Plated meal vs Buffet: Pros and Cons of each?

We are getting married outside on park/city property so we cannot use glass - no glass goblets or glass/china plates. Because of this we are going with the buffet. It seemed silly to me to pay the $4 upcharge per guest to have food brought to them on plastic.

Great article, thanks to those who participated! This is always something I've wondered the science behind either option. Most weddings I photograph, probably 75 to 80 percent of them, have buffet style. I personally see less drawbacks to well run buffet stations, especially because of everyones' OCD's and special dietary needs, and it adds a more fun social feel. I could see how lines to a guest seem annoying, but it's hard for anything to be a perfect fit for all.

We chose plated because of the elegance/ lack of line. Guests get to choose between four different options (fish, veg, beef, or chicken). That being said, we also have stations and passed hors d'oeurves, so guests will have a wide variety of food to choose from without the buffet.

I like the buffet idea because it is more of a choice for guests with allergies and various likes/dislikes. Plus I feel like it gets the guests up out of their seats, & the food does stay hot.

I am one of the pickiest eaters and we chose the buffet. Not only does everyone have a choice bit our wedding was 54 people and it moved so quickly it was shocking.

Even 3 months after I am still hearing about how amazing the food was from family when we get together.

I love that everyone got to eat what they wanted and how much of it they wanted, instead of being given one portion and that was it.

Plated. I've worked several weddings as a waitress n my early days. I don't want people standing n line for food. I want them relaxed and served.

We went plated - having people standing in line doesn't work for me at formal occasions and the room size was impractical for having people milling about. We used the online RSVP tool and had an option for guests to select specific dietary requirements ahead of time.

We did get a couple of comments from members of DH's family that the food was too fancy and portions were too small. Apparently it 'needed more potatoes'.

At first I wanted a plated meal, and even read that it can be cheaper (this is not always the case though).

We chose a buffet, because we decided to have a variety of meal options for several reasons. 1, the picky eaters and 2) FH and I both enjoy eating Thai and Mediterranean food and wanted it at our wedding. I seriously can not wait to see these buffets!! (We're having Italian food for the people who are afraid of spicy-flavorful food...)

I've seen pictures of how our caterer puts buffets together and its really magnificent.

Well, that depends upon your guest list. We went to a wedding with a guest list of over 200 with a buffet. It took about 20 minutes for us to get our food. When he got to our seats our food was cold. If you your guest list is over 100, and there's no difference in cost, I suggest plated.

We had two receptions, one right after the ceremony and then an at-home reception three days later. The one right after the ceremony was for only a dozen people, so we did plated. However, for the at-home one with 70 people, we decided to go for buffet, so people could get their food as soon as they arrived and not be waiting around for waiters to serve a larger group. It's really a question of individual preference.

We're having a buffet. At our venue buffet costs less than plated meals and we'll have more options for food.

We're having plated w/family style...best of both worlds for us. No lines, which I prefer to do without, and guests still have options.

We are doing a plated dinner. For whatever reason, the buffet was more than the plated dinner.

I like Buffett bc the food stays hot! And I don't have to worry about the guests getting a certain plate! Makes it simple

We been to weddings that were plated, buffet, and family style. TBH the most delicious food was at the buffet wedding (the majority of the weddings we attended were plated and one was buffet and one was family style).

For our choice it was plated. It wasn't even a debate. If I have to take the time to assign tables I rather make it worth my time and have them be served. I think the real reason is I just like how everyone eats together and gets served. The whole concept of ceremony, cocktail hour, reception at one venue just appeals to me as so easy and a smooth transition. We been to weddings that left us with 6 hour gaps and NO suggestions of what to do, well the BP drove around in a party bus taking pictures. Good thing BOTH times that happened we were in San Diego, so we got to lounge around at FMILs home

So, anywho my vote is plated, like I said it just seems like a good flow. Although the buffet food was delicious I hated having to wait to have our table called to get up to eat. I'm more than confident our food will be delicious and warm! FH is a major food critic and he made it a point to make sure the venue has great reviews about their food

ETA: At our venue the Buffet option was a little more expensive, although that wasn't a factor in decision, I did find it odd since usually it's the other way around.

My vote is for plated. I find it more formal and guests don't have to wait for their table to be called and then wait in a line in heels.

We couldn't decide, so we are doing family style with plated salads. That way no one has to get up to stand in line for the buffets, but we don't have to keep track of what everyone wants, and people can eat what they like.

We are having braised beef, chicken, squash scalopini, green beans, corn, and romanoff potatoes.

I prefer buffets and we did a buffet. I can skip the things I don't like and get more of things I do so I get a sufficient meal. I am somewhat picky and plated meals often have things I can't or won't eat...mushrooms, seafood. I once went to a plated meal where the only thing I could eat was potatoes and salad. Luckily my husband won't eat salad so I got his too. Buffet was cheaper for us at our venue, only slightly, but we felt we had more options. Our food was awesome.

We're doing family style because it's the best of both worlds: no waiting in lines, but people can pick what they want/take as much as they'd like. At our venue, family style is as cheap as the cheapest plated meals, and about $3/person cheaper than the buffet (which is in the mid-range of the plated meals). Our venue said they flat out refuse to do buffet for any guest list over 200, but they replenish the food for family style as much as our guests would like. And we're doing plated salads. We're doing simpler centerpieces and only 8 to a table because of it, but I think it'll work out great!

We will be having a plated dinner. I love the elegance of it. Probably the biggest reason we are having a plated dinner is my mom. My mom has MS and her walking is getting worse. As of now I am the one who normally helps her and carries her plate at buffet dinners. Seeing as it is my wedding I really don't want to be following my mom around making sure she doesn't fall. I also don't want anyone else to be worried about it either. I really want everyone to enjoy themselves. FH also has a few relatives who use cans and walkers. It was a $2 difference per person, but I think it will be well worth it. What's $300 more in the grand scheme of things.