Your wedding reception meal can be considered the most important dinner party you’ll ever throw, and how the food is served is arguably just as important as how it tastes. We called in the experts at Bistro To Go for a crash course on the various wedding catering styles available to couples for their special day. Owner Nikki Heckman shares the pros and cons of each wedding reception meal style to help you decide which makes the most sense for you and your guest list size, venue, priorities, and wedding style.

Buffet Service

At a buffet, food is typically presented in chafing pans or platters and guests walk along the display helping themselves to the various dishes. It is a simple, traditional service style that is a great option for those looking for a no-fuss, cost-effective solution.

Pros

• A buffet does not require as many catering staff members as other styles, easily making it the most affordable service method.
• This type of service is very versatile. A buffet can be scaled up or down to match the formality of your event.
• When guests serve themselves, they can take as much or as little of something as they like, allowing them to really customize their meal.
• Since plates will be located at the buffet stations, you don’t need to worry about setting complete place settings at each table. This could greatly reduce your rental costs.
• You won’t need to collect guests’ meal selections, which will make organizing your RSVPs a little easier. Additionally, you won’t have a need for individual menu cards or escort cards (a communal menu sign and seating chart will do the trick!), which will save you a bit of money.
• Some caterers may be willing to split selections at 50%, offering two types of main dish instead of one, for example. This allows you to offer an even wider selection to your guests.
• A traditional buffet can easily be supplemented with a carving station or made-to-order pasta station. Not only does this add other components to your meal, but it elevates the guest experience.

Cons

• Depending on the number of guests, a buffet line can be quite long. To keep wait times at a minimum, we suggest two buffet lines for a party of 120 guests or more.
• Waiting in a buffet line may not be comfortable or even possible for guests with mobility issues. This may require assistance from other guests or the service staff.
• Some guests may become impatient and hangry as they wait for their table to be released. One way to combat this is to have a salad pre-set on the table or serve a family style pasta course so that guests have something to enjoy while they wait to get in line for the entrees.
• Your VIP guests may be offended if others are allowed to get in the buffet line before they are, so the sequence in which tables are released is important.
• There is no portion control; guests are allowed to take as much food as they want. Because of this, caterers typically have to over-order and over-prepare to not run out of food. This could mean some food may go to waste if it isn’t eaten.
• Buffet set-ups can look a bit basic. Look for a caterer who specializes in artisan displays and ask your florist for help in dressing up the buffet tables.
• Contrary to what some may believe, while fewer catering staff members are needed, they are still in fact needed to ensure food is handled safely and guests are served quickly.

Stations

With food stations, guests are presented with multiple set-ups that offer a plethora of food choices. Stations are usually themed or dedicated to specific dishes or types of food. They can be self-serve, assisted, or chef-attended. This service style is a great solution for couples looking to infuse their personalities and a bit of variety into their reception food.

Pros

• If you are having trouble choosing a menu, the good news is that, with stations, you don’t have to. You can select multiple options and guests can then customize their meal based on their tastes.
• In terms of budget, stations are typically mid-tier, often more expensive than a buffet but not as expensive as plated service.
• Guests with dietary restrictions can easily be accommodated without being singled out. With so many options available, they can pick and choose which items best suit their dietary needs.
• As like with a buffet, full place settings aren’t needed. You can save on rental costs by skipping the chargers and salad plates.
• Lines at stations tend to be shorter than lines at buffets since your guests are dispersed to multiple locations.
• Guests tend to visit more than one station, which gives them many chances to explore the room and mingle with others.
• Stations lend themselves well to being creative! If you have a lot of out-of-town guests, you can wow them with a Pittsburgh-themed station featuring pierogies or Primanti’s style sandwiches. Come from a big Italian family? Opt for a pasta station where guests can choose their own pasta, sauce, and add-ins. Honeymooning in the Caribbean? Design a station that offers local island fare.
• Now is the perfect time to think outside-the-box when it comes to station set-up. Work with your caterer to create visual interest with multi-level displays, floral arrangements, and other decor elements to easily dress up each station.

