The 4 types of food service style for your wedding dinner

A Buffet: A meal of several dishes from which guests can serve themselves.

Pros of the buffet service

• Everyone loves a buffet
• Variety
• Less staff, can be cost friendly

Cons of a buffet service

• Line up and can take up space
• Can be wasteful
• Sometimes the good dish can run out!

Plated: A plated meal is a dining option in which your guests remain seated for the meal, and are served all the courses by a hired wait staff

Pros of the plated service

• It's classy AF
• Presentation
• No line ups

Cons of a plated service

• Getting all your guests orders ahead of time
• Staff costs are higher

Family style: When food is served on large platters meant for sharing, rather than as individual plates. Diners serve themselves from the food platters, just like you might at home in your dining room.

Pros of the family style service

• It's a buffet at your table!
• Guests don't have to select their meals ahead of time
• Great ice breaker, guests have to talk to one another

Cons of the family style service

• Your tables need a ton of space for platters, so you have less decor
• Usually the most expensive option

Cocktail style: It’s when guests mingling throughout the evening while being served passed canapes from the servers who are circulating among the guests. Usually there are food stations as well.

Pros of the cocktail style service

• No formal seating chart is required
• Food stations are super fun and creative
• Way less formal

Cons of the cocktail style service

• It can get very costly when you start to customize and add on
• Guests who are used to a traditional setting might be confused and continuously ask, but when is dinner
• Plates and glassware are tend to be left everywhere, creating a mess in random spots

Items to consider

• Your guests
• Time of day your serving dinner
• Your budget

Biggest take-a-way, your guests care about FOOD! Make sure you make the right selection.