Economical reception?

It really depends. In some areas, a buffet is more expensive and in others, plated is more expensive. You have to get price quotes from local caterers and tastings before you decide on anyone. Even then, price depends on where you live.

However, if you go with a local restaurant that you love, they will be much cheaper than any wedding caterer, regardless of the style. Although you may be limited to buffet only with that option.

Hi. I always thought that buffets were cheaper, but after reading some of the other comments, I am not so sure. As others pointed out, there is more food involved in a buffet, so it could possible be more.

And....sorry, but no one can give you an estimate. All of this depends on WHAT you want to serve, and WHERE you live. I live in a rural, small town community where things are much cheaper. If you live in any type of "city" it will be more expensive.

The best thing to do is to call around to a few places and speak with their banquet manager and get some prices. When my daughter was getting married, we went around to a number of different venues to see what they had to offer. That is really the only way to get your answer.

At our venue, a golf club, a buffet cost more because they offer more selections of food. With a plated meal guests would have been given a set plate with one entree, vegetable etc. With the buffet there were 3 or 4 options of each thing and since people go back for seconds or thirds they have to have more on hand.

Buffets allow greater variety, and allow for foods to be served at the proper serving temperature unlike most plated meals. The current trend appears to be the so called "small bites" reception. It is a buffet but is served quite elegantly allowing small amounts of many, many items from which to choose. We had a full dinner buffet with dessert table. It was all DIY and ran about $11.00 per person, had it been catered I would have expected it to be more like $40-70 per person or more (4 entrees). You can see the menu in best answers " Whats on your menu". I have a girlfriend who is having a tropical themed wedding, and she is having a luau reception which she is ordering in frozen off the web. All she has to do is thaw heat in chafing dishes, mix the poi and serve, it is running about $15.00 per person, she however added coconut shrimp and mango pineaple salsa which she will be making . Without her adding the coconut shrimp and mango pineapple salsa it would have been about $12.00 per person. Yes either way it is per person dependant.This does not include the bar she wants and needs for her reception. We neither wanted nor had a bar. Congrats and best wishes. Hope this is helpful!

For my wedding, we're doing buffet style because it's about $4 cheaper a plate than doing seated meals. Every venue is different though, so you might want to ask around. In the long run, once you have about 100 guests, it adds up to a lot of money you save.

From what I've heard from everyone I know who has gotten married recently plated dinners are cheaper than buffets. Mostly because with a buffet the venue usually has to make more food because people will be serving themselves and not everyone gets the same portions. With a plated dinner everyone gets the same amounts so it makes sense that it costs less.

All the venues I've talked (getting married next year) to have given me a lower quote for a plated dinner than a buffet. But all venues are different.

Buffet style is usually cheaper, and it does depend on the number of guest. Caterers will usually have cost estimates on their websites; it's tough to give you info without knowing what type of food you want or where you are located