Disposables vs. China
Join us at the table as we discuss the logistics and formality of dinnerware for your wedding day and which is best suited for your party! This week we’ll be diving into the differences between disposable dinnerware vs. china. There is truly no wrong choice, but generally one is better suited for your event than the other. An event does not have to be all disposable or all china. You can mix and match to your heart’s desire!
Let’s Talk Disposables
If you are looking for a cost effective and convenient option for your event dinnerware, you may find yourself going the disposable route. These products are made to be thrown away and hassle free at the conclusion of your event. When we say disposables, we are not pushing off-brand cookout paper plates. In recent years, the options for disposables have gotten aesthetically pleasing (note the above pictures for reference - can you tell which one is disposable?). You can still have nice dinnerware without sacrificing your vision
PRO TIP: It is important when you are sourcing disposable dinnerware, to take quality into consideration.
Read reviews and rely on credible sources
Check with your caterer to see if they have disposable options to choose from
Order extra of every disposable item you purchase in case there is damage or something breaks on the day of your event.
RECOMMENDED SITES:
If you’re an amazon lover like we are, we have our very own amazon storefront filled with great disposable options! We did the hard work of searching so you wouldn’t have to.
www.tossware.com
www.Smartyhadaparty.com
www.Sophistiplate.com
www.yomtovsettings.com
@ashleyelanaphotography
LET’S TALK CHINA
When it comes to China for your event dinnerware, there are a few extra steps and logistics to think through.
Where are you getting rentals from - the venue, the caterer, a rental company?
Most of these vendors have showcase rooms or website galleries where you can see the selections they have to offer
Who is picking-up and dropping-off?
Will your caterer bus the tables and process the china throughout the event?
Who is going to set the tables?
How do you want the tables set?
Pro Tip: If you do decide to rent china, we always suggest ordering 10%-20% more than your guest count calls for. This allows for any damages that may have happened during transport and extras in-case you need it.
The type of meal you are having will determine what pieces of china you will need to rent and where it will go on wedding day. The options are endless so for the sake of not creating too long of a list, we will only touch on the flatware and plates, not glassware, napkins/linens, or other rented china options. (If you are having a fully plated meal, our advice would be to go all china for every aspect of the meal and tablescape!)
For a buffet style meal, it is customary to rent a dinner fork, knife, dinner plate and possibly a charger. All of these rented pieces would be set on the table, but the dinner plate could be used at the table or at the buffet.
With a plated salad, add a salad plate and fork. In this case, the salad plate would not be set on the table prior to dinner.
With a salad on the buffet, an additional plate and fork aren’t necessary - Having your guest take up two plates to the buffet is not ideal, so it’s okay to omit the salad plate here.
Add a spoon if you have coffee service or your dessert requires it.
For a plated meal, you would rent all of the dinnerware, but the only items that would be placed on the table would be your flatware and possibly a charger. The plates would need to be in the kitchen in order for the meal to be served to guests. If you still want a photo of your tablescape with all of your rented china pieces, we recommend having your coordination team set up one full table and having your photographer grab a picture so you can have that moment captured!
For a station style meal, all plates are at the food stations along with the appropriate flatware and napkins. Using china for stations is more popular when a venue provides the china as you need a plate for each guest at each station.
@robertmatthewsphoto
This decision can become an exciting one to make, so we encourage you to think through the logistical differences between the two options and which works best for you! Having one over the other does not make or break your event, but it is important to consider expenses, transport, and day-of responsibility that goes into this decision.
