Styles for Wedding Dining
Select the Dining Style that Reflects One's Personal Wedding Style
When planning a wedding reception menu, consider the style of service that will accompany the meal.
Planning a wedding can be one of the most stressful activities one will take part in with a future spouse, but it can also be one of the most fun parts of planning the wedding. Selections can set the tone for the entire celebration, and will often leave the most memorable impression on guests.
There are several different styles of meals and service to choose from, depending on what venues are willing to offer.
Basic Serving Styles
Buffet
A buffet-style meal usually means that all of the food will be placed on a long table or countertop at the reception venue. Arrange to hire buffet attendants who will help serve the food to guests. The meal, when appropriate, is usually kept hot inside chaffing dishes. The advantage to this more casual style of wedding dining is that guests will have the freedom to select the portion size of each dish, often with the freedom to have “seconds.”
Family Style
With family-style dining, platters of food are served to each table, where guests will serve themselves a portion of each dish before passing it on to the guest seated beside him or her. This style of dining is less formal than serving a plated meal, but guests will enjoy sharing with one another and getting to know one another as they pass the food around the table.
Plated Dinner
Usually the most expensive style of wedding reception dining, serving a plated dinner is also the most elegant choice. Reception guests will each be served their own plate of hot food by a server. The drawback to this style is that if the service is not well co-ordinated or quick enough, some guests may finish their meal before others have even been served.
Considering Guests' Needs
When considering which style of dining to provide for wedding guests, consider:
- The number of guests who will be attending the reception. A very large guest list will not make buffet-style dining easy to accomplish, for example.
- The amount of money to be spent. Consider also unexpected costs such as rental fees for dishes, silverware, labour costs for servers, if necessary.
- Special dietary needs of guests. Consider providing a vegetarian option for guests who do not eat meat. Children may also need a different menu.
- The mobility of the guests. Will older guests be able to reach the buffet comfortably? Will there be servers available to assist less mobile guests?
- The kinds of foods that will be served. Avoid serving messy foods in a buffet-style meal.
When planning a wedding dinner, remember also to plan for any appetizers or desserts, other than wedding cake, that will be served to guests. Don’t be afraid to shop around and ask potential venues about the kind of table and food service they are able to provide for the celebration.
