Which wedding service style is right for you? We can help you figure that out. Below is a guide to some of the most common wedding service styles. To Your Taste Catering can accommodate all of these styles of service. If after reading this guide you still aren’t sure, it’s ok! We will answer your questions and help you come to a decision.
Seated, Plated Dinner
With this service style guests are seated at the table and servers bring the food to them. This is considered a formal style. Guests all get their food at the same time and don’t have to stand in line or wait to be called to get their food. A seating chart is required so that the food selections the guests make when RSVPing to the wedding makes it to the correct person. This also means that you need to know what you’re serving before you send out your invitations so guests can select what they want.
This type of service requires plenty of staffing, advance menu selections, and therefore this is the type of service that will require a larger budget.
French Service
French Service is an elegant, upscale dining style that brings a touch of luxury and sophistication to any event. Known for its personalized attention and beautiful presentation, this style often features tableside preparation, finishing, or serving of dishes by trained staff. It creates an intimate, refined dining experience where guests can enjoy exceptional service and attention to detail. French Service is ideal for formal dinners, upscale celebrations, and events looking to create a truly memorable dining experience.
Buffet
A buffet is stationed food that guests go up to and serve themselves. Stationed servers can also be added to make it a bit more formal, which also controls portion size better because servers behind the buffet are dishing out the food.
This style is less formal, but because it requires less staffing it is more budget-friendly than plated dinners. It also has the benefit of not having to make the food decisions before the invites go out.
Family Style
This type of catering service has a comfortable slightly more casual style than the plated dinner, while also not requiring people leave the table for their food. The servers will bring out large serving platters and bowls with serving utensils and the guests at the table serve themselves. Servers monitor the tables to replenish any depleted platters and take away empty dishes.
This type of service might require a little less staffing than a seated, plated service, but it’s more staffing than a buffet. It doesn’t require knowing before sending out the invitations what you’re going to serve, and doesn’t require people line up for food. In larger weddings tables are dismissed to the buffet typically one or two at a time, but with family style the food all comes out rather quickly to everybody.
Food Stations
If you like fun and novelty then food stations might be a good choice. With this style there are stations set up around the room, like grazing tables, dessert tables, chef action stations such as noodle bars and taco bars. With this type of service your personal style can really shine through. Guests can wander around, mingle, and choose what looks interesting to them.
This type of service requires staffing to keep the stations filled and tidy. Chef action stations require staffing as well. This does not require as much budget as a seated dinner.
Cocktail & Heavy Appetizers
This option is perfect for a shorter reception, or receptions that are not at dinnertime. Stationed apps is more budget-friendly as it requires less staffing. This type of service is also great as an add-on for a cocktail hour, or late-night snacks for longer receptions. This also works well for the more and more popular weekend events where you’re celebrating for many hours over several days and need to provide food throughout the day. The appetizers can be the standard favorites, or you can select things that suit your personal style better. For example you could do all all BBQ themed with BBQ sliders, mac-and-cheese balls, cups of potato salad, etc. This style has many possibilities for whimsy!
Do you have a good idea of what kind of service you might prefer?
To Your Taste Catering is an award-winning catering company serving the Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia region since 2004.
Have questions? Contact us at sales@toyourtastecatering.com.