Cons

• Stations require more china – with one plate per person, per station being a general rule of thumb. This could greatly increase your rental costs.
• You’ll need to pay extra attention to your room diagram as a station style set-up requires more thought than other service styles. Flow and guest movement from station-to-station needs to be carefully considered, as does access to electrical outlets. Some stations require lights and/or heating elements.
• This type of service tends to require more time than others. Since guests are encouraged to mingle and try multiple stations, now is not the time to rush them through dinner. An expanded dinner time should be allotted in your wedding timeline.

Family Style

Family style falls somewhere between a plated dinner service and self-serve options. With this, servers bring several platters to the table and guests can pass them around and help themselves to the selections they like. When done right, it can be magical.

Pros

• A family style dinner provides guests with a wide variety of selections and guests can experience multiple main and side dishes.
• This style is known for creating connections. It’s easy to strike up a conversation with someone as you ask them to pass the carrots!
• It is a great option for small guest lists as it encourages engagement among family and friends and really helps to create that intimate, familial atmosphere.
• This style can easily be fused with other catering service styles to expedite service times and reduce time spent clearing courses. For example, the entrees can be plated while side dishes are served family style.
• If you don’t want the formality of a plated dinner but still want your guests to be seated, a family style service is the perfect compromise.

Cons

• Family style service requires a great deal of orchestration and some caterers do not excel at it. Be sure to ask potential caterers about their experience with this type of service.
• Multiple platters can very quickly eat up a lot of space on the table. This should be considered when planning your tablescape and place settings.
• With this style, guests tend to take longer to enjoy each course and want to hold off on clearing the table until all guests have finished. You may need to allot for an expanded dinner time in your wedding timeline with this style as well.
• More rental items will be needed, including family style bowls, platters, and serving utensils. This should be factored into your budget.
• This type of service doesn’t work well in all venues. The catering staff will need a place to plate food that is out of the elements with no steps and that is very near to guests. Be sure to ask your venue how this service style works in their space.
• Guests with dietary restrictions will need special consideration and will usually require a separate plated option designed with their needs in mind.
• For the food to stay warm and be served quickly, this style requires more service staff than other catering styles.

Plated Dinner

Considered the crème de la crème of wedding dinner, a plated dinner is the most classic of catering service styles. Guests are served multiple courses throughout dinner, all while seated at their table. There are two types of plated meals: a single entree plate that requires each guest to make their selection prior to the wedding and a duo plate where each guest receives the same two entrees. Both can easily be customized to meet dietary needs.

Pros

• A beautifully plated meal can very easily create an elegant, luxurious experience for your guests. Pair with butler passed hors d’oeuvres at your cocktail hour and your friends and family will feel well taken care of and like the VIPs they are.
• This type of service allows for the most control over the look and feel of the meal.
• Your reception will run more smoothly with this type of service since all meals are delivered at the same time. This type of service also takes the least amount of time compared to others.
• Since caterers know exactly how much food to order and portions are controlled, food waste is minimized with this type of service.
• A duo plate decreases the necessary staff and expense as the complexity of service is minimized because each guest will be served the same meal.

Cons

• This type of service is typically the most expensive.
• It is highly recommended that you have a wedding planner if you are opting for this type of meal service. The timing of a multi-course plated dinner is essential and should not be winged. A planner will direct the caterer so the dinner unfolds smoothly.
• A single entree plate is more logistically challenging as you will need to collect guests’ selections with their RSVPs and then communicate this information to the caterer well in advance of the wedding, typically at least two weeks. This requires a sense of organized detail. You will then need to designate each guest’s selection on a seating card that they should carry to their seat. A large seating chart will not work as it will not let the servers know who gets what meal.
• The limited variety in food selections can be challenging or unappealing to some guests.
• It also requires additional staff due to the complexity of getting the correct meal to the correct guest. A good rule of thumb is one server for every 10 guests.
• You will need to pay careful attention to the floor plan and particularly how much space is between each table. Servers will need adequate space to walk between each table without bumping into a guest’s chair.
• A served meal will lead to increased decisions to be made and higher rental costs as the table place setting takes center stage. Everything from the charger plate to the napkin fold is thoughtfully considered. Disposable dishes and serving ware are not recommended or usually considered. If your venue does not have a kitchen, ovens or heated holding cabinets may need to be rented.

While the variety of choices may seem overwhelming, an experienced caterer can help you choose which style will work best for you, taking into consideration your vision, style, personal preferences, guests, and budget.