Buffet style plating

Following because I'm not sure either... though if I can't decide I'll ask my caterer and DOC

Hi Sharice! I'm also doing a buffet meal. I'm doing utensils and napkins on the table and plates at the buffet line. Hope this helps!

I haven't officially decided on this matter either. I think that it would look better having the plates and utensils on the table and have the guests take their plate to the buffet table to get their food.

Our caterer told us to put the linen napkins and the silverware on the tables already and the plates will be up at the buffet so people won't forget to grab them when they get up from the tables. Its also a cleaner look to have the plates not on the tables.

You can put the utensils at the buffet or you can put the utensils and cups at the tables as place holders.

We plan to put the utensils and cups on the table along with a charger plate. Dinner plates will be at the beginning of the buffet.

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I did the same! the tables were already set with glasses for water and wine and napkins/utensils

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Most weddings I've been to a lot of people forget to grab the plate and end up having to go back to the table to get it. Our DOC recommended having the plates at the buffet for people to grab.

Plates at the buffet with utensils on the table

We're leaving utensils at the table and plates at the buffet. Picking up silverware seemed too informal and carrying your plate to the buffet seems cumbersome.
We're using the disposable palm plates so we don't have to worry too much about the cost of extra plates, which I've heard renting can ger expensive.

Plates at the buffet and utensils at the table. That way people can't forget things and have to backtrack and they don't have to carry around things unnecessarily, it's all where you need it

Hi Sharice! Congrats on your engagement Your big day is 99 days away!!!

Keeping utensils and glasses on the table along with a charger plate looks pretty & helps simplify the process, with the eating plates at the start of the buffet line. That way everyone doesn't have to walk with a plate from their table to the buffet line and they are already there.

Is your caterer supplying the plates/silverwear or are you? You could always ask your caterer how they usually execute a buffet-style wedding dinner, too, to help with the flow.

I hope this helps! If you have any other questions throughout your wedding planning process, please don't hesitate to connect or post another discussion! Happy wedding planning!

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Thanks for the insight!!!!

It depends. If we opt for buffet, we will do chargers & utensils at each place setting with a napkin. Then just plates on the buffet. But you can for sure do whatever you want! I just like how a place setting looks.

We had the plates on the table just to make it look a little more finished. They just grabbed their plates when it was time.

I have no idea where we placed the rest. lol I know they had them.

Seconding doing full plating on the reception tables. Our DOC will release tables one at a time and will remind them to grab their plates. I unapologetically prefer the finished look over function.

We didn't have a caterer we had everyone bring a covered dish to ours. We wrapped the silverware in a napkin and tied a ribbon around the napkin and set up the plates at the tables and then we had extra plates by the food. I hope this helps

We had plates waiting at the buffet table, cutlery was on the table with cloth napkins.

View Quoted Comment That helps a lot. Thank you! I already bought the plates and untencils and napkins since they were cheaper and fit my budget and the count that we have. I dont have charger plates or know if that is another word for salad plates but i do have the salad plates and can sit those at the table with the utencils and napkins and glasses. Should we have the salad at the buffet or a bowl at the table?

We're having a buffet meal, but it comes with our venue so we don't have to worry.
For my daughters wedding we did buffet and had all the place settings by the food.

View Quoted Comment Salad plates and charger plates are different. A charger plate goes under the dinner plate.