Plated vs buffet

[LauraInWonderland]

Hey everyone,
So i need to decide between a buffet or a plated dinner. Our planning session is scheduled for may 26th and my planner needs to know before hand so she can send me the menus and options.
What did you have? What were the pros and cons? Im leaning towards plated but i dont want everyone stuck to their chairs the whole night.. and ive heard that sometimes you have to wait a long time for your food then..
what are your thoughts?

[OceanGdss]

We're having a buffet instead of plated lunch. It was a pretty easy decision for us. We've been to several weddings and the buffets are always more enjoyable. More food options, you can change your mind if you want chicken or steak lol, and people can pretty much go back for seconds if there is food left. :)

A few things to watch out for with buffets, make sure there is something everyone will like, and the BIGGEST issue we've had (and other guests at those weddings have talked to us about) is the order of tables being called to the buffet. You don't want a 'free for all', that will just be a mad rush. Make sure the DJ knows that the bride & groom go first, then the bridal party, then the family tables, etc. We were immediate family at one wedding that had over 200 guests and we actually had to bribe the DJ with $20 to get called to the buffet!! :lmao: But it is nice because as the first people are done (you & your wedding party) the others are still eating, so you have half the group milling about and saying their hellos at pretty much all times. I don't ever remember those buffet receptions having everyone glued to their seats. There were people up and about dancing and stuff pretty much all the time. :) HTH!

[PrincessBride07]

I had a plated dinner. The only thing that I found bad was that I had way to much food. Too many appetizers, and also did a duo plate. I think this could have happened either plated or buffet. It's just a little more obvious with the plated.
People did stay in their chairs, but it was kinda a good thing. DH and I walked around to everybody and talked, instead of them trying to gather around us. All the visiting was on our terms, and we weren't bothered when we were eating. We only did a dinner, but if you have dancing people will have opportunities to get up and move around.
Personally I don't like buffets at most weddings. (truth be known I don't like buffets, but certain circumstances are ok.) Something has never really sat right with me having a bunch of people dressed up in formal wear waiting in line for food like they were at Golden Corral.

[OceanGdss]

Something has never really sat right with me having a bunch of people dressed up in formal wear waiting in line for food like they were at Golden Corral.


:lmao: :rotfl2: lol...now thats a funny image. Oh well..guess my family is going to be herded.:jumping1:

[WithDisneySpirit]

Something has never really sat right with me having a bunch of people dressed up in formal wear waiting in line for food like they were at Golden Corral.

Ooooh, thank goodness, I didn't force anyone to dress up formal at mine except me, hubby and two sons :rotfl: I told someone who asked that I just didn't want jeans or shorts clad guests!! I like the buffet idea because I got to plan more food choices that way. That, and I am just more casual and down to earth - I want mine to be a big party :goodvibes

[PrincessBride07]

I hope that I haven't offended anybody with my thoughts. It was never my intention to do so.

[IndyBride]

I hope that I haven't offended anybody with my thoughts. It was never my intention to do so.

I don't like buffets either! I just went to a wedding where the DJ wouldn't let a table get up to eat until someone from the table sang a love song to the bride and groom. :confused: NOT FUN! I'm doing a plated dinner for my wedding because that is what I like. Perhaps I have just catered too many weddings buffet style!

[WithDisneySpirit]

I hope that I haven't offended anybody with my thoughts. It was never my intention to do so.


You didn't offend me at all :goodvibes Buffet style receptions are more common in the South so that is what I am used to. I think formal plated dinners are very nice too!! :lovestruc

[OceanGdss]

You didn't offend me at all :goodvibes Buffet style receptions are more common in the South so that is what I am used to. I think formal plated dinners are very nice too!! :lovestruc


Didn't offend me at all either!! I'm from the South too..and as said here..its more common I think. As is a sarcastic sense of humor :cool1: :goodvibes

[camara381]

I personally don't like buffets either, but our reception location only allows for buffet, and after weighing the options the location site wins

[babiebelle]

We're going to do plated, mainly because we want more of a fine dining experience. We also want to do wine pairings with each course, but we're snobs. :laughing:

[WithDisneySpirit]

We're going to do plated, mainly because we want more of a fine dining experience. We also want to do wine pairings with each course, but we're snobs. :laughing:

:rotfl: :lmao: :rotfl2: :goodvibes Very good, babiebelle!

