Your Service Signature

No, it's not your wedding ceremony we're talking about, it's the manner in which food will be served to your guests. Believe it or not, one of the most important aspects of your wedding day will be the food and beverage. People will always remember how the bride looked, and how good (or not) the food was. Keeping this in mind, you need to understand the different options that are available out there. Today we will explore the options, and the features and benefits of each.

First we will explore the most popular choice, which is a plated meal. This service is where you, as a bride, will chose the menu to be served directly to each guest. You can choose a single entrée, a duo entrée, a trio, or you can have your guests RSVP their choice from a limited selection. First and foremost, this type of meal service will tend to be less expensive, and look the most formal. It will also typically be, depending upon the venue, hot and directly out of the kitchen. A drawback to this service is it limits the guests to what you have selected for the choices. If you do decide to go with the RSVP meal choice route, keep in mind that the venue or caterer will have to prepare a few extra meals in each category, potentially increasing your costs, because people tend to change their mind when they see the presentation of the entrees.

Second we will tackle the buffet meal. This service consists of one menu being served at buffet tables in the reception room. Your guests will get up from their tables and go through the buffet, filling their plates with the items that they want to eat. This is a good service in that the menu is the same for everyone, and typically comes with several choices for entrees, thereby making it easier to please the picky eaters in your group. The downside to buffets is that they do tend to be more expensive than their plated counterparts, and people do have to get up and potentially stand in line to get their food. Always ask your venue or caterer how many buffets they will do in order to eliminate, or at least lessen, lines. The standard in the industry is a one sided buffet for every 50 guests.

The third service we will cover is family style service. This is exactly what it sounds like, in that the servers bring out platters of food and place it in the center of the table. Then like a big Thanksgiving dinner at home, the guests pass the platters around the table and serve themselves. A benefit to this service is it is similar to a buffet service, except the platters of food are brought and placed at the table versus your guests having to get up and stand in line at a buffet. This service does tend to be more expensive than plated or buffet service, and is limited on the amount of food you can offer, based upon the space available at each table. It is not recommended to do more than 5 or 6 items, or you will lose space for your centerpieces and for your guests to comfortably eat. By using longer rectangular tables you won’t have to be limited as much on the amount of items you can offer, and it will also lessen the amount platters needed potentially lessening your cost.

The last service we will cover is stations. This service is very similar to buffet service except each ‘station’ has a different menu. This is a casual type of service but very trendy. A great feature and benefit to this service is it allows you and your guests to enjoy a lot of different kinds of food, it also allows your guests to mingle and creates better conversation between guests. You can theme each station with each offering of food or simply choose all of your favorites and divide the stations into different ethnic cuisine backgrounds. The downside to this service is it tends to be the most expensive due to staffing, equipment needed and the overall amount of food that will be needed. Even though the stations might be offering smaller portions it will mean that they have to prepare more to ensure your guests don’t leave hungry. Your guests will also have to visit multiple stations in order to enjoy all that is being offered.

In the end it is your wedding reception so you can stay traditional or you can mix it up. Serve appetizers and salads plated, the main entrees family style and then end the night with a fabulous dessert station. The sky is the limit so do whatever suits your style, theme and budget. As long as the food is presented well and tastes good the guests will enjoy it and talk about it for years to come.

In deciding what service is best for your wedding there are many factors for you to consider. First, as much as we all hate to admit it, you need to be realistic about your budget. Decide what you would like to serve, and work with your venue or caterer on how you can best make that happen within your budgeted amount. More importantly though, think about the atmosphere you’d like to have at your wedding. Are you looking for a classy and chic event? Do you see cozy conversation among your guests, like a family? Do you want guests up and moving around the whole time? The beauty of your wedding will be in the details. By thinking through a few of these things you will be well equipped to make the right decision, putting your signature on even the meal service for your wedding.

BBFN (Bridal Bliss for Now),
Olivia