Whether you are trying to have a wedding that is memorable and extravagant or intimate and private, you will need a Catering Service to keep your guests happy and satiated.
The last thing you want is a horde of waiters and waitresses struggling to serve the guests in a timely fashion or having a continuous stream of guests waiting in line at a buffet.
But which type of catering service is appropriate for you?
A good place to start is to understand the different types of wedding catering services and how each has different types of planning, pricing, and ordering procedures.
Once you narrow down your choice to one of these options, it can help you plan the evening appropriately.
Plated Meal
A plated meal is the most traditional and formal option for wedding catering services.
In this form of catering, guests stay seated at their tables for the majority of the night, simply choosing out of two or three options on the menu.
Guests will order their meals in advance (once they are seated at the reception usually) and then the waiters will serve their choices in courses.
This style will let your guests’ conversations flow freely, as there won’t be as much movement needed to get themselves refreshment.
If you are going the traditional route, a plated dinner is the way to go, as it provides a sense of formality and a flow that other catering options lack.
However, this is also the least flexible form of catering as guests will have a limited set of options.
It is also the priciest option of the bunch and does require detailed menu planning.
Buffet
A buffet features all of the dinner offerings presented on a long table.
The buffet will come with a few servers to provide information about each dish and to help guests with serving the food.
This wedding catering style is usually less expensive than plated meals and allows your guests to choose the type of food that they want to eat.
While this style of catering is usually reserved for less formal affairs, there are plenty of ways to add a gourmet-style twist to your buffet wedding catering services.
Food Stations
This option is a wedding catering service that has had a lot of traction in recent years.
Here, there will be various stations around your venue that offer different types of food, often separated by category.
For instance, one could focus solely on bread and cheeses, while another could serve different cuts of meat.
This gives your guests the ability to craft themselves a plate of food that is perfectly aligned with their tastes.
By placing the stations in different parts of the venue, you can also encourage more mingling amongst guests.
The different categories of food are also perfect if you are throwing a themed wedding.
Family Style
This style of catering is modeled after the sit-down dinner, where waiters bring large portions of the dinner to each table on serving platters.
Guests are encouraged to fill up their plates with everything served on the table—an experience similar to sitting down for dinner at home with your family.
This is the perfect way to give your wedding reception a comforting and familiar atmosphere.
If you are having a relatively small wedding party, this is a great option for you.
Cocktail Style
Instead of being seated in the same place or being stuck in a buffet line for the majority of the evening, you can opt to have a cocktail-style reception.
Here, you can opt to serve hors d’oeuvres and other small bites. This can include a combination of hot and cold food options and are usually one or two-bite portions.
The food can be served by servers or left stationary for guests to help themselves.
This style is perfect for couples who want a more casual atmosphere and want their guests to mix and mingle with each other.
It is also a very affordable wedding catering option, so if you don’t want to splurge on a banquet-style dinner, you can just choose to host a standing reception with cocktail foods.
Choose Wedding Catering Services that are Appropriate for you
No matter what wedding catering services you choose, it all comes down to what type of event you are hosting.
So whether you want a formal and fancy service or a cool and casual reception, there are plenty of catering options for you to choose from.
