Katharina Buczek
There are plenty of upsides to this reception meal style. Primarily, it sets a formal vibe immediately and allows you to have the majority of control over offerings. Plus, it keeps dining on a stricter schedule, as guests are served their food on a pre-planned timeline.
However, the price of a plated meal can be more expensive. Yes, you will get to control food costs by directly picking the kinds of dinners cooked, but the fact that they are served may translate to higher labor expenses.
Some surefire picks for this kind of wedding dining experience include a popular spring salad or Caprese salad as the appetizer and a roast chicken or grilled fish for the main.
Buffet-Style
If you love variety, buffets may be the way to go. Your reception will probably be filled with long tables touting tons of food options that provide your guests with the most diverse range of meal choices.
This style has gained popularity in recent years as a solution to accommodating those with food allergies or specific dietary preferences. It can also be very aesthetically pleasing if designed in line with your overall wedding vision.
Still, there are some downsides to this dinner layout. Since there are so many high-volume offerings, you may end up doling out more money to curate a menu with a wide range of cuisines. There also may be leftovers.
Additionally, buffets lead to lines, meaning keeping the dining portion of your reception to a schedule can be more difficult. Guests may get up to grab seconds, and keeping things moving may present a challenge.
Even so, buffets make sense for plenty of couples, and you can include countless tasty dishes to choose from, such as brick oven pizza, a sushi bar, all kinds of pasta, sliders, charcuterie, and more.
Cocktail-Style
Perhaps the least traditional is the cocktail-style reception, which goes against the notion that you have to create a seating chart.
