kgossman These days, there are lots of different dinner style options for your event. Below we break down each style, including the pros and cons of each.
Buffet
Buffet is by far the most popular dinner style for ease and cost. A buffet dinner is one of the least expensive options and the easiest for timeline purposes. It does require two 6’ or 8’ tables to fit everything and you may need to rent these and linens depending on your venue. You can choose to put plates on the buffet (the easiest for guests) or guests can grab their plate from their place setting and bring it with them. You can choose to have a buffet menu sign or do menu cards at each setting if you’d like so guests know what’s ahead.
Plated Dinner
This dinner style is more elegant but is more costly since the kitchen needs more staff to execute. Depending on the efficiency of the staff, this usually takes more time than going through a buffet line. If you’re giving guests menu options, this dinner style is more work for the bride. You’ll need to provide menu options on the invitation reply card and have guests choose their dinner when they RSVP. This should be done with a full seating chart for guests and a marker indicating at each place setting what their dinner choice was for staff. You should also provide a seating chart to the kitchen staff with each dinner choice shown at each place setting. You should pay for a few extra meals in case guests change their menu choice at the event. Make sure you tell the kitchen staff how many additional meals you need for vendors so they can make those or box them up. Unlike buffet dinners, you probably won’t have any leftover food to take home.
Family Style
This is my favorite style of dinner because of the nostalgia! Think family Thanksgiving dinner with each menu item placed in large bowls in the center. This is also more expensive than buffet style since it requires more serving dishes (5+ per table) and more staff. This style is best executed for larger tables or runs of a few tables put together. Finding a caterer who can execute family style dinner is harder since many don’t have enough serveware for this style. If you’re going for ‘gathering’ vibes at your event and you have the budget for this, it’s definitely worth it. Family style dinner creates lasting memories for your guests!
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Hors D’oeuvres
For lighter affairs or events that are before meal time, hors d’oeuvres are a great way to serve food without a full meal. They will be set out like a buffet for guests to grab, or passed by servers, or both. Passed hors d’oeuvres are more upscale and add an elegant touch to your event. However, they do require more staff to serve them. Often times, weddings will include a couple of passed hors d’oeuvre options during cocktail hour, and a plated or buffet meal later. Hors d’oeuvres should be small bites of food, usually 1 or 2 bites worth, that guests can eat standing up. Passed hors d’oeuvres are typically served with a napkin and do not require a plate or utensils. For heavier bites that require a utensil to eat, these should be placed out on a buffet or appetizer table. For these, make sure you have cocktail tables or seating tables for guests to utilize to eat and set drinks down. If you’re offering hors d’oeuvres during a cocktail hour you can offer 2-3 options to choose from. If you’re serving these as the only food option, you should have at least 5 different bites to choose from. Be sure to include a couple of vegetarian options.
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Food Stations
Food stations are a great way for guests to interact and be able to customize their meal. You can choose to do one food station separate from the other food area or multiple stations. For breakfast events, you may do an omelet station, french toast, waffles, or pancakes, etc. You can keep it simple, but many people choose to give guests lots of topping options so they can make it their own. For instance, if you had waffles or pancakes, you could include sweet and savory toppings for guests to choose from. Food stations can add up very quickly, so make sure you budget for these. These require more food items to be prepped, more staff to man the station, and more serving dishes. They can also take up more space, so if you’re doing multiple food stations, you’ll need lots of space.
Food Truck
Food trucks are a newer trend in events. This is a more casual vibe for food but can be really fun. Depending on your area, most food trucks have a minimum of $1500 for food. They will ring up each order and you’ll pay at the end for any additional cost. For a wedding, I would plan on 1 truck for roughly every 75 guests to keep things moving quickly. So for a wedding of 150, I would have at least 2 food trucks. For other events where people can come and go and eat whenever they want, 1 truck should be enough. If everyone eats at the same time at your event, you’ll need to have another truck to keep lines down. For special events, you’ll usually coordinate a special menu before the event. So they may offer 1 or 2 items each instead of their usual full menu. Make sure you coordinate with them on who is providing plates, silverware, baskets, etc.
