Small Wedding - Buffet vs Plated Dinner

You are giving your guest nice choices either way. The buffet might work better because they would have to order and wait for the food (I am assuming from the way it was worded, it would be like ordering dinner at a restaurant). Either way would definitely work though.

I always love buffet option more than plated. But then again, I don't like to decide what I want to eat until I have seen the food. With 35 guests, it would be short line too.

However, the buffet tend to be less formal than plated. How would you feel about that?

We are having an intimate wedding as well. We're doing a seated 4 course meal at a restaurant.

I tend to like the formality of plated dinners, partially because it prevents you from having to wait until your table is called and then carry your plate back to your table. That being said, for a small wedding, I think the buffet won't have a long line and no one would have to walk super far with their plates, so I think either would work here.

Well are you doing a more formal or casual event? We are going dressy casual and will also have around that number of people so we are doing a buffet.

You make a really good point about ordering dinner off of a menu. It's funny, but I hadn't considered the time it might actually take to do that. Then they start preparing the food from there.

I'm okay with less formal. I think the overall feel we want to achieve is to make people feel comfortable and really get a chance to have fun with each other's family. Besides budget, we kept it small for that reason.

I am thinking now that plated might leave a lot of people waiting on food. Buffet would be faster. I guess I am just worried about expectations. People are travelling and staying over where are wedding is.

If you were a guest, would you rather have lots of food and dessert options or have a more formal dinner if your travelling a distance to get there?

I had 29 guests and did buffet.i think it wasn't quite as nice as a formal plated but honest the food was hot and everyone was settled and eating in less them ten min. And that was totally worth it

I like plated meals more and I like the options for your plated meal. I am also having a small wedding. We are doing a 4 course lunch at a restaurant and guests get to choose their entree and dessert.

I like buffet more than plated, then guests won't regret their choice of whatever they had chosen before.

I definitely like buffet more than plated. Typically feels like I have more options, I can see the food and choose what I want and don't have to wait between courses.

I love buffets. I'm sad that I'm not doing one for my wedding, but there are too many guests and too many old guests that have trouble walking.

As a guest, I tend to prefer plated because I'm clumsy and always afraid of dropping serving spoons or my plate! Your food options for both sound delicious though and I think your guests will be happy either way

These both sound like terrific options, but my vote is typically for plated. It feels right to me at a wedding. And I second the posters who have mention the possibility of dropping utensils or my plate, always a concern for me!

The buffet sounds awesome. I like buffets with low numbers.

You sold me at "shrimp tower." I would go buffet just for that. Either way, it sounds amazing!

As a guest, I generally prefer buffets because I'm one of those people who would rather try everything than have to choose.

Buffet!!!

As a guest, I prefer buffet so I can load up on what I like and skip what I don't (I'm a picky eater). As a hostess, I prefer buffet, so I don't have to hear, "I'm vegan, I'm gluten intolerant, I'm only eating protein, I'm only eating carbs..." again, people can just put what they want on their plates and skip what they don't and YOU don't have to worry about it.

I like that buffet offers more options and customization, but I would prefer plated just so there's no shuffling in a line holding a plate awkwardness.

I am having 37 guests and were are doing a 4 course seated dinner. We are going for a formal dinner party atmosphere so buffet would not accomplish that. We also didn't have a choice because our venue requires a minimum of 50 people to do buffet.