[Lynn5700]

Well do what you want! I like both..I'm having a buffet at my reception.

[imnotaprincess]

We're undecided also, but was told by my planner we could just pick items to taste and then decide once we get there - the food can usually be adapted to serve plated or buffet.....

[maberlyne]

In regards to Disney weddings, is there much of a price difference between the two? To me, it seems like plated would be more expensive, but of course you could have a super fancy buffet.

[lurkyloo]

In regards to Disney weddings, is there much of a price difference between the two? To me, it seems like plated would be more expensive, but of course you could have a super fancy buffet.

In the real world, yes, a buffet can be cheaper. But with Disney, it all seems to even out :thumbsup2

[cryssi]

we had a pretty kick-butt buffet...yummy! things in our buffet included cioppino and pumpkin ravioli...mmm

[DisBride2007]

Hey everyone,
So i need to decide between a buffet or a plated dinner. Our planning session is scheduled for may 26th and my planner needs to know before hand so she can send me the menus and options.
What did you have? What were the pros and cons? Im leaning towards plated but i dont want everyone stuck to their chairs the whole night.. and ive heard that sometimes you have to wait a long time for your food then..
what are your thoughts?

That seems odd that you're expected to decide before your planning session. I don't remember if we definitely decided buffet or plated at any point, but we definitely did not finalize our menu until about a month before our wedding - and it was a completely custom menu.

Anyway we had a buffet and it was amazing. We had three different choices of meat including chicken, pork and fish, plus plenty of side dishes. There was more than enough food for everyone. But if you're looking for something more formal then plated would probably be more appropriate.

[Mama of Indybride]

In regards to Disney weddings, is there much of a price difference between the two? To me, it seems like plated would be more expensive, but of course you could have a super fancy buffet.

My DD is getting married at Disneyland, and it is no less expensive to go Buffet than Plated. I had the good fortune to go to Cancun a couple of weeks ago for a business event, and there were two buffets. I agree with my daughter, Plated works for us. But there are definitely more choices with buffet.

I like to pretend that I am somethng special :snooty:

Being served always makes me feel something special.

Even though we are all just goofballs at heart! :upsidedow

[Bonelady]

As a guest I always think plated is the easiest to deal with.

1st - a salad and brad
2nd - a diner plate
3rd desert

THat's a hard combo to deal with with only 1 pass att he table and long lines

If you havea small party, a buffet is a different animal, but I have sat waiting my table ( number 25 ) to be called and it is not pleasant to wait and then be among the last people still eating!

[sungela]

For me, the buffet/plated dilemma comes down to:

1. Level of formality: if you are having an 8 PM black tie affair, you probably shouldn't have a buffet. Not that buffets aren't nice, but that's not the right tone. For a casual brunch (like mine), though, buffets are perfect.

2. Pickiness of guests: everyone in my family is allergic to/hates/loves something completely different. There is no one dish that would please even half of my guests. But buffet gives them lots of options. My mom, for example, will probably eat six plates of salad (at a plated dinner, she'd ask for everyone else's!), while DF will eat three plates of potatoes. However, if your guests have normal taste buds, picking one chicken dish will probably be fine.

3. Type of food: Disney can do anything buffet or plated, but some foods are better one way or the other. For example, we're doing the crepe station. That would be pretty hard to do plated (someone would have to take all those orders :eek: ). The glass slipper has to be served (although I guess you could do buffet, and have dessert served).

4. Family dynamics: Do you have a snobby family that will endlessly talk about how so-and-so had a buffet (gasp!) at their wedding? Or do you have a clan that loves to eat so much they'd be mad if you limited their chow intake by serving a plated dinner? Think back to other family events, or those of people in your usual social circle. Everyone in my family loves buffets so much that we almost never go out to eat without going to one, including for Thanksgiving (see #2 above).

Basically, it's a choice that you have to make, keeping in consideration how you want your wedding to be and what kind of guests you have. HTH!

[Keira1387]

We are having a buffet. I am from the South, so it is very common here. I love that you can have a larger selection of food and each person can choose what they want.