The 5 Wedding Catering Styles
Your wedding is one of the most momentous occasions of your life and it deserves the best of everything. When searching for a caterer in San Diego, you’ll likely be asked what type of catering style you’d like for your special day. If you’re unfamiliar with the five different types of catering, here’s what you need to know about each one.
- Plated sit-down dinner
This is the traditional reception style in which guests are seated and served a formal dinner. You may have an appetizer and an entrée, and potentially some dessert. Guests are typically asked to pre-select their entrée choice when RSVPing for the wedding.
- Family-style dinner
In a family-style dinner, guests are seated around tables and serve themselves from bowls and platters passed around the table. This option is less formal than the plated sit-down dinner, but may offer more variety in terms of food choices. The family-style dinner may feel more casual and laid-back — a great choice if you’d like your guests to engage with one another as they pass the food around the table.
- Buffet-style dinner
If you’d like guests to serve themselves from a designated table and offer more variety in food choices, the buffet-style dinner is the option to choose. However, you’ll need to consider ways to make the food lines move quickly and efficiently. Offer multiple access points to food so you don’t get a traffic jam at the dessert or drinks table.
When considering a buffet-style dinner, keep in mind the colors and presentation of the food so that it looks appealing and fits with your overall wedding theme.
- Self-serve stations
A self-serve station is similar to a buffet in that there are many food options available. This catering style has multiple tables or areas offering specific types of foods or dishes, such as pizza, fruit, dessert, or appetizers. Dishes that may be difficult for guests to serve themselves may require an attendant.
- Cocktail-style dinner
A cocktail-style wedding reception doesn’t have tables, seating charts, or traffic jams. Guests can mingle, dance, and enjoy food all night long, snacking on small bites and enjoying drinks.
If you choose this option, consider offering seating to older guests who may not be able to stand for extended periods of time. You’ll also need to change up the appetizers regularly so that guests don’t get tired of the food.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a tasting with a professional wedding caterer in San Diego, please consider reaching out to us here at Urban Solace Catering for a consultation.