Buffet vs. Sit-down

I like buffets because you have more of an option. I do not think they are tacky at all.

We're most likely going with 'family style' where large serving platters are brought to each table and guests serve themselves from there. This allows for everyone to eat at about the same time and choose their portions. It also works out to be cheaper than traditional plated (less work) and can be cheaper than buffet too as not as much food is needed.

Not a fan of buffets! We are doing a sit-down, cheaper, more personal and formal. Fiance really wanted a buffet but with ~200 people, especially hungry. I would just prefer everyone to eat at once.

We are huge foodies and we are doing a buffet. First it ended up being cheaper, and it will even be served so that no one take a ton and doesn't eat it. Second, with the space of our room it just worked out better... there is a room off the reception room where the buffet will be so once people go through the line and back to the dining room they won't even see it! Third, we have a pretty small wedding and a coordinator so she'll make everything go really fast. Also I think it depends on your caterer. My caterer makes AMAZING looking buffet tables and the food is amazing! and we are getting married at a private home so there isn't really a kitchen or anything, it would end up being like buffet food after they took it from a warmer and set it on a plate... Finally, we aren't doing a receiving line so it will give us time to eat while everyone is in line and visit with them as they sit down...

We are doing a buffet and we are doing the catering with our families. We are saving a lot of money by doing it ourselves and having the food served buffet style. I also liked that it was much easier for me to cater to everyones diet than to try to explain all of it to somebody else and hope that they didn't add anything to any of the foods that we can't eat or have me rushing around last minute trying to warn certain people not to eat certain foods. We have a lot of vegans who don't eat meat or dairy, a few (like myself) who are lactose intolerant, my sister is allergic to wheat & tomatoes & oranges, FH grandmother is allergic to nuts and seeds, the young children and babies can't have honey, and we have quite a few diabetics and people on low fat or other diets.

We are doing a sit down dinner, because our wedding is more formal and I think it would be faster for our 200 guests to get served, so we can start the party faster!

Buffets are not tacky. We're doing a sit down dinner because we're going black-tie optional, so we want it to be very formal, and we worried about food not being as fresh with a buffet for us since our guest list is just over 400- for us, a sit down works best. However, there are lots of appealing things about buffets, like getting to chose what you take and dont.

We are doing plated dinner. I would have loved to do buffet or even family style but both of those options would have costed more. We had to go with the more cost effective route which was the plated dinner option.

I am doig a buffet for a couple reason. First, it's the cheapest. But most of all when me and my FH were talking we agreed the buffet is a little more informal, HOWEVER, everyone can get up and talk to other people. I can talk to my FMIL and family as well as my parents and say my thank you. That way no one is confined to their chair and having to sit with some people that they may not know. It's going to be more fun that way, and kill some of the awkwardness, and the dead time of everyone waiting to recieve their plate from the waiter/ess.

Just my thoughts

I think if you want your wedding reception to be more modern, casual, low key, and your guests are young and want the freedom of walking around and eating lots like seconds and thirds, go for it! I have only gone to one wedding, where I really liked the buffet food though...Most wedding receptions are now buffet....But I really like formal sit down, although the portions are sometimes tiny!

I'm doing a family-style sit-down dinner: that way guests can have more of what they like but they are still seated. Kind of a merge of the best parts of both styles.

We are doing sit down meal i just want to be waited on and my guests after all the planning and decorating! we are having a buffet desert table though

Buffet for us. Most of the time, the plated dinners I've been served were gross, so at least our guests can choose what they want. I do not want to pay for a plate of food that only the potatoes will be eaten off of (usually what I do, ha).

Our buffet is in a room off of our main room, though so it will be nice and not a big disturbance.

Ohh, and our buffet includes all of the meats to be freshly carved. Really like that a lot!

I would do a sit down for like 20 people or less but Anything over that... straight buffet it.

I work.as a server at weddings sometimes, and I've served both ways. Sitdown for larger groups is a waste of time and money. Most of the people don't want what they signed up for 6 months ago. now that they can compare the fish to the steak they start playing little games which takes up the wedding coordinator time. Like half of the food isn't eaten so mountains of food is thrown away. People tend to have a "well I didn't pay for it" kinda attitude. And people HATE waiting to get food handed to them. It's like rode rage in a ballroom. Folks really do go crazy. "when are we getting served" "can we get bread for right now" "when my food comes , can I change it to the steak" "I'm going to die from hunger, can I get mine now?" with buffets everyone gets what they want, how much they want and when they want. Buffets also make it easier for the staff to keep the room clean, water glasses full and drinks poured because that's all we do. I've always like weddings that had different food stations in different places throughout the reception area because it's keeps guest busy and plus it causes them to interact with each other

I would do a sit down for like 20 people or less but Anything over that... straight buffet it.

I work.as a server at weddings sometimes, and I've served both ways. Sitdown for larger groups is a waste of time and money. Most of the people don't want what they signed up for 6 months ago. now that they can compare the fish to the steak they start playing little games which takes up the wedding coordinator time. Like half of the food isn't eaten so mountains of food is thrown away. People tend to have a "well I didn't pay for it" kinda attitude. And people HATE waiting to get food handed to them. It's like rode rage in a ballroom. Folks really do go crazy. "when are we getting served" "can we get bread for right now" "when my food comes , can I change it to the steak" "I'm going to die from hunger, can I get mine now?" with buffets everyone gets what they want, how much they want and when they want. Buffets also make it easier for the staff to keep the room clean, water glasses full and drinks poured because that's all we do. I've always like weddings that had different food stations in different places throughout the reception area because it's keeps guest busy and active.