Plated Dinner

[DisneyLover1234]

We are having a late ceremony (7:30pm) with a cocktail hour and then dinner following. I am thinking we will be eating around 10 or so. After much debate about the menu we are thinking of just serving either a soup or pasta first dish, the slipper sorbet(that is one thing I will not give up) and then a chicken dinner to everyone. This is also in addition to cocktail hour food as well. Is it ok to serve everyone the same meal and only one option since it is plated? We wanted to do a dual menu, but we feel like half of the meals won't get eaten since most of our guests do like chicken and if we just had beef or just fish, people would be much less pleased. I also feel because dinner is so late, its going to be a waste to spend a much larger portion of our budget on extra food that many people might not even eat. Also my DF made a good point, we will select an amazing chicken dish (hopefully with the help with you all) and it won't be like eating just any chicken, its Disney chicken. What do you think?

 

[Sleeping_Princess]

Our Reception is from 430 to 830 so not as late as yours --- but we are only doing one choice, which is chicken (paremeasan crusted chicken with mushroom sauce to be exact..YUM YUM)

I felt the same way we are going to have sooo much food and already spending a lot so we went with one chicken dish.. So I think you will be fine with the one dish -- if you do a choice it just seems like more of a stress keeping track of everyones choice...

HTH -- Good luck!!

 

[IndyBride]

Have you thought about offering a choice to your guests to be sent back with your RSVPs? We are doing that and I know many people that have done it when a buffet is not being served.

 

[DisneyLover1234]

Have you thought about offering a choice to your guests to be sent back with your RSVPs? We are doing that and I know many people that have done it when a buffet is not being served.

We were thinking of doing that, but after being to many wedding and working in a hotel, I have seen many problems that come out of that option. People forget what they picked and even if you have it pre determined, by a sticker or something, they change their mind when they see their neighbors plate. Plus all the dinners are not served at the exact same time and their can be a large delay, which i do not want at all. We are also sending our invites our before our planning session and our menu is largely going to depend on the amount of people we have to serve. Right now we are at 175, just from the save the dates and people saying they are going to come, but we are hoping people are just excited and aren't all going to come I don't know, I really want the ability to change my mind after the planning session and if we have 100 people instead of 175 then we can serve a dual, but honestly I think half of it will go uneaten. This menu situation is driving me nuts. I just think that the chicken will be really good and if we do a dual plate, it will be so much food for such a late wedding and the chicken will be plenty filling.

I also talked to my planner and he said it would still be more than just the chicken price to ask my guests which they would like because they have to order extras of each type of food and also to account for people that rsvp late and stuff like that.

I also feel that my guests truly will not be upset and are just there to celebrate our marriage so whatever we will feed they they will be happy with. Plus anything Disney does is top of the line and will be really good.

Its such a tough decision...

 

[PrincessBride07]

I did the duo plate for my reception (chicken cordon bleu and filet mignon). I also had salad, soup, and appetizers. It was way way way to much food. Even with the "smaller" portions, most people did not eat it all. In fact, the only complaint I heard about the wedding was that there was too much food. I would stick with just the chicken and save your money.

 

[orangetiggs]

we are doing a duo plate almond crusted chicken and filet

 

[lurkyloo]

I say save your money and don't feel guilty about it. Nobody's gonna be like, "Well, the wedding was AMAZING but I'm mad cuz I didn't get to have beef."

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I think that's fine-- I would just see if you have any vegetarian guests first so they can get an alternate meal.

 

[DisneyLover1234]

I say save your money and don't feel guilty about it. Nobody's gonna be like, "Well, the wedding was AMAZING but I'm mad cuz I didn't get to have beef."

That is what I was thinking. Well just pick some really fancy chicken

As for the veggie eaters, we know who they are and are having a special meal just for them

 

[jessesgirl-080708]

I also think just chicken is fine!

At my wedding we did a plated appetizer and salad.. then we had the entree as a buffet and it didn't cost us anymore..so you may want to consider that too! it worked out really well because I didn't like the idea of choosing what people had to eat! We ended up having a shrimp and scallops, chicken marsala, hand carved beef, mashed potatoes, and veggies all for cheaper than the price of the cinderellas slipper meal in the original paperwork.

 

[cryssi]

have you considered a buffet? our reception started at 9, and people ate at 9:30. we warned them all ahead of time that dinner would be late so please eat a late lunch. we also wanted the dinner to be the star attraction, so we only had crudites, fruit, cheese, and crackers at the pre-reception. if anyone complained, I didn't hear about it (or didn't want to hear about it). lol. just know that you can't please everyone, so do what works best for you...and your nearest and dearest...

 

[wendy46001]

we only offered one plated meal...(went with the filet w/mac n cheese) We also had a late meal, and figured why bother with the hassle of per selecting....what we did do is ordered two extra kids meals (chicken fingers) just incase anyone was picky (my cousin ended up being that person) just incase someone decided to be a veggie person, they would just get the mac n cheese...so we were covered...

So yes I think one great chicken dish would be great

 

[DisneyLover1234]

We have considered a buffet, but since we are having a very formal wedding neither one of us want a buffet meal. Eventhough some of the stations look amazing, we really want our guests to not have to get up carry their food all dressed up. Just us being stubborn I guess Wendy, good to know it was enough food with just one dish. We were orginally thinking of going with just beef, but all the girls in my bridal party, my mother, ryans mother, and several aunts don't want red meat and we figured pretty much everyone likes chicken! Thanks for all the great advice!