Disposable plates for catering wedding reception?

We used high end disposables for my daughters wedding. Clean up was easier and they were nice looking plates. Like you, she didn't want someone to have to wash and clean up. Just enjoy the evening. I would do it again if I could.

It will depend upon wedding situation, for casual wedding disposable plates are good. For formal or semi-formal wedding, paper plates are going to completely destroy the atmosphere. Just check type of disposable plates.

Disposable Plates For Wedding

Disposable Wedding Plates

The choice is yours, hiring some one to do the dishes would be my choice. The last thing you or your family will want to do on your wedding day or the next morning is wash two hundred dishes. Try an employment agency or talk to someone at a local restaurant that you like. In some areas of the country you can return dirty plates to a rental co.but not in our area. Here we have to scrape rinse and have the plates free of debris and grease. The companies are required to run them through a very hot dishwasher before renting them again. There are lots of like "china" options for plates and "fake" silverware. that look and feel almost like the real thing. These options will cost more than rentals.

We had our reception at an art gallery so our food was done buffet style in the gallery like an art opening. We used small plastic plates (8" clear) with clear forks, no knives since everything was h'ors doevres, you didn't need knives. Ours was not a sit down dinner, though. We had to rent everything ourselves too and we didn't have accomodations to wash dishes. Forget these people that say it's tacky. Nobody will care or even remember that you used plastic ware if you have good food. Spend a little more on the table decor and get napkins monogrammed or printed for extra pizazz. I guarantee it will turn out great. We got our plates through gordon food services. They have the "silver" plastic ware and it looks great.

I went to a wedding Sat. that had disposable plates at the reception. For the food, I think they used clear plastic disposables. They had smaller ones for the cake and I don't even remember what they looked like. So, chances are after a few days/weeks nobody is really going to remember your plates anyway.

Disposable tableware is fine for picnics, not for weddings. Spend the extra and make sure your guests have study, classy tableware, you will thank yourself later. China, glasses and real silverware are the best option, hands down. I have never attended a wedding with plastic glasses or tableware and I've been to weddings of all sizes and types. Even the buffet weddings I've been to have used real plates, it's safer and a lot less messy - if you load up a Chinette plate with food, what are the odds it will fold in half or be soggy/drippy? Ew! You do not want to deal with that. Save yourself the hassle and go real. Good luck!

I would go to Party City. We are using the thick plastic plates that have white ridges around the plate. I don't think its tacky at all. Most people don't care what they are eating on as long as the food is good. Besides most people you invite to a wedding are family and friends and they aren't sitting there checking out every single detail.

Good luck and Congratulations!

You didn't tell us what atmosphere we are matching. If you are having a casual, outdoor wedding it would be fine. Though most reception halls have a professional dishwash, or you could hire someone for about $40. But if you are having any type of formal or semi-formal wedding, paper plates are going to completely ruin the atmosphere