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I've seen it done both ways. If you want a more formal feeling at your reception, assigned tables (you don't need to assign each seat) creates for that, as do menus. However, you don't need to have assigned seating, especially if it is a more informal reception, and if that's what is common in your family or region. Just reserved tables for the bridal party and family is sufficient. I would make sure you have more than enough seating for your guests though. Sometimes people like to move chairs around and you don't want a table to run out of seats. Also, I don't think you need menus, though it is an elegant touch, and fills up a table setting too. For us, it was more economical to just label each item on the buffet line. Since lime green is one of our colors, we are sticking the labels in limes!
Thank you for your response Mrs. daniellemybelle, gives me something to think about.
I'm going to have assigned tables-guests are assigned tables, but they can pick where at the table they sit. The head table will be the only table with assigned seating. I'm planning on having 2 menus at the assignment table on each end of the table so people can take a peak at what they can expect on the buffet line.
For my recent wedding which was a brunch buffet I did do menus and I think it added more formality to reception. I did a very simple 3.5"X8.5" menu I tucked into each napkin with spray roses. I had an escort card table so guests were assigned a table but not a seat. I also decided to go with the menus in the napkins to dress up the table a little bit more because in most buffets they do not set the table with plates. They only set it with the water glasses, bread plate, and coffee cup and saucer. So to fill the space where the plate would have gone I did the napkins and menus. At first I was concerned about fitting the whole menu on the card but it turned out beautiful.
This was a project I took on three weeks before the wedding and I printed them myself from home and they turned out beautifully.
Here is the pdf of the menu designs I mocked up. We went with the middle one. Also a pic of them on the table from my photographer.
menu_pic.jpg (44.1 KB, 63 downloads) 2 years old
Here are the mockups - had a problem loading the file
Menu_Mockups_3.jpg (144.8 KB, 61 downloads) 2 years old 
I am having a buffet reception too and I'm having escort cards. I absolutely hate going to a reception and having to mad dash to find a table that fits the number people I want to sit with and then feeling like I have to "reserve" the table so no one else takes a seat that is already taken.
I'm also making menu cards for each place setting.
You should do what works best for your theme and location. Good luck!
I am having a buffet style dinner. However I chose not to do escort cards except for the immediate family and head table and instead of doing a menu for each person, I decided to save money and do one menu stand per table. I thought it would still dress up the table a little to add to the centerpeice and not be too overdone a less formal of a reception.
I really appreciate all the fed back from all the BEES out-there, I will need to consider all the GREAT ideas.... Thanks girls
Definitely do assigned tables if you can :) I was at a wedding this summer (my FI was in the wedding party) and the chaos involved with finding a table that can fit who you want to sit with is maddening, and trying to find a way to protect my seat when I got up was worse, haha. Menus aren't as big of a deal in my view. If you can, they're nice, but if you can't, eh everyone will live.
I am doing a buffet dinner as well but I don't think I'm going to do assigned seating. I understand how it might be a little chaotic to find a table and whatnot but I've been to plenty of weddings that don't have assigned seating (actually most of the weddings I've been to don't have it) and things seem to be fine. I wasn't planning on doing a menu but after reading some of the other comments and seeing msgirard's menu, I think it looks like a great idea!
We also had a buffet reception, but did assigned tables/seats for everyone to make sure everyone "fit" since sometimes people spread out a bit more and leave empty seats when it's open seating. Plus we had several guests who are highly offended by the thoughts of having a bar, so we wanted to ensure they were as far away from it as possible so they could shoot the death glares from a distance. ;)
We used our jam favors as escort cards, and did a paper wrap around the napkins for the seating card. We also did the folded napkins with a simple menu placed in the fold. We had our DOC dismiss our guests to the buffet table by table, so I wanted to give them a chance to glance over their options before they got there in hopes of keeping the line moving a bit more quickly. Honestly the menus were quickest of all my diy projects. I posted the word document template and how to cut the paper and your printer settings in the DIY section:http://diy.weddingbee.com/topic/menu-template-for-placing-inside-folded-napkin
And this is for the seating wraps:http://diy.weddingbee.com/topic/napkin-wrap-seating-cards
napkinset.jpg (28.9 KB, 55 downloads) 2 years old
We're doing food stations and no assigned seating... I've been to weddings before that were structured that way and it was really nice. No need to rush to get food, you can eat with whomever you want, mingle around, etc. I think making escort cards for assigned seating or menus are totally optional and just depends on how formal you want the vibe to be at your wedding. Good luck!
We're doing a buffet, and I definitely want to do menus so people can plan what they'll get...I know I would like to do that, at least, I hate filling up my plate and then seeing something on the very end of the line that I want!
They aren't required by any means but your guests will certainly appreciate them for a buffet. When they sit down after finding their table, they can read over the menu to see what is available and what to avoid before they get up to fill their plates. Hopefully that will make lines go much quicker than if people are left to decide at the buffet table if they want something or not, as well as wondering what something is and if it contains anything they may be allergic to, thus causing a traffic jam and making the lines go very slow. In that respect, they are much more practical for a buffet than for a plated meal.
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Do I need to make menus for buffet style reception? and should I making seating cards too? I do plan to reserve tables for the immediate family. Thanks bees.. if I do dceide to do this I should get started on DIY project now. My wedding is July 2010.