Is it ok to use paper plates and plastic silverware and cups?

Also another question to, what should we use for like wine and such?

Go check out smarty had a party, the carry disposables but they do not look cheap.

Yes its alright for your casual beach theme wedding, but buy the almost real looking plastic utensils.

There plasticky wine goblets available through dollar tree or you can look at Cost Plus. They have affordable and cheap wine glasses for like a $1 each.

Oriental trading has wine glasses, shit glasses and champagne flutes that are plastic.

If you are going to go the plastic way don't by the cheap stuff but the ones that look like real plates and silver wear.

1. it looks better

2. it's more durable.

I am not a fan of plastic at a wedding but H and I attended a wedding once and my plate broke because it was cheap and couldn't hold a lot of weight.

I was in a wedding with placticware. They had clear plastic plates/cups/flatware that was fairly durable. Make sure you get thick paper plates if you go with paper. You don't want them to collapse all over your guests clothing

It's not ideal, but if it's not in your budget, what are you going to do? My only concern is that it can be windy by the beach, and you don't want people to be worried about their plates flying away. For alcohol, you can find plastic wine glasses at most party supply stores or ever grocery stores. But I'm curious about how much your caterer would charge to provide the dishes because if you have to buy X cups per guest and X wineglasses, plates, silverware per guest, it might not be much more to just pay their fee?

Spend where it matters most. Save where it matters less. I know at my wedding, I'd care about the venue, photography, DJ, and the food and drinks....the rest not as much.

We're using disposable bamboo plates. More expensive than paper ($70 for 100), but we're also DIY and I'm not washing 140 plates!

We used clear plastic ones from SAMS club and it looked good. I did not have a beach wedding.

YES!! it is perfectly fine. any type is fine, also.

i was planning on spending close to $80 just on plastic plates and plasticware.. yes, it would look awesome but no one will remember in that great of detail.

i went to two weddings this past September and i cannot even begin to tell you what they used, because it's obviously not that important. unless, of course you're going for a more fancy setting.

I'm using "just like silver" heavyweight fancy plastic plates, utensils, small clear plastic cups and plastic champagne glasses.

They're super affordable and looks MUCH better than paper in photos

Im having a buffet and I'm using Chinet and plastic silverware. I wouldn't waste my money on "real looking" ones.. honestly people are going to throw them away.. they don't care, in my opinion its not worth the cost. Strong paper is fine!

Totally agree with Kaseyann no one will remember, do what you can afford!!!

I think it's fine to use paper/plastic. I'm planning my wedding for fall of 2014 and do as much diy as I can. One thought is that at alot of dollar stores you can find plastic clear plates and sometimes they have them in different tones yet still clear. I'm planning on painting the plates with a paint that won't come off in the dishwasher or from the heat of the food. I know there's a type out there like that but I'm just beginning the search. This way each plate is personalized and at the end of the wedding these can be used in our home for gatherings and special occasions. I don't mind washing them. Just do what you can afford, as long as your happy with it that's all that matters.

Amazon has good plastic plates and the realistic plastic silverware. no way im washing all the real dishes afterwards lol

We used upscale plastic plates, inexpensive plastic glassware, and real but inexpensive stainless steel utensils. Our feeling was that we didn't want utensils breaking on people, and we could get stainless that was actually no more expensive than plastic, once you considered the resale value. Some links:

* Forks, $1.82 a dozen, http://www.instawares.com/walco-7-1-4in-dominion.wal-7405dz.0.7.htm

* Knives, $3.59 a dozen, http://www.instawares.com/walco-dominion-dinner-knife.wal-7443dz.0.7.htm

* Spoons, $1.16 a dozen, http://www.instawares.com/walco-dominion-stainless-steel.wal-7401dz.0.7.htm

We are using a hybrid package we set up with our caterer there will be real cups and silverware. But we are using the heavy duty clear acrylic plates

I'm having a farm wedding and we are going the plastic route as well b/c we don't want to have any issues with glass/ceramic breaking. We are paying for upgraded plastic plates and 'silver' looking plasticware.