Pasta as a main course?

I think you need to provide another option. Pasta isn't enough and some people really don't care for it.

I would add a meat. Pasta as a main course doesn't work in my area.

Will pasta be your only station? I know you mentioned a salad bar but I think for a "dinner time" reception you need maybe a meat station as well, maybe more. I'm no caterer but I know wedding's I have been to try to offer a variety. When people hear pasta , they think carbs, and just that word alone will have people scared. LOL.

I LOVE carbs. Others don't.

I would love this, but some of your guests may not. Its all about knowing your crowd. I'd ask another caterer.

As an appetizer course or a cocktail hour station, I think it's fine, but as the only choice for dinner, I don't think it gets the job done....

Keep in mind that doing pasta to order is a little time consuming if people get to pick their mix ins rather than the station chef making big skillets of three different kinds.

I definitely think a pasta bar is enough, especially with the different options. That's dinner for some people at a restaurant - salad, pasta with bread, and dessert. I see no issue.

I LOVE CARBS. But like @Miranda said above, not everyone does, and beyond that a lot of people CAN'T have it, whether it's because of a personal reason or a medical condition. Please be mindful of that.

Also, I work in catering and pasta is a hard dish to prepare ahead of time and have it still be good when it's time to serve it. It dries out quickly and the texture can get funky quick. It can be done, but it's definitely not well executed by all caterers.

Add meat for sure

For our engagement party my parents ordered pasta, eggplant parm, chicken parm, sausage and peppers, salad, bread, and meatballs. This also covered everyone's dietary restrictions (vegetarian and gluten free). It was also quite cheap and could definitely suffice for a wedding menu too!

You would definitely need to be prepared for pasta options for guests who are gluten free (GF pasta) or who have medical conditions like diabetes (either type) that really shouldn't be eating massive amounts of carbs and when they do enjoy carbs, need to stick to whole grains. It would also be a good idea to have the option to add meat to their dishes.

I'd skip having family friends provide any food items.

I think you should talk to another caterer. They obviously don't see your vision.

Thanks for the feedback!

Like I said, we’d have meat and veggie options with the buffet style pasta for sure; I wouldn’t just feed guests a plate of carbs. My cousin is the only one I know of who is GF (Celiac Disease) And one of the aforementioned questions the caterer didn’t answer was about a GF option for her. We would also have a salad bar and fruit. And the snack foods station will definitely be things we ask friends to bring - cake pops or brownies or cookies, maybe some kinds of chips and dip, cheese straws...there are a lot of things friends can make and would love to make for us that we’d love to have, and I would save on catering bill. I’m not gonna stress over that table, so it doesn’t really matter to me if the cheese straws get there late or aren’t the best in the world or something like that, and I have confidence in the family friends anyway. I’m not worried about that part at all, since the main food will be from a caterer. It’s not a big deal table, just a table that houses a little something tasty as random other options.

FH would be thrilled about pasta as a main course. I’d miss having a protein for dinner.

Edit- don’t have friends/family make food for the wedding.

Save on catering by passing the cost onto your guests...

How nice.

I think it's acceptable!

Absolutely! I've been to many weddings with a pasta bar. Make sure you have like chicken sausage and meatballs to add too!