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If you're currently deciding on your wedding caterer, you've come at the right time. Today we are going to see on which arrangement is the best kind for your wedding, the pros and cons, and also their characteristics. But, remember that neither buffet nor a seated dinner is better than the other. Whatever arrangement you choose, it largely depends on how you want your guests to be catered to at your wedding celebration.
Arrangement #1: Buffet
A buffet is usually arranged on long tables forming a line at either side, or sometimes in stations, where guests can help themselves to the food they desire to have.
Pros:
- 1.You could have more variety of menus served for your guests.
- 2.Your guests get to choose what and when to eat.
- 3.Save some budget as you don't need more wait-staff.
Cons:
- 1.It's hard for you to limit the consumption as guests can have second or even third time starters.
- 2.Guests would often swarm around the buffet creating a never-ending queue.
- 3.Food tends to run out quickly, or get cold.
- 4.Keeping dinnerware balanced and availability might be a problem.
Arrangement #2: Sit-Down Dinner
A seated dinner is a more traditional style of wedding celebration. It consists of several courses served to your guests' arranged tables.
Pros
- 1.Gives plenty of time for your guests to get acquainted.
- 2.Easier budget management as you choose what you want to serve.
- 3.It gives the undeniable elegant vibe for your wedding.
Cons
- 1.You'll have more work to coordinate the seating arrangement and stationery for table numbers, centerpieces and seating chart.
- 2.It'll require more waiters and you'd end up with more add up costs.
- 3.This is not really suitable for kids-filled wedding if you don't have any kids-friendly menu prepared.
Aside from the pros and cons in each method, you can also consider the following points for your decision making process, below.
Few things to consider
- 1.The number of guests invited
- This is one crucial thing you need to plan first. If you opt for a more intimate and elegant wedding, a sit-down dinner should be your choice. However, if you think it's hard for you to have a small wedding party as you have big families and many friends, it's better to have buffet setting arrangement which suit them best.
- 2.Stick to your budget
- A seated dinner might give a more elegant vibe to the wedding which of course comes with a higher cost you need to bear. Don't simply order food just because you want to please all your guests' preferences and end up with too much variety. For buffet styles, it's better if you limit the menu choices but keep your focus to the quantity per item.
- 3.Your wedding venue
- A seated dinner will require more rooms for food preparation and serving while a buffet setting enables you to have more options on table settings and decorations. Therefore, a seated dinner will require more area. So, make sure to contact your venue's person-in-charge and ask them on how they will accommodate and fit all your wedding details.
- 4.The type of your wedding
- Decided to have a no-kids wedding party? Or do your invited guests mostly come with kids? Find out and then you can decide which dining arrangement is better for your wedding. Even though a buffet is more suitable for wedding with kids allowed, both buffet and a seated dinner have their own limitations. So, whatever you choose, try to mitigate the problems and don't forget to ask professional caterer when you have one.
