To Sit, Stand or Graze?

October 25, 2011 at 8:59 pm · Filed under Planning, Uncategorized, Weddings and tagged: bars, BRAVO!, Buffet, David Tutera, dinner, Event Vendors, Events, Food, Planning, Reception, serving pieces, Sit Down Dinner, Stations, Wedding Obbesions, Weddings

Of all of the wedding shows on TV one of my favorites is Four Weddings on TLC.  Brides attend each others weddings and rank their competition’s wedding on dress, venue, food and over all experience.  At the end of the show the bride with the most points wins a honeymoon to some tropical place.  One thing I have noticed on every show is that the other brides have strong opinions on which way the food should be served.   There are advantages and disadvantages to both but most importantly it depends on the event and the ambiance you are trying to convey.

1) The Buffet

Most casual bridal couples prefer a fun and relaxing reception by having wedding guests serve themselves from a variety of foods. This is a great option for wedding reception food because the nature of a buffet offers something for everyone.

Pros-

• Food is generally less expensive
• No need to pay for a wait staff.
• More causal
• Wide variety of food choices

Cons-

• The fear of running out of food
• Long wait lines
• To causal for some couples

Helpful Hints:

1. Have two buffet lines to cut down on wait time
2. So that it doesn’t look as causal, use nice polished aluminum to add a more formal presentation
3. Use different shape and size tables to look less causal
4. Release the room in sections to cut down on lines

2) The Sit-Down Dinner

Elegant traditional bridal couples often take the opportunity to have waiters serve their guests so that everyone eats and finishes at the same time which allows more time to socialize.

Pros-

• Will appear as if you went all out
• Considered to be more formal
• Less chaotic
• Guests don’t have to do much work

Cons-

• Fear the food will get cold
• Fear that dinner will seem to “stuffy”
• Limited on what you can eat
• More for the bride and groom to figure out beforehand ( specific guest count, place cards, who is eating what, etc..)

Helpful Hints:

1. Hire a caterer that will prepare the food during the reception so food will be fresh and hot
2. Give a variety of menu options for different taste buds

3)  FOOD STATIONS

Most adventurous bridal couples like the style of this reception because it provides a lot of fun and variety for guests to sample foods from each station. One thing’s for sure–wedding guests will rave about this party for years to come!

Pros-

• Will get your guests to mix and mingle
• Stations offer many food options for a variety of guests
• No need to pay wait staff

Cons-

• Each station will need its own china and silverware
• Serving dishes and presentation can get expensive

Helpful Hints:

1. Stations can be positioned across the venues to maximize flow
2. Use polished aluminum to add a formal feel
3. Spend a little extra money and have people behind the stations to explain the food or cook it live

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