Plastic Silverware that looks real?

Your family should be enjoying your wedding, not worrying about the food. Don't self-cater.

Wow.... first off thank you for the responses and concern. We didn't plan on "self catering" IF the venues allows, we planned on making the sides as some of them can be made 1 or 2 days in advance and ordering the meats from a restaurant and have them delivered to venue. I also planned on hiring 2-3 people to take care of everything the day of. Plus I come from a huge family. I have 7 aunts just on my mom's side... and that's what they do. They loooooove to cook. I would have never put that burden on them. They all offered. I guess I should have been more specific, but the post wasn't about the catering. I wasn't expecting such negative responses. ETA: The family members that have offered are very experienced. They all work in the food industry. My mom works as a dietary manager, 3 of my aunts own restaurants. My cousin also owns a restaurant (only 45 minutes from venue) and my FH's aunt is a dietary manager for Sudexo at the University of Tennessee Martin (also 45 minutes away from venue) All of them offered to help and make sides and desserts and such. The venue is a Barn but is very modern and has all the amenities that we need such as a commercial kitchen.

No negativity...we're just being honest. It might sound good talking about it, but could end horribly in practice. If your family enjoys cooking (which I understand...my family does too) maybe let them do your RD? It's just that it could get stressful and cause problems that could be avoided on your actual wedding day.

I tried to explain more in the ETA part of my comment. They will only be helping make sides and desserts that can be made ahead of time. Anything else will be taken care of by the restaurant. They are majority aunts and cousins so it can free up time for me and my mom. Plus I will be hiring staff probably from my cousins restaurant to set up and maintain food on the day of.

Alli - word to the wise. At this point, just let it go and not mention self-catering anymore. I know at least two or three other "vets" on here that self-catered, and most of us didn't say anything about self-catering until after it was done. It'll save your sanity on this forum.

Haha @E-Tex thanks for the heads up.

I don't really care if you self cater. It's your day and your decision. I know everyone's just trying to help, hoping to save you and your guests any/possible grief. If you and the family can pull it off, all the more power to you. Everyone just wants you to understand the risks involved. I think everyone has just seen so many disaster posts/experiences with self catering and/or family catering, they just don't want anyone else to go through it.

That being said- I think the silverware would be fine. It is a lot easier and cheaper. We are having our wedding at a ranch and might go this route as well (having a taco truck cater so I think nicer plastic silverware is fine!)

If you're going for a very fancy and elegant meals than I'd go for renting/buying traditional metal silverware. Otherwise it should be fine.

I am using those as well!

I've been using them for years, as we do a lot of dinner parties with 25 - 30 guest on average.