From my past events many people expressed that they wanted to have their table set nicely but also wanted to have a buffet service. You can easily do this by starting with the salad plate on top of the dinner plate. Skip the appetizer or serve along with the salad course, but only serve salad and salad additions first. After the salad course is done, have someone collect used salad plates while you are setting up the dinner buffet, say it is a ham, turkey, casserole, side dishes, etc. Now your guest can take their own dinner plates from the table and begin to help them selves to the main course.
Dinnerware is it's own reward.
Having beautiful things to entertain with is so enjoyable. Dinner plates alone can perform so many uses from appetizers, salads to entrees to desserts. I like to help people to be creative. It is often normal to insure our homes, car, boats, artworks and jewelry. When inventorying your dinnerware in a tabletop journal also record date purchased and try to include cost or receipt.