Place Settings for a Buffet

I’m having a buffet and thought the tables would look empty without the China so I’m doing chargers with silverware and napkins in the table with the salad plate. Don’t rent the chargers, you can usually find people selling them on Craigslist or Facebook marketplace. $1 a charger is a good price.. Then you can re sell them.

Awesome!!! Thank you all for the advice😊

All the plates at the buffet is how I see every buffet wedding set up! You could have chargers on the tables for aesthetic.

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Thank you for sharing this!!! I was wondering how I was going to make things work with a buffet & even though chargers aren't expensive, I'd just rather not spend that money on them.

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I am doing bamboo plates but I think I am going to do metal utensils and water glasses made from glass. My venue has all these rules about recyclables so I figure I can make the table fancier with some real... I am using a wood charger too.

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I am doing bamboo plates but I think I am going to do metal utensils and water glasses made from glass. My venue has all these rules about recyclables so I figure I can make the table fancier with some real... I am using a wood charger too.

View Quoted Comment I wanted to put water glasses on the table as well! But my bartender told me i should have cups set up near the tea and lemonade pitcher, then there are tubs with cans of pop and bottled water, and then the beer and liquor with her at the bar. So i guess ill have no cups in the table?

View Quoted Comment That sounds strange will lead to many confused guests. Why can’t you have water at the tables? Guests won’t go to the bar to have water filled. They will go to the bar for sodas and alcohol though. If something is not easily accessible, guests will not hunt it down and they will do without, leading to a bad experience. Ignore their “expert” advice (not all professional vendors have good advice unfortunately) and have glasses at each setting with a water and tea pitcher at the tables. Have silverware and napkins at each setting. Then plates are at the head of the buffet table.

View Quoted Comment That's what i thought! I thought disposable cups for the bar, and i guess some at the tea and lemonade station. Then there are silver bins for pop and water bottles. I thought at least water glasses and a pitcher of water at the tables. The bartender said i would need to pay her an extra fee or pay someone else to continue to fill the pitchers.
This just all seems like I'm making it harder than it really is.

View Quoted Comment How difficult is it to speak with her supervisor or find a different bartender? Do you have a planner who can intervene? Some vendors forget they being paid to do a service for you and they are not the boss hiring you to work for them. Best of luck!

View Quoted Comment So, you're meaning that it shpuld just be expected of her to do, as a hired bartender. We really only have 10 to 11 tables. But... I don't know if it would be hard to keep an eye on those, and bartend. Im not sure if that's what she means. I don't really know. I just know she said its would cost extra to do so. I didn't realize that may a a thing generally expected by who you hire

View Quoted Comment I love these forums-so funny- I’m also planning on the amber glasses but may alternate w green. I was just debating if I should do the bamboo plates or rent plates. I just like the look of these bamboo plates (your image) but figured plates and silverware would be eco friendly and look more high end.. I was planning on a place setting like this- no charger needed -

View Quoted Comment With 10-11 tables, how many are at each? Assuming roughly 100 guests. There will not be only one bartender working or she will be so far behind on serving/preparing drinks because she is not super human. She have at least 1-2 helpers. Is there a waitstaff through the caterer who can do this if she refuses? If not, go on thumbtack.com and hire event staffing who will gladly do this job for you. What she is suggesting is like if you had a dj who has a first dance song in his library you want but he won’t play it for whatever nonsensical reason. You can switch to a different song and say a prayer he’s willing to play that one instead when you are better off getting a new dj. She doesn’t want to serve basic water with the glasses on the table at each setting, fire her and find someone else who doesn’t have an issue doing that. This is a perfect example of wedding vendors who are too entitled to do what clients want and they wonder why no one wants to hire them due to bad reputation and service. This type of behavior should never ever warrant a tip either for refusal to work.

View Quoted Comment Thank you. I wouldn't have thought of any of that. I quoted the wrong amount of tables when i told you- i quoted our cocktail tables. We will have probably 7 to 8 dinner tables. Probably 80 guests max, so 10 a table i think. The big square ones, not circular. She had said we would need 1 bartender for this event, i guess being a sunday wedding and snall count she though 1 would be sufficient..?
But yes, I see what you're explaining. She had said she could provide water filling, but would need to hire another person for this job, which would obviously be an extra hourly fee.
I just don't think the table will look right. I do think since there would be big tubs with water and pop, it would be easy enough to go grab them. Also, the other drinks would be easy to access without needing to go to the bar. But, i think it would look strange. There already went be any plates as tjey will be by the buffet.