Buffet or Sit Down meal?

[Yimmers]

Well, I like lamb, but not everyone is crazy about it. A beef filet dish is probably safer. I personally do not like chicken because it is often overcooked - but then again, fish poses the same problem as well. We offered a beef, fish, and vegetarian option for our guests. In the end, most people chose beef.

Can you do multiple tastings in case you don't like your initial picks? Our venue allowed us to do that, but if we did a third, we'd have to pay (no problem on our part). Also, another consideration is whether the venue has a kitchen onsite or if the food will be brought in. If the kitchen is on site, you stand a better chance of having hot food for everyone. If not, the food may be cold when your guests are served. Thus, a buffet with chafing plates may be the better option.

Just something to think about!

Oops - I forgot to add, we did a sit down b/c our venue had a kitchen on site so the food would be cooked on site.

 

[cindygenit]

Thanks yimmers

Yeah there is a kitchen on site so the food will be hot (hopefully)

 

[Allison D.]

Buffet. I''ve attended a slew of weddings in the last 20 years, and i cannot ever remember getting a decent sit-down meal. As most already noted, they often come overcooked and cold.

 

[jstarfireb]

Date: 8/30/2009 8:53:08 PM
Author: Allison D.
Buffet. I''ve attended a slew of weddings in the last 20 years, and i cannot ever remember getting a decent sit-down meal. As most already noted, they often come overcooked and cold.

Agreed. I would and did pick buffet. My guests loved it! There were 3 separate stations, so lines weren''t a problem.

For some reason my browser doesn''t like the poll and won''t let me vote, but count me among the buffet people!

 

[brightlight]

I voted sit down dinner. As a guest, it''s just nice to have the food brought to the table. I went to one wedding with a buffet, and we had to wait for our table to be called before we could go wait in the buffet line. The servers at the stations were in such a rush that one of them burned me while putting the food on my plate.

 

[blackbetty]

A great alternative to buffet is family style. Your guests remain seated an are served, but it''s a lower maintenance service. I think it''s warm & friendly, a great way to have people loosen up and talk, & people can have as much as they like of what they enjoy.

 

[cindygenit]

Date: 8/30/2009 10:45:46 PM
Author: brightlight
I voted sit down dinner. As a guest, it''s just nice to have the food brought to the table. I went to one wedding with a buffet, and we had to wait for our table to be called before we could go wait in the buffet line. The servers at the stations were in such a rush that one of them burned me while putting the food on my plate.

Yeap brightlight, they did it that way when i went to my friend''s wedding. They basically called out the table numbers so that those people can get served.

I think I have pretty much made up my mind about the dinner.

It will be a set menu, sit-down meal. If my guests don''t like it, then they can have a buffet at THEIR wedding!

I''m glad that I opened this poll because i got some good advise and pretty much an education on the pros and cons of buffet and sit down meal.

Hopefully everything runs smoothly on the day

 

[lulu66]

with all things being equal, i would choose a sit down dinner. but, that being said, i am in no way opposed to a buffet (this is what i''ll prob have at my wedding). good luck making your choice!

 

[Laila619]

I am not a fan of buffets for a wedding, so I voted sit down!

Then again, I don't like buffets in general. So I'm a tad biased.

We had a beautiful 5 course meal at my wedding, and everyone kept raving about it.

 

[MakingTheGrade]

Hehe, we had a 9 course family style dinner...it was a good thing we started early and ended late because it took about 3 hours for dinner! Everyone loved it though! And they weren''t too full to dance!

Either way though, as long as the food is tasty and the wait isn''t too bad, it''ll be hit!

 

[Prana]

Definitely sit down for me. I find it very awkward to be all dressed up for a wedding, waiting in line for food, and walking around with a plate of food back to my table while in a nice dress and heels. Maybe I''m weird, but it just makes me feel strange. I much prefer a seated, served meal for weddings. My dad would not allow a buffet at my wedding (I was considering one, just to save a little money) because he said it made him feel like he was at a cafeteria, not a formal event.

The food for our wedding is wood grilled and prepared on site by our caterer, made to order, not prepared before hand and kept in warmers. So I guess we will escape the yucky cold, overcooked food.

I think it depends on your caterer/venue, and your money, sometimes buffet''s really don''t save you much!

 

[sunnyd]

Date: 8/27/2009 9:36:51 PM
Author: cindygenit
Thanks for all the replies.. I will have to chat with the wedding coordinator about this more, I am especially concerned about the space issue!! The room I have chosen is for intimate weddings, i am not sure it will have enough space for buffet stations.

Thanks again guys

No comments on the menu? Should I sample all of them?

Yes.

They all sound good!! Chicken and beef are always safe bets. I''ll have these please.

Chicken and Prawn Camembert
Beef Tournedos
Snapper Fritata
Linguine pasta

and this to start
Fillet of King Snapper

Hehehe!!!

 

[livinginsg]

Have u made up your mind? Can i chime in?

How about a sit down dinner with a dessert buffet? We did that in Singapore and it was a huge hit. We started with a 7 course traditional chinese/fusion menu and the dessert buffet allowed guests to really mingle and let their hair down.

 

[cindygenit]

Yeah we are doing sit down meal

We can''t afford to have a 7 course meal! LOL

We got a wedding package including DJ service for 6 hrs, venue hire and set up, Pre-dinner drinks and canapes, and a 3 course meal for 114 AUD pp

 

[TooPatient]

Sit down feels more elegant to me. More of a special thing. If the caterer is good and has enough servers there shouldn''t be an issue with anything being over cooked or served cold. They are able to (the good ones) plan for carry over heat and factor in the additional cooking while it is waiting in the hot box.

I''m also one of those shy people who HATES to be up in front of people. I usually wind up getting dragged along in the line for a quick pass where I am too nervous to actually get any food. (usually wind up with a bit of a salad and a piece of bread). And after people are seated I wouldn''t dream of getting a dessert or coffee or anything.

I''ve also been to events where the first people through the line heaped up the food (saw one guy take 2 plates) and everything ran out mid line. That left people the choice of skipping the main course or waiting around while it was filled again.
The last wedding I attended actually ran out of cake. (They had a tiered cake and 2 additional sheets). Cut it, put it out for people to take. And ran out. A couple dozen of us didn''t get any.