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I prefer buffet. But this is because I enjoy food so much that I am willing to get up and get my own if it means I can get what I want.

I do think a buffet is slightly less formal than a sitdown dinner can be, but it's also a nice break for guests to get up and mingle. I have been to way too many weddings with horrible food, or gravy poured all over my meal that I think a buffet would be refreshing!

I prefer a buffet. I've had a lot of pretty disappointing plated dinners, but buffets usually provide enough of a variety of food that there's some good stuff in there.

I'm doing a buffet, and I'm not totally fond of buffet meals but due to our outdoor location we have no choice.

  I've never had a bad plated meal, though every plated meal wedding I've attended has been at really expensive venues.  I think a lot of people do like buffet because they can pickand choose.  Just make sure you have the right flow because guests hate long lines.

Okay, I guess I'm the only one who prefers a sit down dinner.  I'm a little ocd, so when I go somewhere and there is a buffet, it is very difficult for me to eat.  I can usually handle the carving station, but most everything else is off limits for me.  I like the formality, yet relaxed feeling, of a sit down dinner.  I've been to quite a few weddings with great seated meals, the food was good without having to wait in line. 

I think it really is personal preference.

buffet is gross.  who wants to wait in line for their food at a wedding? also you end up going up by table.. so if you're the last table you could end up waiting quite a while... staring enviously at the other people.  a guest asked if i was having a buffet or seated dinner and she was upset that it wasn't a buffet!  i thought that was rude.

I'm extremely picky, so you'd think I'd like buffets, but I'd still prefer seated dinners (this, even though I generally don't like the food for a lot of them).  This is for a couple of reasons:  1) even on buffets, ther's limited selections, and just like a plated dinner, you get to choose what you prefer and 2) I HATE having to carry my plate full of food, especially if there is also a glass of wine involved.  I'm petrified of dropping it all down my dress!  Maybe it's just because I'm a klutz, but with everyone holding plates and others moving around (usually slightly intoxicated), it's a disaster waiting to happen.  Thus, we're going with a plated dinner at my wedding -- only I'll like this food because I can pick it out :) .

I like plated too! buffet food can get stale and overcooked just like plated can not be great.  If I am dressed up it is nice to be served and not  standing in line and jostling around for food.  But do what you want and can afford!

I agree with the plated dinners posters.  But I am lazy and a germaphobe.  I don't like to have to work for my meals - I have never been to a wedding where I didn't feel like time was wasted standing in line for the buffet or that people were doing gross things to the food ahead of me. And I despise when people let children go to buffets.

oh man...this is going to be a hard decision! Thanks everyone for your comments. Now I'm kind thinking back on such weddings that did seated and ones that did buffets.

I guess the seated dinner felt more formal, but I was always afraid of whether or not the food was going to be good...you only had 2 or 3 choices (if you were lucky to have a choice!)...and for buffets...I always feel awkward serving myself at functions. Like what portion is appropriate to take, and does it make me look like a hog if I go back for seconds? But I loved the variety and being able to pick and choose exactly what I wanted and to go back for seconds for something I really liked.

Keep your comments coming guys! I'm so torn still!!!

I personally had to make my decision based on what kind of plated and what kind of buffet service my caterer performed.  To my knowledge there are two kinds of each.  For plated there is the synchronized service where you have about one waiter for every two guests and every waiter comes out at the same time and each plate is set down at the same time.  It becomes a sort of performance and is truly impressive/fun to watch.  The second form of plated is where you have about 4 to 6 wait staff that comes out with carts of food and does a table at at time, which makes food cold, people have to wait, etc.  I would choose plated if it was the synchronized service, however that means a lot more money for the large amount of wait staff required.  But keep in mind that performance can take away from the bride and groom because it is a mini-show that people tend to rave about.  In regards to buffets the two types are the permanent buffet that usually has lighting, a stationed server at each section (hopefully two sections to keep things flowing), etc.  The second kind is the non-perm ant buffet that gets set up in the middle of the room (dance floor usually) that people have to watch be disassembled before they can dance.  This format usually does not have an attendant and the food sits and gets soggy or trays stay empty for awhile rather than being refreshed.   I've only been to two weddings in my recent history, one with the less formal seated dinner and one with the less formal buffet.  For my wedding I have elected to go with the permanent buffet.  I would suggest determining which type of buffet and seated dinner your caterer provides.  As a guest I would prefer either the synchronized plated meal or the permanent buffet with attendants and lighting.