How do you feel about paper plates at formal events?

They are factoring a lot of people attending to cover the cost of the comedian and caterer, that's why they're keeping the price per plate so low. I hope it doesn't backfire on them.

The caterer is friends with many in the church and had volunteered to do the meal for less. But if we required dinnerware to be washed, she charges extra. There was a group of people willing to wash the plates and cutlery.

I honestly feel like they bit off more than they can chew. They didn't first go check with the venue (our church) to see if they had enough supplies to cover such a big event. Heck we don't even have enough tablecloths, they will either need to buy more or rent them. Or... You never know, we might just end up with plastic tablecloths.

I am learning that my idea of formal and elegant is very different than others.

This is my concern too, I agree with everything you said. 

But I'm not in charge of the event, only the decorating. I told one of the ladies in charge exactly what you said, but they planned the budget so tightly, they apparently don't have a lot of wiggle room. 

One of the committee members came up to me today to get my opinion on the paper plate they had chosen. I smiled and told her I'm sorry but there is no paper plate that will pass my inspection, I'll do my best to decorate with what I have but I don't care for paper plates at a formal event. 

Their hands are tied now because they didn't think it through completely. And I learned to ask more questions before I agree to something. 

I realize that having a formal event in a church changes the definition, which is why I made sure to mention it was being held in a church. 

So I guess call it semi-formal. And every church has different standards of church attire too, although I believe I said dressier than church attire, and our members tend to go for their Sunday best for church attire, so for a formal event they would come dressed in suits, and dressy dresses. 

As for the clean up, I also already mentioned that there was a group of people who had already volunteered to do all the dishes, because they also would rather use "real" dinnerware. 

The problem is that perhaps they tried too hard to keep the costs low, and have now short changed themselves. 

I am also quite aware that $60 is not a formal price point, but they are doing it for at cost which you have to keep in mind. If they weren't doing it at the church and not at cost (or slightly below) it would be a few hundred dollars per plate. 

And all of the above ^^ is really moot. IMO, if it's an event where you are expected to dress up, I'm expecting to be served on dinner plates and steel utensils.

The church has real plates. They are short 50 since they don't normally host events quite as large as this one, and the person in charge of getting more thinks it's just snobbery to want real plates.  So they will spend money getting tacky plates instead of 50 extra plates. 

The caterer is preparing the meal in our large kitchen and I'm not sure about waitstaff.