Pre-selecting Meal Choices or Tableside Entrees

As a guest I don't mind the pre-selection, but I usually cannot remember what I ordered when I get to the reception. The only wedding I was invited to that we didn't pre select was one that was served family style and it actually was the worst wedding food I ever had.

I think tableside selections are slightly more elegant (appropriate for black tie weddings) but definitely not necessary. if you are not having black tie I would definitely go for the cost savings! It is very common to pre-select.

I haven't ordered tableside at a wedding before, it's usually a pre-selection or buffet. I always choose the seafood or chicken and FH always orders beef so it's easy for us to remember! Our venue requires meals be chosen ahead of time, if you can afford the table side order I think it's a great option, but not necessary.

Personally, I hate choosing my entrees in advance. All they ever tell you is what type of protein it is, I've never received a meal card that actually said how it would be prepared. Like if you just have "chicken" on there, that could mean 500 different things.

At our wedding, our guests chose from menus at the tables, where there was a full description of each entree, and they could pick what they wanted based on what mood they were in at that moment. That's just the way my venue does it, as did most of the other venues we looked at too. Who really knows what they're going to want to eat 8-10 weeks in advance?

Are you having a black tie reception? If so, then I think tableside ordering would be preferable but, otherwise, it is very common to pre-select your meal. I would go this route and save yourself some money.

I don't mind either way, when we pre-select we usually get opposite meals so we can share our plates but we've been to weddings where we pre-select, order at the table, family style and buffets too it doesn't matter to us as long as the food is good

Preselection is fine especially if you can give a better description than just beef or chicken. For instance, chicken in a white wine sauce with mushrooms.

All great input and advice. I agree that it would be important to try and explain the dishes on the pre-selection card. Our wedding is not a black tie event, but I also feel that tableside entree choices are more elegant. That was my initial feeling as well. I imagine that I will decide when we get closer to the day.

Thank you all!

I've only ever been to weddings with table side service, but none of them were black tie. Might just be my area though. I wouldn't mind picking before, but definitely make sure to include a detailed description. Lots of people have allergies/intolerances or are overall picky and would like to know exactly what goes into the dish before choosing it.

Our venue gave us that choice too, but it was $20 more per person to choose tableside. I chose pre-select. I included the full menu on my website so guests could see what each entree was, how it was prepared and what sides were served with it.

For $5 PP I could get an additional 2-3 passed apps for cocktail hour. I'd rather put the money there.

I do agree it's better if you can provide full descriptions of the meal choices, either on the website or invitations.

We're doing table side ordering from a menu. I definitely personally prefer that when I attend weddings, and I was glad that our venue only offered that option.

If you have to pay extra for pre-ordering, it doesn't really seem like a worthwhile expense to me. I'd rather put that back into the food in general or get some kind of upgrade instead.

Our venue didn't offer tableside so I made sure to be descriptive in the meal selection cards, for example...

Salmon filet stuffed with marsarpone cheese and spinach

Parmesan-crusted chicken breast with butter-leek sauce

I'm not a picky eater so choosing "beef" "chicken" etc isn't problematic per se, but I always found it a little odd.

We did pre selected meals- I put chicken or beef on the response card but had a card with hotel block info and what specifically the meal options were. It went flawlessly and our food was truly amazing!

We had to do the pre-select option. We had to give meal counts to the restaurant 3 days before. There was no table side ordering.

Thank you everyone...all good advice and food for thought. Thank you so much

View Quoted Comment Great idea! I wasn't sure all that info would fit on response card..lol

I have done weddings with both and usually, the guests don't remember what they ordered which becomes challenging. It also makes a difference if the venue does really good business because then waste is not an issue and they are used to the volume. My venue has guests choose from 5-6 entrees the day of. Make the choice that works best for you. It is your day.

I did preselect option because our venue/caterer didn't offer table side selection, they typically do buffet, but our wedding was small enough they allowed us to do plated.

None of our guests had issues with it, and I kept track of the choices and made a seating map for the servers so they knew who got what. That way they didn't have to worry about guests remembering what they pre-ordered.

My only irritable point was all the guests, who I know for a fact would never buy a steak dinner any other day, that decided to order steak for the wedding which was $10 more a plate. But I get it, it's a wedding and someone else's money, so why not.

Thank you all very much!