Wedding reception

[Nicole8223]

A buffet is cheaper than a sit down, but I have never been to a buffet reception, and I would definitely prefer the sit down.

Now there is also a new thing with "stations" which the guests can go to, but I am not sure how I feel about that.

Inexpensive is the best, but I don't want to sacrifice a nice reception....

any suggestions?

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I've only ever been to buffet receptions. They were nice, enjoyable, and still pretty formal.

[Brother Adam]

We had a whole wedding for about $2,500. We had pizza and sandwiches for the reception. It was a huge hit with the guests who were expecting the gross tasting expensive food. It is your wedding though, so it all depends on what you can afford.

[Nicole8223]

I definitely want the fancy, traditional wedding reception. I've had it pictured since I was like 5!!! But I also want to cut whatever costs can be cut without sacrificing the feel of the evening.

[Carrie]

[quote name='Nicole8223' date='Jul 27 2005, 03:29 PM']I definitely want the fancy, traditional wedding reception.  I've had it pictured since I was like 5!!!  But I also want to cut whatever costs can be cut without sacrificing the feel of the evening.
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Typically sit down and buffet have similar kinds of food (the same caterer is making the food, so that makes sense, yes?).

The main difference is that your guests will need to get up and serve themselves.

From my experience, stations are usually set up beforehand for appetizers and such. For example, there will be a carving station (with meats), a fruit station, a dessert station, etc.

Coffee and cake is still served by servers, regardless of whether you pick sit down or buffet.

[Nicole8223]

Thanks for the info Carrie!


It's going to be a long year of planning....

[Jaime]

I went to a very elegant wedding and reception. However it was a cake only reception because the bride and groom needed to save on expenses.

Everyone grabbed a bite in between the wedding and reception and we all had cake and danced the night away. No one thought it was rude or cheap. Everyone had a ball.

Just another idea!

[Carrie]

[quote name='hot stuff' date='Jul 27 2005, 03:46 PM']I went to a very elegant wedding and reception.  However it was a cake only reception because the bride and groom needed to save on expenses. 

Everyone grabbed a bite in between the wedding and reception and we all had cake and danced the night away.  No one thought it was rude or cheap.  Everyone had a ball. 

Just another idea!
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That's a great idea!



Nicole, congrats by the way!!

If you need tips or help with anything, let me know. I've helped a few friends plan weddings.

[Carrie]

Also, you can cut costs on favors.

For one of my friend's weddings, rather than buy fancy favors that no one would ever use, I got small white boxes and chocolate truffles. On the truffles, I wrote their initials with cake icing. Put the truffle in the box, wrap with a bow that matches your colors and voila.

Very pretty and very inexpensive.

Just a thought.

[Nicole8223]

Thanks Carrie. It's kind of strange.....we're not engaged. We have a date picked (August 12, 2006) but my boyfriend said he has a special time that he has to propose....so I have to wait for the official ring.

Until then, it is one year away, and so we are starting plans....weird, huh?

Anyway, thanks...I may have lots of questions....

[Carrie]

[quote name='Nicole8223' date='Jul 27 2005, 03:51 PM']Thanks Carrie.  It's kind of strange.....we're not engaged.  We have a date picked (August 12, 2006) but my boyfriend said he has a special time that he has to propose....so I have to wait for the official ring.

Until then, it is one year away, and so we are starting plans....weird, huh?

Anyway, thanks...I may have lots of questions....
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Doesn't sound weird at all. Better to plan ahead.

I'd suggest making a list of everything you need to do. Then space out when you're going to do them (in order of importance) so that you're not overwhelmed all at once.

Start looking at dresses now. Order at least 6 months in advance. They typically take 2-3 months to come in, then you need to have it altered, which can be upwards of another month or so.

Can you tell I like this stuff?

[Nicole8223]

HAHAHA...thats a good thing And that's good advice!

[prose]

Here's what I did because I wanted a formal wedding without the cost...

