Which Style of Catering to Choose
Wondering if you should do a buffet, family style, or plated dish for your wedding? Here is a breakdown of the considerations to each option.
PLATED - meals are plated by the catering staff and the staff aims to serve all guests at the same time.
Expectations: Individual meals are prepared and garnished for presentation, all of which takes time—and staff. Having a plated meal communicates a certain level of formality, and it’s the most upscale of the food service styles. Your guests will be required to pre-select their meal for the wedding night when they RSVP and you will be required to have a name card with an indicator to denote the meal selection per guest . NOTE: a plated meal option requires that the venue has a working space large enough for the catering company to do both the set up of the individual plates and food preparation.
Expense: $$$$ Based on the staff needed to plate and serve the meals this is your most expensive option. Additional expenses will also incur for the individual name meal-indicator cards for each table setting and the expense of a wedding day assistant to place the name cards.
Table Setting Design: For this upscale meal style we typically suggest a fancier table setting which may include the use of multiple glasses, a charger, specialty napkin and fold, and three course flatware.
Insiders tip: we don’t recommend this option for 80+ guests because we see that even the highest end catering companies struggle to get a hot plated meal out at the ‘same’ time and delays in the timeline occur. Often guests receive the least amount of food with this option and we see the most food waste.
FAMILY STYLE - meals are pre-prepared in serving dishes large enough to serve the number of guests at each table.
Expectations: table meals are prepared and set at tables for guests to self-serve their meal at their table. NOTE: this often requires uniformity in your table seating (roughly same amount of guests at each table) by your caterer.
Expense: $$$ While there is an assumption that this option is a cheaper option, we see the final cost to be the same or just below the plated meal option based on the requirement of additional serving ware rentals, staffing to clean the additional serving ware.
Table Setting Design: For this upscale meal style we typically suggest a table setting which includes the use of one glass, no chargers, a specialty napkin and fold, and one course flatware. We advise to account for room on the table for the serving ware since we often see guests struggle with placement of the large serving ware dishes after they plate their meals.
Insiders tip: We often see guests mis-manage their meal portions, leaving some guests without enough food and others with extra portions. The only way to combat this is to request the catering to add additional meals above your headcount.
BUFFET - meals are served from a central location in buffet serving dishes and tables are released to the buffet location to be served.
Expectations: often the catering staff will plate each guests meal at the buffet receiving line so the guests recieve a beautifully plated meal. With the buffet option, your guests will experience the most meal options and often an option for a second serving because guests select only what they want to eat creating much less food waste. Tables will be released one at a time so no guest waits in line, with VIP tables being released first.
Expense: $$ This option is often the cheapest of the meal styles because the catering company need fewer staff members for a buffet and there is less food waste. Buffet service easily allows for guest count fluctuations with both additions and deletions.
Table Setting Design: For this meal style we typically suggest a table setting which includes the use of one glass, a charger to dress the table, a specialty napkin and fold, and flatware on the table. We advise to have the plates set at the buffet so guests to not have to travel with their plate to the buffet.
Insiders Tip: the bride and groom will be served a plated meal in order to maximize their time at the reception.
FOOD TRUCK - couples may choose a set menu of typically three options and guests will individually order their meal option.
Expectations: this option is best for weddings looking for a more casual vibe. Food is typically served from the food truck for the guest to pick up. NOTE: food trucks typically do not offer the staffing to bus and clean up food waste and external additional staffing is needed in order to keep the venue clean of food debris.
Expense: $$ This option can be the cheapest HOWEVER it is difficult to find venues that allow for this and couples often forget to factor in the expense of flatware and staffing for required bussing needs.
Table Setting Design: For this meal style we typically suggest no tablescape so guests can choose any table seating. We advise to splurge on eco-friendly bamboo flatware.
Insider’s Tip: Offer the option for guests to partake in food throughout the cocktail hour and dinner hour as to not overwhelm the food truck providers.
No matter which food service style you choose, realize that the four types of catering provide a different experience.
