Getting back to the “design of eating” concept I presented in my inaugural WeddingAces post…let’s talk about how “service style” can REALLY affect the design, flow and impact of your reception.

There are a bevy of service styles out there to consider now, and you really need to envision how you want your reception to flow before you settle on one.  Do you want guests up and mingling all night?  Seated for the duration?  A little of both? Do you want a traditional feel to your reception, or a more trend-setting vibe?

Following is a basic breakdown of the popular service styles that exist in the current wedding catering market:

• Traditional Buffet– I have to preface this by saying that I am personally not a big fan of buffets for the simple fact that I hold the belief that guests, as well as wedding party, should be pampered.    (I also abhor food chafers.)  In a traditional sense, this service style somewhat limits the creativity of your caterer and in the past diminished the impact that unique food presentation.  However, traditional buffets do have their place in some settings, and today’s buffet is not the buffet of yesterday.  Many caterers have developed wonderful buffet service created with decor props and fusion based foods that you would not expect to find in a buffet setting.

• Family Style Table Side Service– I refer to this as a buffet brought to your table.  It is the happy medium that exists between guests lining up for a buffet, and what some brides deem as the ”con” of serving sit-down.  Here you are not responsible for gathering pre-selected response cards with meal choices and reporting them to your caterer, but you still have the lovely atmosphere of guests approaching a beautifully set dinner table and not having to get up for food.  This option also affords you the menu flexibility of those traditional buffet foods like stuffed breast of chicken, a hearty pasta dish, a starch choice, and a vegetable selection with a salad course and rolls.  Or you can morph the menu into some twisted concepts that still serve well on platters and in bowls to be passed around the table in a warm, communal vibe.  I love this service style at long outdoor tables or in barn or rustic type settings…the perfect feel for that nuance.

• Sit-Down Service– A very formal, and loved by many, sit-down service can be opulent and indulgent with multi-courses and palate cleansers,  like sorbet.  Within this category there is also a subset wherein you can serve “duo-plate” sit down, or “full service” sit down.  Duo Plate simply stated means that there is not a distinction of entrees made by individual guests, but rather an abbreviated or petite portion of each entree is served on the plate for each guest.  For example, you have chosen Chicken Oscar and Filet Mignon as your entrees.  Rather than having each guest respond if beef or chicken is desired, your caterer would prepare a petite Filet Mignon medallion, and a petite portion of Chicken Oscar and serve them plated together with the wild mushroom risotto and steamed asparagus that you ordered.  Full service sit-down then requires either the selection of one central entree served full size to every guest in attendance, or the rigors of selecting entree options and amassing a count of entrees for preparation by your caterer.  This also generally requires some type of demarcation on the escort card at the place setting so that service staff can seamlessly deliver the correct entree to each guest.

• Action Stations– For the host looking to add some flair to the food presentation, and yet still keep guests up and mingling, the action station is the answer.  I do so love a chef pandering to my guest’s needs while concocting hot to order food for them.  And the concepts for this service style are endless! For instance–

• • fresh pasta station with delicious sauces like vodka or an authentic and quality alfredo and an array of mix-ins like garden fresh herbs, diver scallops, balsamic chicken or imported olives
  • Asian wok station featuring steamer baskets of organic spring rolls, chicken wontons, or crab rangoon
  • steakhouse station with carved porterhouse, creamed spinach and a baked russet display.

What a blast for the guests!  And with our current national obsession with celebrity chefs and all things Food Network, who wouldn’t love this option?

• Small Plates– Great opportunity for creativity and culinary range here, as well as reaching a “something for everyone” status in menu appeal.  Stationed, butlered or served sit-down, small plates offer great flexibility in their impact upon the event flow.  Many of the small plate events that we service are designed to encompass a number of service styles.  We may start by hand butlering several items and then move into opening action and small plate stations for the “heavier” courses or menu items.  Sit down is really fun with small plates because the china available to caterers that has been custom designed by amazing companies just for this purpose is so broad and far-reaching.  There is a plate, dish, bowl, tangene, ramekin, and/or miniature for any and every food presentation.  In my experience, guests and caterers alike really enjoy this concept due to the variety, flexibility and showmanship of it.

• Progressive Courses– Becoming more and more trendy, progressive courses are the ultimate in controlling time frames and gourmet impact on the event flow.  This service style can encompass any number of concepts and is based on the premise that food presentation spaced out throughout the event between special features facilitates a smooth and easy reception vibe.  For instance, at a recent wedding we started with guests mingling for cocktails and had created an artisan cheese display with nuts, olives, flat breads, gourmet cheeses and gourmet crackers.  After the bridal party was announced, heavier appetizers were butlered by servers throughout the crowd.  Guests were then seated for a toast as we served a Greek salad course family style in beautiful teak wood bowls.  Revelry ensued with the bevy of first dances and guests were then seated for a special song presentation by the groom.  A savory small plate of wild mushroom ravioli with basil pine nut pesto was delivered sit-down during his serenade and then the money dance commenced and action stations were opened.  On and on the evening went with special moments and delicious food in spaced out intervals that created a tapestry of celebration from the champagne finger-lakes cheese to the cotton candy cones as guests departed.  How fun?!

• Appetizer/Cocktail Style– Last in my list for this post, but certainly not the end of options, is appetizers or cocktail style. These style receptions are a great way to keep a club-like vibe and flow to your reception.  With some displayed items and perhaps some passed items the menu can still be satisfying from a substance point of view, but is virtually non- obtrusive to the flow of the event in that an “organized” presentation of food is not necessary. Tables can be limited to high-boys and lounge furniture can replace the guest table seating.  Traditional elements like the wedding cake, candy bar or sweet display are still at home in this concept if desired, but the requirements of a heavier food based event can be dispensed.  Can you imagine a menu conceived to require absolutely no flatware until cake is cut and served?  It can happen!

As you review this list of style options…picture your reception and start the “design of eating” selection process by narrowing down which food service would best suit the range of guests in attendance, the overall vibe you wish to create, and the amount of “time” you wish to dedicate to the food portion of the event.  Soon a fairly clear front runner should emerge based on the big picture coming into focus.