CV and I have been back and forth about whether to have a buffet vs. a seated dinner for our wedding.
Initially, CV wanted to go one way, and I wanted to go with the other.
But fortunately we came to an agreement! :)
Can't decide whether to have a buffet-style dinner or a seated dinner?
Here are some pros and cons to both:
BUFFET:
Pros:
- Offers lots of variety and allows guests to serve themselves as much food as they like
- Offer more flexibility for guests with special dietary needs
- Provides natural opportunities for guests to interact in an informal way
- Paying less on service staff
Cons:
- The food service can be a little chaotic and people can end up waiting a while to eat if certain guests tak a lot of time to choose their dishes and hold up the queue.
- If the catering team isn't on its toes, food can run out quickly or get cold.
- No arranged seating, some guests who don't know anyone might end up sitting and eating alone
- It can be a little tricky trying to balance plates, silverware and a drink. Not to mention, if children are attending your wedding, parents will have to wander through buffet lines at least twice to fill their kids' plates and then their own
SEATED DINNERS
- Seated dinners are undeniably elegant. With everyone being served in perfect synchronicity, dinner is the perfect time for the bridal party and parents to make toasts
- Since everyone is having their dinner at the same time, the bride and groom can actually get a chance to eat too
- A seated dinner means that everyone already has an assigned seat. So, guests won’t feel awkward wondering where they can sit, and who to sit next to
- The food service is easy to organise and execute
Cons:
- Seated dinners take up a lot more work, time and effort to coordinate. There is a larger margin for error
- You need a lot more servers for a seated dinner, and it will cost more than a buffet
- Your guests might not necessarily like or be able to eat what you have chosen for the menu
- Seating charts are difficult to arrange, and can be destroyed when there are no-shows or unexpected guests
Can you guess which one we picked???
If you are a wedding guest, what dinner option is the most appealing to you?
9 comments:
Thanks for your lovely comment =) We went for a sit down meal to go with our traditional vibe... but then also served up a hog roast buffet in the evening! One of the few times that we allowed ourselves a "why not have BOTH??" moment!
I personally like stations, rather than a seated dinner. I just feel like a seated dinner takes up so much time. That's just me though! :)
As easy as buffets are for everyone, I really do love the elegance of a plated dinner. There's just something so fancy and fun about it! I agree that it can get expensive, but there aren't too many people that don't like it. Buffets, on the other hand, can get a little chaotic and difficult to manage if you don't have the right staff available.
Thanks so much for linking up! And I can't decide which one you would pick...
xoxo,
Joelle
This is a wonerful post...it is such a great idea to layout the pros and cons when you have to decide on a wedding detail! I'm not sure which one you picked, but I've always been a huge fan of seated dinners...it's definitely a classic and elegant option!
We had a four course sit down dinner which worked really well with the format/vision of our reception.
I do love the idea of giving guests the freedom of choosing there meals though.I think having marche stations (ex. pasta bar, grill, seafood etc.) would be a wonderful option if the quality of the food was fantastic and catered for a pretty small crowd.
Look forward to hearing your decision!
We had a four course sit down dinner which worked really well with the format/vision of our reception.
I do love the idea of giving guests the freedom of choosing their meals though.I think having marche stations (ex. pasta bar, grill, seafood etc.) would be a wonderful option if the quality of the food was fantastic and catered for a pretty small crowd.
Look forward to hearing your decision!
We had a buffet and then stations at our reception. If you have a seated dinner, you will definitely get to eat. Since we did not, I put one of my bridesmaids in charge of bringing me a plate of food and Fred did the same. We never sat down!
i decided on a seated dinner because we thought it actually worked out to be cheaper to give people a set amount of food! so glad you stopped by my blog :)
-Emma
chasingtexas.blogspot.com
I am all for seated dinners, and the funny thing is, at my venue, its cheaper than the buffet option. Probably because the buffet has more food.
To me, seated is a bit more classy, unlike the buffet 'feeding pit'.
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