Post # 1
Member
22 posts
Newbee
We are having our reception in our barnyard, under tent in the summer. While it’s not a country picnic it’s not country club either. Somewhere in between. We bought nice plastic plates (white with light gray trim, including salad plate) and silver “silver ware” (which is plastic)
My question is, can I set them on the table at people’s seats and they can bring them to the buffet line or is it better to keep them in a stack at the buffet line? They look really nice on the table and the silver ware will be on the table too, that way people don’t have to mess with carrying it when getting food.
I just wonder if putting plastic plates on the tables is tacky?
Post # 3
Member
3141 posts
Sugar bee
If you say it looks nice can you post a pic? We had nice plastic plates too but just had them stacked at the buffet
Post # 4
Hostess
2999 posts
Sugar bee
hmm not a fan of plastic silerwave/plates. Can you post a pic?
Post # 5
Member
10568 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
@ta090607: Most buffets keep the plates at the buffet, it’s just easier.
Post # 6
Member
3039 posts
Sugar bee
Personally, I think it’s just easier to have your plates by the buffet – regardless of the material they are made of. Sure, it always looks nice to have plates set on the table, but it’s not really functional unless you have someone who serves the food.
Post # 7
Member
5221 posts
Bee Keeper
I say keep them at the buffet so that they’re not blown all around, should there be a slight breeze.
Regardless of what people on here may tell you: the only truly tacky things in a wedding ( to me) revolve a around bad attitude from the bride and/or groom and a general sense of entitlement. If your day is a reflection of you and your Fiance, focused on the gathering of family and friends… I think you’ll be good to go. It sounds like what you have planned is perfect for a barn reception.
Post # 8
Member
46334 posts
Honey Beekeeper
As a guest, I wouldn’t mind carrying my empty plate to the buffet, if the bride prefers the look of the plates on the table. After all, I am capable of carrying the full plate back from the table.
If your concern is filling in the space at the table,do a napkin fold that takes up a fair bit of room and place it where the plate would be.
You could also use doilies
paper placemats
or place a favor in that spot.
Post # 9
Member
4659 posts
Honey bee
@ta090607: Doooo not worry about this! They make very nice plastic plates now that are near-indistinguishable from regular ones, it seems like that’s what you’ve got… my cousin used them and it was lovely, but really you need to ask yourself this question:
Is even a single guest going to remember or care what my plates were made of even a month or less later? (Hint: prooooobably not?)
If plastic is more convenient or inexpensive to you, for the love of pete, just do it and save yourself the stress. This is one of those decsions (along with where to put the plates) you should be making based on what works best for you! 🙂
Post # 10
Member
22 posts
Newbee
Julies1949, thanks for the napkin idea! And , Mrs. Amanda, thanks for pointing out the possibility of a breeze.
I have attached a pic of the plates, the silver ware looks dark but it’s more “silver” looking. On the plates we would eithre bundle the silverware with the menu and napkin or a name tag, what ever :)Thanks everyone for your input. I’ve always seen the plates stacked at the buffet, but I thought these looked so nice on the yellow table cloth that it might be pretty to set them out.
Post # 11
Member
1113 posts
Bumble bee
I think it’s totally fine. We considered doing a buffet and that’s exactly how we would have done it. No need to buy or rent lots of fancy stuff for no reason. People aren’t going to remember your plates – they’re going to remember YOU! 🙂
Post # 12
Member
9074 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
I’m doing a buffet and plastic table settings were the only thing in my entire wedding I wouldn’t budge for. I insisted on real table settings.
Do I personally find them tacky? Yes. But, I understand that not everyone can afford “real” table gear, and that’s nothing to snuff at. If I were a guest, I would raise an eyebrow but I wouldn’t think poorly of the wedding or my hosts.
It’s just something that I absolutely did not want and despite my Mother-In-Law begging me to do it, I refused to compromise.
I think that, for plastic, it looks nice. Like I said, I wouldn’t feel any differently towards my hosts if I was given plastic table settings.
Post # 13
Member
22 posts
Newbee
Im not worred about using plastic plates, I just wonder if it’s ok to set them out on the table or should i stack them by the buffet line?
Like “Ohh, im trying to make plastic look fancy by laying it on the table but it’s still plastic and now that i laid it out it just looks chinsey and i should’ve just stacked them at the buffet” HAHA! (Omg, I crack myself up!)
Post # 14
Member
46334 posts
Honey Beekeeper
@ta090607: I would set the silverware properly whether you are going to place the plates on the table or not.
Post # 15
Member
2965 posts
Sugar bee
@ta090607: Did you get your plates from smarty had a party??
Post # 16
Member
222 posts
Helper bee
We used plates similar to those and we stacked our’s at the buffet table..and also the silverware. It looked like this: 
Member