet weddings, but honestly, when you are hungry, it really doesn't matter as long as the food tastes good. :P
From past experiences I've been able to get an idea of what all styles are like. My cousin's wedding was a station-type dinner which was absolutely amazing. She had her reception at an art gallery with very high cielings and very open so this worked very well and gave everyone a chance to mingle and get to know each other. My brother tried to do a variation of this, but due to difficulty with his in-laws going back to the caterer and giving them different opinions on how it should be done, it came out a combination of just horsdeourves with table seating (not assigned). It worked alright, but in the end everyone left still fairly hungry.
I also went to a fully assigned seating pick out the meal when sending back the rsvp dinner and it seemed very confined and restricted to me, almost too formal.
I've been to many buffet weddings and, if not set up properly, it has taken a while to get through the line, but i really appreciate the ability to choose what you would like to eat as well as your own portion sizes.
So, since we aren't able to do the stations at our venue, we decided to go with the buffet style. We sat down with the caterers and ironed out a meal to our tastes (pun not intended) and even modified menus they had set up already. We also need to have a meal made seperately for my grandfather for health reasons and they are very accomodating of this. It will also be set up the ability to have people use both sides of the table to get through faster.
Hope any of this helps.
I completely agree it's all about the vibe. If you're doing a large and superformal, you probably don't want to go the buffet route, but it's always up to you. We've talked about it and I think we're going to do a buffet style dinner since we have a number of different friends and family members with dietary issues (doing it plated would be a nightmare).
That said, I think we're going to do a few different stations so that there is less congestion. After all, is there anything worse than standing in a line on a hot summer day wearing formal, toe pinching shoes? Yikes!
I am going to have a plated dinner, all the other weddings in my family lately have been buffet and there were no complaints about the quality of the food. I'm going with plated because we want a more formal reception and because I want to be different.
For those who have gone with plated, did you find it diffcult to manage your guests food choices via the invitations? Or did you let them pick their meal option at the reception?
Deonise, our wedding will be smaller with 50 ppl. Since it's a plated meal I assumed we'd have to request meal choices on the response card. Our venue pleasantly surprised us when they said each guest will get to chose their entree from the custom menu once seated.
Less work for us! :)
It is quite a task to work out the seating and such for a sit down menu, but I am SO happy that we are going this route... I don't know if it's normal, but our venue actually charges significantly more for the buffet option $15+ more per head (depending on which buffet you choose), so the seated dinner was a no brainer for us. I also wasn't happy about where in the venue the buffet would be located so that would have sealed the deal if it weren't already sealed...
You must log in to post.
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
 vorpalette |
27 |
| Brielle | 25 |
| caseyleigh10 | 24 |
| ellisrobertson | 24 |
| les105 | 23 |
| lionskitty | 22 |
| fishbone | 22 |
| SouthernGirl | 21 |
| mypinkshoes | 21 |
| kat2014 | 19 |
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| Samo12 | 5 |
| les105 | 5 |
| Mrs.McMac | 3 |
| nerdysarah | 3 |
| fishbone | 3 |
| pengoala | 2 |
| rachie205 | 2 |
| out4answers |
2 |
| vorpalette |
2 |
| jules28 | 2 |
Hi all! I am in the process of picking caterers and dinner menu options. I keep going back and forth on buffet vs. plated. I'd love to hear your opinions and experiences with either.
The three caterers I have narrowed it down to all say they can get my 180 guests through a buffet line in 20-30 minutes (2 lines, know my reception space, etc).
I've been to plenty of weddings were the buffetts have been lovely and extravagant, but I can't get beyond my own trappings that buffets look cheap!
Advice please!