Hosting a buffet - help!

[cosmobrown]

I said I will host a family get together.

Please help me think about what I need...
If I've invited 25 people, how many chairs will I need to provide?
Any tips very very welcome.
Thank you.

You can't have 15 standees in the kitchen. Don't you have kitchen chairs?

I like @dinmin's idea about designated loos for ladies and men.

How will people get to the food if people are just standing about in front of it?

Can you have an open house format where people drop in and out, but all aren't there at same time?

Why not hire a room in a pub and get them to cater?
You don't sound as though you've got enough room in your home or enough crockery and cutlery really.
It all seems a bit stressful.

The loo situation is solved if you hire somewhere and it'll all hopefully be on the same level.
If you're already thinking of getting caterers in why not consider a venue that would save you a load of hassle?

My rule of thumb is that our parents probably need a chair pulled up to a table. Our generation need a seat but will eat off our laps.
Teens tend to stand or perch
Children graze on the run or sit under tables or on their mum’s laps.
Toddlers need a little safe spot.

I wouldn’t cut my seating quite that tight but that’s the pattern I generally see.

Ask one of your guests to bring extra cutlery/ plates/glasses if needed but don’t ask too many people or you’ll lose track!

I try and have the food table accessible from all sides, with two spoons in each dish as it speeds up serving. You can always push it back against the wall after.

I had 19 recently and we only needed to use one loo and it was fine.

I always set up a separate drinks table and encourage self service. Keep it a good distance away from the food and it will help divide the crowd.

Make a few platters of sandwiches and make some sausage rolls with pre rolled puff pastry. A selection of cheeses crackers, pate grapes Italian meats with French bread olives etc
A decent selection of crisps and nuts spring rolls and samosas.

If people will be milling around/perching on arms of sofa/swapping chairs etc I aim to provide food that doesn't need a knife or a fork. Something that can be eaten from a bowl with a spoon, or finger good that can be eaten with one hand and a napkin.

I think it will be fine if it is just family.

En-suite as ladies loo.

You haven't said when. If it is March or later use the outside. TBH I have family members that would happily sit outside in winter.

Another vote for church hall / village hall. They normally have seats and loos enough for 25. Most homes just don't these days.

If it's summer and people are happy to mill about, that's a bit different though