Disposable Plates?

OMG, those numbers need to be switched. $4k on flowers, $10k on food.

You shouldn't be spending more money on food "just for the sake of it." Food is a priority because it's what goes into properly hosting your guests (and alcohol). You could have no florals, but BBQ food (no matter the cost), and that would be fine.

Yes, flowers CAN be expensive. I'm in NYC and I'm only spending $2k on flowers! For 190 guests mind you!! My catering??? It's over $16k! You are spending more on florals and I have 90 more guests that you do, in a part of the country where it costs you to sneeze on private property.

You. Are. Doing. It. WRONG.

Not to mention....$10k hanging florals, but plastic plates? Your wedding is an oxymoron.

Look, if you love BBQ that much, get MOAR BBQ (I love bbq too) and lose the hanging florals.

@alc none of my guests are going to know how much my flowers cost to begin with?

@bitbit - oh yes the hell they will LOL. Even before wedding planning, I know expensive flower installations when I see them, and I know how much some sloppy joes and cornbread cost. Trust me, they will know.

I don't even care about the BBQ, I just don't understand... how much could real plates POSSIBLY cost?? Maybe spend $9,600 on flowers and offer real plates.

Like, if I'm going someplace fancy and I want to wear a $400 pair of shoes, I can do that with a cute $18 dress from Target, but I can't do it wearing sweatpants I found in a stranger's garage.

^ Sloppy Joes, I'm dead lmao

My fiance and I are considering disposable, biodegradable plates for our reception (it's going to be a relaxed afternoon in the park). There are options made of sugarcane, palm leaf, and bamboo. They have plates, silverware, and even some cups. We ordered some samples through EcoPartyTime and GreenPaperProducts, to test out how sturdy they are. They haven't arrived yet though for me to report back about it! I love the look of the palm leaf plates, but trying them in person will let us know for sure. We are also unable to have glass at the park we are renting so I am also looking at plastic wine glasses through Party City.

Thanks Gymmie, now I want Sloppy Joes and cornbread....

Agreed with @GymRat. We are spending a total of $0 on flowers (other than the $300 I spent on sola centerpieces) and somewhere near $17k on food and drink.

Seriously. I'm searching for a BBQ joint to go to in the city this weekend lol.

For what it's worth, I just went to a wedding that had a TON of decor, not all floral but still, lots of expensive lighting and other things. I was excited thinking "man this food will be so good!" because of how expensive decor was.

Cocktail hour was veggies platters and fruit, dinner was pizza, on plastic plates.

They had fancy linens and big marquee signs and and I got pizza. I was pissed.

ETA: so were a lot of other guests. They will talk.

Y'all are killing me today! I'm doing BBQ from a caterer, not a BBQ joint and he uses really high end plastic plates and real silverware. I bought wine glasses as our take home favors so that my guests don't have to clink a plastic cup to request a kiss (ha not really, I just don't like plastic cups- too casual for me)

@GymRat, Dinosaur BBQ. Seriously.

I am not using disposable plates but thought about it for a while with the barware.

However, once I priced it out fully it was much cheaper for me to rent actual glassware than buy the nice looking disposable ones on webstaurant. The only caveat is that my caterer said this increased the number of servers for clearing it all. I still think it's at a break even point or negligible expense overall for the much classier look.

Have you reached out to rental companies near you? All wine glasses, water goblets, old fashioneds, and champagne flutes are $.40 a piece plus a flat delivery fee for me. I was already renting tables and chairs from them, so in essence no delivery fee. Plus, if you pay in cash there is usually a decent discount.

ETA: Wow, just finished reading.

@OP

You are being incredibly short sighted here. For 100 people you are probably talking about $300 if you got everyone a roll of real silverware in a linen napkin and a dinner plate. WTF would you not spend that.

I'm using premium plastic plates. They are sold at Sam's club. We are having a BBQ reception dinner.

Try www.webstaurantstore.com

We are doing disposable plates and silverware. I think it really depends on the type of food you serve. I've never had problems eating BBQ off paper plates?? Most BBQ places give you paper plates and plastic silverware to begin with lol. You will learn that many people on WW seem to care a lot about what you use/do at your wedding....Just do what you want. It's a day just about you and your FH. Yes, you need to entertain your guests, but the main point of the day is to celebrate the couple who just got married!

Honestly, as long as the food is good nobody is going to care if it was on a paper plate! I went to a wedding last year that had a full plated meal on fancy china (the whole set up) and the food was TERRIBLE! People still talk about the terrible food to this day!