Family Style?

AllyceB · January 2012

My caterer suggested doing a family style dinner as a way to keep the cost down. He said that the difference between buffet and plated was not significate. It would be italian food so it's kind of fitting I think but it seems unusual to me since I've never seen it done. I was just curious what you guys thought of family style serving at a wedding?

StephBeanWed61502 · January 2012

I'd be really nervous about spilling the food all over my (or someone else's) nice wedding clothes! Other than that, I think it would depend, for me, on the size of the wedding - I could see it working if you have a guest list of, say, 50, but not if you have a guest list of 200, KWIM?

Avion22 · January 2012

My cousin did family-style service for her wedding with about 150 guests. It worked just fine. There was a lot of food left over from our table though....not sure it ended up saving them any money....but it sure was fun!

chattychiqa · January 2012

I would have preferred to do that, it seems SO cool! Messing up clothes may be an issue, hopefully guests will just be careful, and you can put Tide pens, Shout wipes, etc, in a little "just in case" basket in the bathrooms.

tenofcups4me · January 2012

I h aven't seen it a wedding, but I've seen it at bar and bat mitzvahs and business functions. It's fun! A little more casual than a plated meal so I don't think it would work if your wedding is super-formal, but SO much nicer than a buffet in my opinion. I didn't give a moment's thought to messing up my clothes passing food, but then again I don't worry about that if I'm going to Thanksgiving or another holiday at someone's house either. Seems like an odd thing to worry about.

StephBeanWed61502 · January 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_family-style-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:789209ef-f384-43d6-b07c-ed88ced5d592Post:cfcb769e-fcf9-4941-9079-a635368cc074">Re: Family Style?</a>:
[QUOTE]I h aven't seen it a wedding, but I've seen it at bar and bat mitzvahs and business functions. It's fun! A little more casual than a plated meal so I don't think it would work if your wedding is super-formal, but SO much nicer than a buffet in my opinion. I didn't give a moment's thought to messing up my clothes passing food, but then again I don't worry about that if I'm going to Thanksgiving or another holiday at someone's house either. <strong>Seems like an odd thing to worry about.
</strong>Posted by tenofcups4me[/QUOTE]

It's really not, for me. I'm a klutz, and when OP said "Italian food," all I could think of was dropping a tray of red sauce-covered food on myself or someone else. It's one thing at Thanksgiving or Christmas, when all my klutziness is wrecking is my $15 Target sweater, but it's another thing entirely when it's my $200+ cocktail dress.

fallbride1109 · January 2012

My boss' wedding was family style and it worked fine. His wedding was pretty elegant but having family style was very "them" and it didn't seem out of place at all. His wedding was small --probably around 75 people. I think it would still work fine at a bigger wedding though.

AurorasEnvy · January 2012

I've never seen it done, but it seems like a cool option. Plated is my preference, but I think I'd prefer family style to buffet.

AllyceB · January 2012

I like that it keeps everyone in their seats and will start up conversations at tables where maybe not everyone knows each other. I worried a bit about spilling (I too am a major clutz) but people can spill any way you serve the food! I know I do! I really like the idea of the tide pen or something in the bathroom just in case. Thanks for easing my mind!

ginadog · January 2012

All the weddings I went to as a kid were family style. So it is quite normal for me. As a kid serving herself, I don't remember spilling food. Just my 2 cents!

I didn't know there were any other options for food serving until I was an adult!

Still have never been to a plated dinner wedding in my entire life.

alithebride · January 2012

ask the caterer if 1) servers will serve the food or if the guests will ahve to serve themselves 2) is the food unlimited, meaning if one platter of chicken parm is gone will they bring a 2nd?

honestly i wouldn't worry about spilling so much. it's just as easy for someone to spill a plate of food walking with it from the buffet.....probably easier......

and i FAR FAR FAR prefer family style over buffet. table-side waiter order plated is my first choice, family 2nd, manned stations 3rd, buffet last. dead last.

Family Style?

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