5 Reception Meal Serving Styles

Planning your reception meal is one of the biggest and perhaps priciest parts of the planning process. Therefore, you want to make sure you pick the right style which goes along with the mood you’ve set for your big day. Unsure of what kind of serving style you should have at your reception? We’ve broken down the top 5 serving styles for you! Read below and find out which will work best for your wedding day:

Plated Dinner

A plated dinner is the most formal of all serving styles and is best if you are having a traditional wedding. The meal will usually consist of three-courses, appetizer, entree and dessert, and requires servers who will set the table, plate the food and clean up. This option is best for couples willing to splurge a little extra on food and drink.

Cocktail-Style  

This is definitely the most modern of all styles where small bites and finger foods are served rather than a full meal. Guests are encouraged to mingle while servers circle the area with appetizer sized bites ranging from mini tacos all the way to freshly rolled sushi rolls.

Stations

Food stations mixes things up at your reception by removing servers and stationing food at different areas of your venue. This allows guests to move around the event, filling up their plate with different selections of food. Think an asian cuisine station, a pasta bar and more!

Buffet

Buffets work best for a large guest list. Food is displayed on long banquet tables where guest can easily help themselves to a variety of different foods. It is both easy and causal, requiring fewer staff and provides a variety to your menu.

Family-Style

This style is perfect for a relaxed and casual setting. It is similar to a plated dinner, where guest will have to sit down together at large banquet tables. Food is then served on platters and placed in the middle of the table, which gets guests to interact with each other as they make their own plates.

Photo courtesy of Niche Catering and Events