3 Wedding Dinner Styles & How To Decide Which Is Best For You
Welcome to the one place to answer ALL the questions about wedding dinner styles for your wedding reception! These are the frequently asked questions from interested couples regarding wedding reception styles for dinner service:
“What dinner styles are offered?
“Which is less expensive?”
“What are the pros and cons?”
“What do guests seem to like better?”
We are going to answer all of these questions as we talk about each dinner service style we offer here at the Preston Barn. The 3 styles we offer are Buffet, Sit-Down, and Family-Style (that’s one question down!). We are going to define each one, answer those FAQs, and as a bonus, we’ll give you some insight on how the Preston Barn staff perfects the art of each dinner service. Here we go!
Photo: Bailey Q Photo
Buffet
Buffet receptions have all of the food on a long table display. Guests are invited one or two tables at a time, are offered a plate, and staff serves them from behind the buffet table while they get to choose the foods they like or try them all. It is a more casual form of dining and guests get to mingle with other guests at the buffet that they might not engage with. Our buffet display is set up beautifully with copper chafing dishes, matching linens, lights, and sometimes we’ll add light decor that suits your wedding style.
Buffet style is usually the cheaper option mainly because not as much staff is needed. Portions of each option are also slightly smaller, but the variety is bigger. Couples who choose to do buffet often do so not only for the price difference, but because they like the idea of guests (and themselves) getting to try a little of everything. Ever go to a wedding with a plated dinner, then feel envious of the person next to you who got something different and it looks and smells more amazing? A buffet is a good way to avoid that.
Summer wedding buffet. Photo: Sweet Alice Photography
One of the main reasons we see couples go for more expensive dinner styles is that they don’t like the idea of guests having to wait in line. Buffets can sometimes take a little longer for this reason and there are sometimes concerns about accessibility for elderly or disabled guests.
These concerns are understandable, however, we always let our couples know that we have an excellent system for organizing our buffet receptions that should alleviate those concerns. Our Maitre’d will physically go to each table to invite them to the buffet, we offer to do a plated meal for elderly or disabled guests (within reason, more on this in the “sit-down” section), and we will consider guest count and room setup to make the buffet as quick and convenient as possible (for example, a larger wedding with 200 guests would have two buffet lines to make it go faster). We can also do plated meals for the kids, or kids table (and mom will thank you that she doesn’t have to juggle multiple plates in line)!
Photo: The Ramsdens
2. Sit-Down Dinner
At a Sit-Down dinner reception, your guests stay seated at their tables and servers bring the plated meals to them. It is seen as the more proper and traditional option, especially to older guests. It looks more elegant in the room as there are no lines, and the dish looks more elegant with the proper sides like you would get at a restaurant.
While this option is more expensive because more staff is needed, one of the major perks is that there is better control of the timeline. With all of the guests remaining seated and being served at the same time, it allows your coordinator and/or planner, plus your vendors, to plan exact times for toasts, special dances, etc. It is also easier if you have many older, elderly or disabled guests, so if you have more than a handful of those guests, a plated dinner may be a better option for you.
Invitations by Smitten on Paper; Photo: The Ramsdens
The disadvantage of a sit-down is that there are limited options (for our venue you get 3 entree options) and guests have to choose IN ADVANCE. You, as the engaged couple, have to include meal choice in your RSVP cards so that your venue/caterer knows how much of each entree to order. You also need to ask guests to let you know of any dietary restrictions.
Photos: Domenick Michael
3. Family-Style
Family-style is similar to a sit-down dinner as all guests remain seated and servers come to the tables with the food. However, each entree and side is served on platters and placed in the middle of the table. Guests can pass them around and help themselves. It’s almost like a mix between buffet and sit-down styles! For some, this is a way to get the best of both worlds.
Family-style is usually the same price as sit-down dinner because it also needs significantly more staff than a buffet. In addition to sharing some perks of both sit-down and buffet, family-style allows guests to mix and mingle with each other more. This is especially fun for guests who may be sitting with people they don’t know as well.
The downfall of this style is that you have to limit your table decor. The table needs to have enough space for several platters so if you are looking to have tons of flowers and candles on your table, this may not be a good option for you.
Nice light decor for family style! Photo: Pioneer Media
Now that you have all of that information, you can think about which one is best for YOU.
First, ask yourself a few key questions to figure out the overall tone of your wedding:
Which service style will best fit your budget?
Who are your guests and what kind of guest experience are you/they looking for?
Is your wedding going to be more of “posh” event or more casual?
(You could also check out our blog on 5 things you need to know before you tour. Some of these will help you to determine the tone, style, and budget for your wedding!)
Then, be sure to consult with your venue coordinator and/or planner, and/or caterer, because they will likely have some insights that are particular to the venue you chose. Here at the Preston Barn, we have done all of these dinner styles for weddings of all styles and sizes. Combining your needs, headcount, desired room layout, and our experience, we can help our couples decide what the best choice is for their wedding day.
If you want to know more about reception dinner options or more about The Preston Barn, feel free to contact our wedding and event coordinator!
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