What do you want your guests to remember about your wedding catering? Choosing the most suitable type of caterer matters if you’re looking for delicious food and a feeling of family and intimacy. Catering a family-style meal will allow you to celebrate your wedding with your friends and family in an even more intimate setting.
What Does Family-Style Meal Service Mean?
A family-style meal, also called a large format dining, looks like a family dinner. Waitstaff places large platters, bowls, or skillets containing various entreés and sides at the table center.
Each guest seated around the table will serve themselves from the communal dishes. They can help themselves as much as they like, even up to second and third helpings! Children can operate by themselves under adult supervision.
Here are some of the joys of having a family-style service.
1. Your Wedding Catering Will Be More Efficient
No one wants to be kept waiting, especially for food. You also don’t want your guests missing out on a party because of a timed dinner.
Family-style meal service can be much faster than a traditional buffet.
Waitstaff quickly serves large bowls of food to guests directly at the table.
Guests serve their food faster, and everyone gets to enjoy their meal simultaneously. The fast service ensures time efficiency compared to lining up for a buffet or waiting for staff to serve you in a plated service.
2. Guests Don’t Need to Leave Their Table
Long buffet lines are a turn-off for many guests. Even if the buffet is well planned and the guests are few, things can look a bit confused with guests moving back and forth for first or additional helpings.
The buffet style serves the strong and active, not the physically challenged, the elderly, and young children.
Family-style meal catering service ensures minimal movement and is convenient for all.
3. Guests Don’t Have to Pre-Select Their Entrée
Sometimes getting guests to send in their preferred meals in time is a long shot, something you must deal with when planning a plated meal service.
With a plated meal, you give your guests the option to choose between
Fish, chicken, beef, vegetarian, and other meals before the event. You have to keep order records and pass that on to the caterer.
Plated meal service can be time-consuming and costly. You save time and money when you choose family-style service since all guests will share the same food – while also providing your guests the variety of a buffet where they can pick and choose what they enjoy!
4. It’s Like a Buffet on Your Table
Family-style service brings the buffet to your guests rather than making them go to the buffet.
Your main course, sides, and accompaniments will be distributed at every guest table, and guests will help themselves while seated. Guests can also add on second or third servings without lining up, creating order and convenience.
5. Guests Will Socialize Better
Breaking the ice and engaging in small talk is an art that only a few people have mastered.
The simple act of passing food across to others in a family-style meal setting effortlessly triggers conversations.
Eating together around a table also creates an atmosphere of family. It’s the perfect opportunity for the two families to bond and begin the journey to lasting relationships.
Let’s Get Started With Wedding Catering – Contact Green Mill Catering
Family style catering is a unique catering style that can foster intimacy in your events and help to create memorable moments. Your guests will be more relaxed, not dealing with the inconveniences of plated services or buffets.
Our full-service wedding caterers at Green Mill Catering will make your big day a success. We create award-winning dishes and provide everything you will need for your wedding reception catering, including linens, flatware, glassware, and beverage catering, so you can focus on having fun.
Green Mill Catering is at your service if you’re looking for wedding catering services in Minnesota or Wisconsin. Contact us today to inquire about our wedding catering services.