Which should we cut from our menu? And how many chairs/tables for mingling dinner?

The salad station as a must, as people are always looking for healthy alternatives. The roast beef carving station is probably the most conventional item that you have, so that might be a good choice to keep for any picky guests that you might have. The pasta station is also a good choice, since a lot of people will be able to use it and get something that they really enjoy from it. If I were you, I would cut the Mexican station, only because Asian food seems more like a New Year's Eve food to me.

I think that your chair and table ratios seem great. I'm assuming that everyone probably won't be eating at one, so that's more than enough.

Congratulations on your engagement and best of luck! I hope you and your husband have a wonderful life together.

Don't worry, people on here get offended really easily. and express it in some rude ways sometimes.

Anyways, I would cut the Asian Station. and if you keep the mexican keep it to simple things most people will enjoy. If it were me, I wouldn't have either the Asian or the Mexican but I like you trying to add a bit of flavour. DEFINATELY keep the pasta, salad and carving station. Those are PERFECT for ANY occasion!

As for seats, if you are serving dinner, put as many seats/tables as possible into the space you have, Very hard to eat standing up. lol. (even if they are willing to, it's always nice to sit down and not have to worry about possible spillage) After the dinner though, you could have most of the tables and about 10-15% of the chairs removed from the room.

Sounds like you are going to have a LOT of fun. Can I come? lol.

EDIT: what about adding a dessert station? (if you get rid of both the asian and mexican) I'm not sure how big your cake will be but what about a chocolate fountain (can usually be rented) with some fruit and marshmellows around it. I know quite a few people who aren't cake fans and this would just be SO MUCH FUN. (you can also get the fountains in White Chocolate too. yummy!) lol. Just another option for you, good luck!

Cut both the Mexican Station and the Asian Station. Not everyone will like these foods, but the caterer will have to provide enough to serve everyone which could mostly get wasted. The carving station, pasta station and salad station will be more than sufficient to serve your guests. By cutting the two stations, you'll most likely save money and save space.

You should have as many chairs as you have people. You don't know if everyone is going to want to sit at one time, so you should absolutely have 1 chair for every person. As for tables, I would have enough for at least half since you're having such a big dinner. There is no such thing as a cocktail-style dinner. If you want a cocktail reception where people will mingle, I would talk to the caterer about passing hors d'oeuvres throughout the night and just order a ton of them. Otherwise, people will see the dinner stations and expect to have a table and chair to sit at. If you don't have the space for everyone to sit at a table for dinner, choose the cocktail reception with passed hors d'oeuvres.

You need chairs for every single guest, otherwise you will have people leave early. But that doesn't mean that they are required to sit.

I think you could easily cut the salad station. You have a wide variety without it and most people say that the salads and veggie platters don't get touched at all when there is other food available. Just make sure that the pasta, Mexican and Asian stations have vegetarian options if anyone needs them.

I would say either the Mexican or the Asian. A lot of people are picky about ethnic food and will stick to the pasta and roast beef, so you could lose one of what I think will be the "less trafficked" choices.

It's great if you could have seating for almost everyone - I don't think 50% is enough. Even if lots of your seating is low ottomans or things that aren't actually chairs and are easy to move around - so much more comfortable that way. Everyone gets tired of standing, and some people will monopolize a couch or table all night.

I'd cut out Mexican. Every place has Mexican and it's a cheaper food. I think in general unless you have someone who knows what they are doing cooking it (I'm talking true Mexican cooking here no Mexican restaurant), it's just not worth it.

For food, asian is great b/c it's small enough for just a snack. Same with veggies and fruit. Pasta is a perfect thing to serve for real food. And carbs are great for alcohol.

I do not think chairs for 50% are enough. I read that a lot too but you really need to think about your age range here. Who are you inviting? At my wedding, it was a lot of older people. My parents are both in their 60s so their friends are the same age range. My grandparents are in their 80s and are that age range. How many kids? Kids have to sit to eat. They won't sit long and you could designate a kids table if you have a bunch, but they can't stand and drink a beverage much less eat. However if most of the people there will be in the 20s and 30s I think chairs for half is enough.

If you are worried about chair placement, put some chairs outside. Yes it will be cold out there but after you've been inside and drinking all night, everyone is going to wander outside at some point. Especially if they smoke. You'll have room for more chairs out there and as the evening wears on, more people are going to want to sit down. I'd go with more like chairs for 60-70%. That way when the early birds go home to sleep you'll have chairs for everyone by the end of the evening.

I think being New Years Eve is hard. People will expect it to last til at least 1am and will drink a LOT more alcohol than they would have say a week later.

One thing that would help a lot--since you don't have enough chairs for people to "mark" their stuff by putting it on a chair, do remember to have some way to mark glasses. Wine glasses have those little pieces that go around the stem that you can write your name on. The big problem with mingling is that when 12 glasses end up on a table, no one can remember which one is theirs and they go get a new glass instead.

I do think tables for 1/3 is about right if you have some smaller areas to set drinks around. Like the mantle, endtable or whatnot. Most people can eat while standing up as long as they can set the drink down.

I had to laugh when I saw everyone saying to nix the asian and/or mexican stations. I know the asian or mexican needs to be cut but in my family it would be the roast beef station. Every time we (as a large family) go out for birthdays and other celebrations we always pick a mexican or asian restaurant.

So for our family it would be a compromise. Keep the asian and the mexican and just add a choice of beef medallions or chicken breast at the pasta station that can be added to the pasta.

What floats the boats of your guests?

You should cut either of these, carving station, Mexican or Asian stations.

If you have lots of Mexicans then cut the other 2. As to tables and chairs, at least 75 to 85% of the people will want to sit. You will need extra tables for the standers to rest their drinks and dishes on. Another table for dirty dishes and glasses. You didn't say how many people and how big is the house which could alter the answer. My question is, why would you want a wedding reception on New Year's Eve at home? Something like that should be in a reception hall with a live band or a DJ.

I would cut the 'Live carving station with roast beef'. I'm sure that is a selection that everyone loves, but when you get down to the logistics, you need to sit and use a fork and knife. If you are not having seating for everyone then avoid foods that must be cut in order to eat. Finger foods work best. You have seating, but as you know, the older folks won't be 'mingling' as much and will make themselves comfortable for the evening. Roast beef works, but not while standing or only sitting on a chair. Good Luck.

You might get a different answer from whom answering. I, personally, would cut Mexican and Asian both.

Regarding chairs and tables, I think you need to change the formula.

For example, if you have 50 people and per your formula you would have 25 chairs and 16-17 tables, in my opinion, you have more tables than chairs.

I suggest you do 8-10 chairs per table and 10% for the tables.

So for the above example, you will need 5-6 tables x 8-10 chairs per table.

Good luck and congratulation.