As a guest, what type of menu do you prefer?

Question

A more formal atmosphere with dinner (regardless of sitdown or buffet) or a party-like atmosphere with heavy hors d'oeurves and stations that are heavy enough to be the equivalent of dinner but with more variety?

Answer 1

I enjoy the formal dinner, with passed hors d'oeurves beforehand (during a cocktail hour).

Answer 2

I Love buffets. I can have a proper meal and a meal of the things I like. If I am not very hungry, I can dish up a little....

But sometimes with a big Wedding things sometimes end up getting late, you get hungry and hen you have to stand around and wait for your turn....So...

I am going to have starters placed on tables just before the guests go into the hall. Its going to be fresh fruit in pineapples, So it will make the tables look stunning and my hungry guests will have something fill them up a bit. Going on with buffet style from there.

Answer 3

Altho sit down dinners are nice I have found buffets with 'stations' seem to offer the most in variety, and you seem to get more in portions if you're into seconds........so I would opt with your second scenario-heavy hors d'oeurves and stations with a lot of variety...I could easily make a meal out of that...good luck.

Answer 4

I do not like the sit down formal dinners, mainly because the food is rarely hot when it gets to the table.  I think a buffet can be just as nice, and more relaxed.  The variety of food will please everyone.  Just be careful about spicy things if you will be having a lot of older guests.  

And let people sit where they wish!

Answer 5

I was traumatized as a child by someone's expensive (fru-fru and icky) sit-down dinner at their reception. I vowed at that point not to do that that my wedding guests.  

We had appetizers set out when they arrived and we did an Italian buffet-style dinner. We tried to have "something for everyone"... plain spaghetti for kids and those who eat like kids (like my sister in law) plenty of meat for the "carnivores", salads and veggies for those who prefer that, etc.

I got tons of complements on the food. Only one (of my brides maids who has no taste in food) person commented that the food was "too spicy." (this woman thinks sushi RICE is too spicy)

Answer 6

I enjoy the sit down dinner, it gives you the option of control over who sits with who but it also is very elegant and traditional but there is also that obligating feeling that you have to stay. If you are less traditonal as I am, go with the stations. As a guest I enjoy this atmosphere the most, it allows for flow between people and mingling, just make sure there are places to sit and people are more inclined to feel that they can leave when they want or need too. Both are fun! Remember that this is YOUR day, your guests are there for you not themselves, they will enjoy whatever you choose.

Answer 7

This day in age everyone is super picky about eating - or just on multiple types of diets! I would do a variety of things buffet style that way you can satisfy even the pickiest eater! Make sure you have a vegetarian option(or even vegan)...and of course make sure that allergens are kept to a minimum!

Answer 8

The most important thing to me is how the food tastes.  Generally I don't like sit down plated dinners because there is always one thing on the plate that I don't eat and it ruins the whole meal for me.  I'm an extemely picky eater and can't stand having my food touch.  Stations are great because you can pick what you want.  Variety is good.

Answer 9

Full dinner because I want to be served, sit down at a table and have a meal.

Answer 10

Great question.

At my wedding, we went with the heavy hors de'ourves buffet. Our guests did not have assigned seats, and just mingled around the old mansion we rented. We had a bar with wine, beer, and margaritas. Everyone said they loved it, and that it was definitely enough food to constitute a dinner.

I have been to many weddings where the sit down dinner was just not tasty. I love food, and to be served plain chicken and vegetables was a let down. Many brides feel they owe their guests dinner, which is really not the case. There's only one sit down dinner wedding I liked, and they served fillet mignon. It must have been $30-40 per plate. Not worth it, but they are millionaires, so they didn't care.

Another point: if you put 6pm on the invitation, people may expect more food than if you put 7pm. We also put at the bottom of the invite, "cake and dancing to follow" so that people weren't expecting a full meal.

Answer 11

Go with more variety, as long as it is filling

Answer 12

As long as I could take some food to sit down and eat, rather than trying to balance a small plate of heavy hors d'oeuvres and a drink in just my hands, I'd prefer a lvariety of stations and substantial hors d'oeuvres over a sit-down dinner.  You can mingle a little more (especially if the venue is interesting in some way), and eat how much and what you like.  I wouldn't like the hors d'oeuvre set-up if there were no tables or only a few highboys and no chairs.

Answer 13

Having been to many many weddings (married to a pastor) I prefer a variety to chose from.  I'm not a picky eater but there are a few things I don't eat that seem to pop up quite regularly at receptions - mushrooms, pasta (gluten), salmon.  Some people are on restricted diets for health reasons like diabeties, allergies etc... and then there are those who have had bariatric surgery and the list goes on.  Offering different foods means each guest is able to pick and chose what they like best and is best for them.

With sit down meals the bride sometimes doesn't know where to seat us and we end up with crazy Uncle Bob or the overly zealous ones who want to challange my husband on bible passages etc.......  <shudders violently>

Answer 14

buffet style.Much easier.

Answer 15

Use variety, especially if it is a big wedding.

Answer 16

I prefer a buffet style more "formal" dinner.