I had a dinner at a 5-star restaurant with the wedding party and immediate family.

THEN

I had a champagne and dessert reception for the majority of my guests at a high class hotel in our area. We supplied 2 bottles of champagne per table, and bought specialty desserts from a high class chef. It wasn't cheap, but cheaper than dinner.

Then we treated the event as a formal event. We chose our songs from classics ("The way you look tonight" -Tony Bennet - First Dance, "What a wonderful world- Father/daughter dance, etc).

Our guests were encouraged to mingle as soon as they arrived, and didn't have to wait for the wedding party, then we had a slideshow, did quick toasts (kept this part under an hour), and moved onto a dance.

It worked out quite well.

But, as for the buffet idea, I have seen quite formal weddings done with buffets. Maybe it is just where I am from, but it seems to be the norm here, it is very rare to see a wedding with served meals. I have been to 10 weddings in the last 2 years, and only 2 were served.

[prose]

[quote]Thanks Carrie.  It's kind of strange.....we're not engaged.  We have a date picked (August 12, 2006) but my boyfriend said he has a special time that he has to propose....so I have to wait for the official ring.

Until then, it is one year away, and so we are starting plans....weird, huh?

Anyway, thanks...I may have lots of questions....smile.gif[/quote]

HAHA!!

We did the same thing! We were actually printing our invitations and the Church was booked before he proposed!!

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Nicole8223' date='Jul 27 2005, 01:51 PM']A buffet is cheaper than a sit down, but I have never been to a buffet reception, and I would definitely prefer the sit down.

Now there is also a new thing with "stations" which the guests can go to, but I am not sure how I feel about that.

Inexpensive is the best, but I don't want to sacrifice a nice reception....

any suggestions?
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Buffets are much better than sit -downs because you have more variety of food and have more fun table hopping.
We tend to have chicken, meatballs, ham or roast beef, rigatoni, scalloped potatoes, potato salad,cooked broccoli/cauliflower or green beans, and a big fruit salad.
There is always a big cookie table with 20-30 varietes to munch on as well. Guests are free to eat whatever they want instead of the usual choice of two, and don't have to worry about where they sit to get the food they previously ordered.

If I ever get married again it will be pizza, steak hoagies, spagetti and meatballs, beer, pop and iced tea. :

[cmotherofpirl]

I think there are online sites that give you lists and how far in advance to do them. I got a three ring binder and started making lists and checked things off as I did them.

The first thing you do is talk to the priest. : and book the church.

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='Brother Adam' date='Jul 27 2005, 12:55 PM'] It was a huge hit with the guests who were expecting the gross tasting expensive food.[right][snapback]661119[/snapback][/right]
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Why would anyone pay a lot of money for gross tasting food? Just because you don't like it doesn't make it gross...

We had a buffet because it saved us the hastle of sorting out who wanted steak and who wanted chicken (or whatever). A buffet allows people to choose what they want, there's a bigger variety and if you expect to have a lot of kids there, you will not have as much wasted food. You can get a guy to stand there and carve meat etc. It's pretty nice. It's also faster for hungy people.

Additionally, if you have unexpected (ie uninvited) guests show up (and you probably will), a buffet allows for that better then sit-down.

PS I'm so glad we got married before handing out "favors" to everyone became the norm. Wow...

[Birgitta Noel]

Hi Nicole, we did a sit down and there are ways to save on lots of things. Sometimes depending on where you go buffets can actually be more expensive. I'm wiped right now, but remind me later and I can tell you two buffet horror stories! (and yes, I know that people can tell sit down horror stories as well!)

[Laudate_Dominum]

It's gotta be sit down. One lower cost wedding I was in had children from a couple different families who served and waited on people. They did an awesome job too, and it was cute.
They weren't super young. There was one little girl who was around 8 (prolly the youngest of them all) and she kept refilling my wine. It was adorable.

[Guest T-Bone]

At my cousin's wedding, it was buffet. It was very nice.