How to choose your dinner service for your Wedding Reception

Did you know that 48% -50% of the wedding budget is usually spent in the reception (venue and food)? When it comes to your wedding, of course you wish to serve a menu that is special, memorable and that it will please yourself and most of your guests. One of the predicaments that a lot of couples faced when they start to select is that they can’t decide whether to have a sit down dinner, a buffet or live food stations. Though, sometimes narrowing down the options may seem complicated is only a matter of understanding their variances. So, in order to facilitate this let’s begin by focusing on the main differences between the three.

Sit Down Dinner – If you dreamed of a formal night, a bit more traditional and elegant where your guest would be pampered and delighted with a culinary experience this is definitely the way to go. The sit down dinner allows your guests to be served directly to the table without the hazard of having them to stand in line to get it. However, you do need to allocate more time for this type of dinner service being that it will take longer to serve and remove each course. I will say from one to two hours depending on the amount of courses you end up choosing.

Four Course Plated Dinner (Soup, Salad, Intermezzo & Main Entrée)

Filet Mignon – Main Entrée

Buffet Station – On the other hand, if you prefer a more relaxed and casual ambience your best fit is this one. The Buffet option permits your guests to start mingling early on and since the dinner will take less time the party itself will also start earlier. The biggest plus is the fact that your guests will have more options in terms of food to choose from being that there will be a variety of items that will surely satisfied each palate.

Sushi Buffet Station

 Petit Salad Station

 Live Food Stations– This one is very similar to the buffet option but with a few variations. The stations are usually distributed around the venue so you will not have a long table with food. It does let your guests to have a much more personalized experience because a Chef will be there preparing the food in front of your eyes. Plus, having a Chef there cooking live will enhance your event as it provides sort of a culinary show too.

Live Pasta Station with one of our Banquet Cooks, Diana Rodriguez

Now, there are a few things that I recommend couples to take into consideration when selecting the way dinner will be served.  First of all, verify with your venue or caterer which services and menus they offer, ask what they recommend based on your amount of guests, space and type of reception.  Second, consider your budget and see what will fit you best. Then, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do the different styles of service represent a significant impact on budget?
• Is it important for you to offer variety for your guests to choose from?
• Do you have a portion of your guest list that has dietary restrictions that you should accommodate to? Whether if it is religious, based on lifestyle or health.
• Is it relevant for you the amount of time you wish to separate for dinner or does it form a part of a strict protocol you wish to follow?
• Do you have any preference based on previous experiences?

Once you have answered those few questions, chances are you will be able to identify right away which service style fits you better.

Which one will you choose between sit down, buffet or live food stations?

Till next time,

Bridal Savvy