Buffet or sit down ? Also food bars?

Buffet meals tend to be a little cheaper than the plated option. We did hors d'oeuvres just after the ceremony for about an hour and a buffet so that people could have as much as they wanted and serve themselves at their leisure if they wanted more. We then did a late night snack as well for those staying until the end of the night.

We went with a buffet meal - it was much more affordable at our venue than their plated service!

We will have an appetizer set out at the reception once cocktails start - it is a simple one, just pita chips with a trio of dips.

I actually prefer buffet meals, I have been to far too many events where the plated food doesn't fill me up, and if it doesn't fill me up I know my FH is starving!! We wanted to make sure our guests had enough to eat!

We picked a buffet, as we both wanted something casual, that allowed people to interact a bit more and that didn't "eat up" too much time. It was also the most affordable option at our venue.

I went to a few weddings that had plated dinners. Don't get me wrong, they are lovely, but you end up sitting at the table for a much longer time. That time was filled with a lot of speeches, awkward stories about the bride/groom and games in order to avoid "dead air". By the time the first dance came along, everybody was beyond ready to hit the dance floor and get the party started.

View quoted message Thanks for the response that sounds good, I added you as a friend as you live close and kinda curious on where this venue is as I'm having a hard time trying to find places i like. Hopefully we can talk privately😀

I'm not a fan of buffets because all I can think is the food that's there is the food that the person/people in front of me didn't pick. Sort of silly I know.

Our venue didn't offer buffet style (or we didn't ask) but I don't feel a buffet would have been the feel I was going for. We're getting married in a 1920s stone manor that's on the lake front. It's all dark wood and stain glass and chandeliers. So a fancy 4 course meal was definitely the way to go.

We did get lucky that our four course meal has options and we have waiters so guests will be picking their food the day of, just like a restaurant.

First course (Soup) - Same for everyone

Second Course (Salad) - Two options

Third Course (Main) - 4 options

Fourth Course (Dessert) - 2 options

All the food is made from scratch so they can accommodate food allergies no problem. We also have 3 different hors d'oeuvres being served during cocktail hour and a late night bar though we have not decided what will be served yet.

We chose buffet! The venue we went with said 90 % of their guests choose that option. I’m also an event planner and one of our most prestigious golf tournaments we host does a buffet dinner and there are never complaints. I think it’s totally a personal preference! I like the variety option and we saved about $10 per person choosing the buffet. I think the key is just making sure you can have multiple rows with food to manage the line and that the food stays warm. Also this decision might also depend on your guest numbers.

We had a sit down dinner and apps served beforehand. Late night buffet served included.

If your venue is offering both and sit down dinner is more, lean towards buffet style to save.

We are having plated service & late night snacks. I've been to weddings that have both, each have their pros & cons in my opinion:

Buffet:

Pros: more food options for picky eaters, those with allergies. If still hungry can go back for 2nds

Cons: potential more food waste (depending on venue might be charged for that), not everyone will start eating or finish at the same time

Plated:

Pros: everyone eats at the same time, in my opinion looks fancier, everyone can remain seated and have speeches done during the meal change.

Cons: less variety and options, portion size might be too big or small (depending on individual) This is the reason we are having late night snacks

It also boils down to the venue and what it offers. Price wise for us it was a small price difference of $2-$3 more for plated so we went with plated. We only are estimating about 115-120 for guest count so plated wasn't too out of proportion. Late night snack we are having 40 servings each of mash potato bar and taco bar.

We are doing buffet. It actually worked out to be cheaper since we don't have to hire as many servers. Our buffet has two meat options so people will still have a choice.

For our late-night snack, we are doing a poutine bar. It was one of the two options our venue has for late night snack.

Check with your venue if you are able to bring in outside food. When I was looking at venues, those that provided their own caterer would not let you bring in outside food (except for cake).