Using Plastic Utensils at a Wedding

WEBstaurant Supply Store

This is FAKE silverware...yes is it plastic! I think this is the coolest thing to happen to outdoor dining in recent years - especially for weddings. My fiance and I decided early on we wanted a buffet style meal. We are leaning towards BBQ because everyone generally likes it and it is not as "stuffy" as a plated meal. Not to mention it is WAY cheaper to go with buffet anything than have a plated dual entree meal. And when I say way cheaper it can be $15-$30 less per plate to opt for buffet. 

However, we did not want it to look super cheap and just use the generic clear or black plastic utensils. Not only do I feel that your run of the mill plastic utensils should be reserved for birthday parties or back yard picnics, but most of your guests will probably think this too. I think the metallic silver looking utensils are a perfect bridge to the gap between cheap and practical! The WEBstaurant Supply Store sells boxes of "silverware like plastic" knives, forks, and spoons much less expensively than GFS or the party supply stores around town.

But, of course I had to find something cheaper...I was able to get packs of these utensils for $1 at Dollar Tree (It might be "Deals" in your state but they are the same company). So, a 3 piece place setting for 4 people is only $0.25 per setting. I went ahead and bought enough packs of these for 150 place settings because when I had to call Dollar Tree Corporate about the plates I will be using, they said once they are out of certain items they will likely never get them again. Although the ones from the WEBstaurant Supply Store had fancier stems at the base, I will be making silverware sleeves out of burlap and you will never see the bottom of the utensil until they are being used.

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In another blog post I did I outlined the pros and cons of using various kinds of plates. Well there are some cons to using plastic utensils - no matter if they are white, clear, or "fake silver". The biggest pro for me is that you just throw them away when you are done. They are not heavy, there is no washing, and they are cheap. And, for most foods that appear on a buffet, you will have no problem whatsoever using plastic utensils. 

But, there are some foods that will  not hold up well to plastic. Most crudites you eat with your fingers, so it is unlikely you would try to use a plastic fork to eat raw broccoli or carrots. We personally will not be serving salad at our wedding, but I feel like it is somewhat difficult to eat salad with a plastic fork. 

Fruits on the other hand can all be easily "stabbed" with a plastic utensil. Cheeses and meatballs also hold up well to the mighty plastic. You could also use toothpicks for this kind of thing as well.

We will likely be serving shredded BBQ for our entrees, and I have eaten this fare with plastic forks without issue many times. Fish is also very easy to eat using plastic - such as shrimp or salmon. You DO get into trouble when you are trying to eat chicken, ribs, or steak with plastic.

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BBQ at weddings has become increasingly popular with cowboy, rustic, vintage, and country themes. They just seem to go hand in hand! However, you have to consider most people who will be attending your wedding will dress up and look nice. When people are dressed up, they really do not want to make a mess with food - which is hard when you are serving a traditionally messy meal like barbeque. 

Some brides make this dilemma a "funny" thing and offer bibs and wet towels at the table. Others, like me, will simply provide utensils to be used to eat food traditionally eaten with the hands. 

Now, we will not be doing racks of ribs, but I have tried to eat ribs with plastic forks and knives before. It does not work...trust me...You look awkward for one because the men will just grab a rib and shove it into their mouth not caring they are getting sauce all over their face. But women will typically not do this at a wedding. So, they will pick and poke to get morsels of meat off the bone and it is just very difficult to do with plastic. You get into the same thing with roasted or fried chicken on the bone. What you end up with is a lot of broken utensils, wasted food, and hungry guests who will load up on sides instead of using their hands to eat a messy meal.

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While grilled chicken breast is not difficult to eat with a fork - using a plastic knife to cut it is not easy. You spend so much time sawing away at your entree it will get cold before you can eat it. You can get around this by providing buns so you can eat a whole chicken breast like a sandwich.  

BUT, if you have steak you absolutely have to provide guests with a real knife. You can get by with plastic forks and spoons for sides but it is just too difficult to cut steak or pork chops with a plastic knife. 

You can get boxes of super cheap knives at the Dollar Store as well. They are less than $1 per guest, but well worth it if you want your guests to be able to cut their meal. We are going with already shredded chicken and pork BBQ to avoid this mess all together, but it is something that is often overlooked. In fact, as I was thinking this over and writing this blog I was watching Four Weddings on TLC and this issue came up. The ladies could not cut strip steak with their plastic knives so they just left it at the table. That is a lot of money down the drain due to poor planning in the utensil department.

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If you are eating an entree that requires a knife, you also cannot skimp on the plates. You cannot use paper or foam plates for steak or pork chops. Paper and foam are really not suitable for anything that is not meant to be eaten on a bun. 

Plates made of paper or foam will sag or break for one - but you will then STAB right through it with a real knife. This will likely soil your linens and make an unnecessary mess that will embarrass your guests. You have to be careful because while some of the caterers who do a buffet will offer china plates as an option, remarkably this does not include real silverware. So even with the china plate up-charge, you are still stuck with plastic utensils unless you ask.

The Verdict:

If you are wanting to stick with a super casual BBQ/grill fare, keep it simple and plan on guests using utensils for sides and not primarily for the entree. Anything on a sandwich will go over great. Beef brisket, pulled BBQ chicken and pork, fish filets like salmon, hamburgers, and hotdogs. Also think of having buns or rolls so people do not have to messy their hands or use a knife to cut tough foods. If you are going to have racks of ribs, steak, or pork chops, bite the bullet and just do china plates and real silverware. These foods will cost more than hamburgers and hotdogs anyway so it would be appropriate to splurge a bit. If your caterer wants to nickel and dime you for every metal fork and plate, keep the Dollar Stores in mind - you can get matching china plates for $1 each and flats of 50 pieces of stainless steel silverware for $10.