Buffet vs Sit Down Dinner for Wedding

A wedding is a special occasion that brings people together to celebrate the new couple and value the bond shared between the two. Because of this reason, everything needs to be special and memorable for the bride, groom, and every other guest who attended the occasion. Dinner is an essential part of the event as it ensures all your guests feel happy, satisfied and appreciated for showing up at your wedding.

When hiring a professional catering company for your wedding, you need to decide whether you want a buffet or sit down dinner as it has a great impact on how you want your guests to be served at your wedding celebration. In this article, we will be discussing the different types of catering arrangement and what you need to know when choosing between buffet and sit down dinner for your wedding.

Buffet

A buffet is a type of catering where food is arranged on either side of a long table or in stations where guests can serve themselves what they want. It presents an opportunity for guests to choose what to eat and when they want to eat. You can also incorporate a wide variety of foods on the menu so that everyone can find something to eat. A buffet-style helps you save some money for other aspects of your event since you will not require more wait-staff.

However, it may be difficult to limit the consumption as guests have the freedom to serve themselves more than once. Besides, guests may swarm around the buffet creating an endless queue and the food may get cold quickly. It is challenging to keep dinnerware balanced and the turnaround might be a problem.

Sit-Down Dinner

A seated dinner consists of several courses, which are served to guests on arranged tables at intervals. This style is often preferred for a posh celebration as far as formality goes. It tends to appeal more to older people, as it is a more traditional style of celebrating a wedding. Unlike buffet, a sit-down dinner gives your guests plenty of time to be acquainted. It gives an elegant vibe for your wedding and you can easily manage your budget as you choose what you want to serve. However, you will have a hard task of coordinating the stationery for table numbers, seating arrangement, seating chart, and centerpieces. You will also need more waiters, which adds up to the overall cost. This setup is not ideal for a kids-filled wedding if you do not have a menu set aside for children.

Things to Consider When Choosing between and a sit-down dinner

  • Your budget

Although a sit-down dinner can give a more elegant vibe to your wedding, it is very expensive and takes a lot of time to prepare. However, it allows for good budget management as you choose what to serve your guests. You can also control the quantity of food by the number of courses you want to offer your guests. If you choose a buffet style, it is important to limit the menu choices while considering the quantity per item.

  • Number of Guests Invited

The number of guests who will be attending your wedding celebration will influence the choice between a buffet and a sit-down dinner significantly. A sit-down is an ideal choice if you want a more elegant and intimate wedding experience. However, if you plan to invite many friends and family members to your wedding, you might consider a buffet setting as it is suitable for a large audience.

  • Type of Wedding

The type of wedding has a significant impact on your choice of catering. Some people choose to have a no kids wedding party while others may consider inviting guests together with their kids. While a buffet may be suitable for a wedding where kids are involved, it can also have its limitations, as you will be forced to spend more on menu choices for kids.

  • Wedding Venue

A buffet setting gives you more options on the type of table settings and decorations while a sit-down dinner may require a larger space for food preparation and serving guests. It is a good idea to contact the person in charge of your venue and inquire on how they will accommodate and fulfill all your wedding arrangements.

The type of catering arrangement you choose for your wedding largely depends on the kind of experience you want to give your guests. Both buffet and sit-down dinner settings are ideal for a wedding, as they deliver a memorable experience for both the bride and groom as well as other guests. However, they all have their limitations and you can always mitigate the problem by getting advice from a wedding professional and hiring a good catering company.