Weddingbee boards

I have to disagree...I don't think there's anything wrong w/ plastic (though I do have some environmental qualms, I will admit). I am incredibly anal, and I still felt perfectly fine with plastic cutlery.  We chose black plates and black cutlery. On the other hand, we also were using wooden chopsticks (the rounded, more elegant kind, not the crappy splintery stuff) and miniature "Chinese takeout boxes" and "saimin soup spoons" (um, Chinese soup spoons?) as serving dishes, so there was already an element of "disposable-ness."

For us it also worked b/c we did a "heavy hors d'oeuvres"/cocktail-style service -- food stations and passed trays.  I don't think people expect china from a passed tray as much as they do for a formal dinner.  We did, however, have real glassware, not plastic.  It may be a little stranger for your set up, since you say you are doing buffet. If you are serving meats that need to be cut, that may also present difficulties.

But, to be honest, I don't think that many people will care, as long as you're not using super flimsy paper plates with cheesy designs that spill on them. If the food is good, they'll care more about that and not notice what they're eating off of. These days, there are some very nice heavy plastic pieces. There are even ones that imitate glass plates.  Whatever you choose, just don't mix and match cutlery and plates (go all disposable or all "real.")

As far as open seating, we did that as well.  Again, we did cocktail-style service, so it was not so shocking.  It saved us a lot of stress about figuring out who had to be kept away from whom, and who would want to sit by so-and-so.  We did save tables for the parents and their selected guests (10-top tables). We didn't force the bridal party (plus spouses) to sit together; they sat where they wanted to. 

Honestly, if everyone has a good time, enjoys the company, the food, the music and loves you, no one will care what they ate of off or if they chose their own seat.  You know your crowd best; if it'll offend them, then yes, maybe you are better off with "real." 

ideally an indoor wedding would have metal cutlery... but as long as its "silver" noone will notice it's cheap, and you can use it forever at family picnics, or donate it to a soup kitchen. ikea is a good place to start.  there are also a lot of fun alternatives to white plastic.... i really like the birch one.

$0.75 /guest

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50087185

$2 /guest

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/90043076

eco friendly disposables:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/12/biodegradable_d_2.php

birch:

http://www.barmans.co.uk/products/product.asp?ID=3455

Ha ha, MissBlushing, that's so right:  there's a HUUUGE difference between what people *notice* and what they really *care* about!

I think I got a little off-topic and defensive about the "plastic does NOT have to be tacky" line of thought. I do agree w/ everyone that for bettina's situation, plastic might not be appropriate b/c of the buffet line and the indoor location. I'm still a big advocate of alternatives to silverware and china for outdoor and/or cocktail-style receptions!

Well, here's another idea for you, but it will potentially take a lot of time. As I mentioned before, we used Chinese take-out boxes to serve some items -- a noodle salad and a Thai beef salad.  Pasta would look very cute in the boxes, and would also mean that your different pasta sauces don't mix together on a single plate.

Here's the part where the work would come in: b/c pastas are so "sauce-y" you will probably need to seal the bottoms of the boxes a bit better than they might already be (some are folded together only, no  glue at the bottom, which leaves the possibility of leakage). 

You could get some cute "serving tray boxes" that people could arrange 4 of the take-out boxes in to carry them back to their table -- that would allow them to pick 4 pastas. If you were feeling ambitious, you could decorate the serving boxes and/or the take-out boxes.

Just some ideas for you to consider! 

please don't use plastic cutlery and paper plates!  I am sure you can find something cheap...try a job lot or something.  it is so hard to eat with plastic forks and knives - can't cut, forks won't stick into things, etc.  if you are going to spend money on something, do it on this.

I just went to a wedding this weekend and they had plastic plates and utensils. They looked like real china! (i think proabably like the ones that malibu918 talked about) plus the plastic ware was a silver color and looked really fancy. our whole table was surprised when we actually touched them and commented on how clever it was (not tacky). they looked so real! i think it really depends on the whole ambience you set and i think it goes well with your pasta. i think as long as you don't go with PAPER plates things will look great. good luck!

I would just suggest not using plastic for environmental reasons alone, regardless of formality or other aesthetic reasons. That is a LOT of nonrecyclable waste that you would be putting in the trash.

Of course I realize that using real silverware is not in everyone's budget so if that's the way you have to go, so be it. But before you commit, some of the suggestions thus far (ebay, ikea and such) for real silverware are really worth looking into!