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Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Planning Your Wedding Catering

One of the most important decisions that soon-to-be-married couples need to make with regard to their wedding reception is deciding on the type of catering service they would want to use. Usually, the decision boils down to choosing between two of the most popular options: a buffet or a sit-down meal involving servers. Making the choice would require that couples examine the pros and cons of each type so that they would be able to pick the catering service that would best fit their needs. Below are some information that can help couples.

Having servers
One of the most obvious advantages on having servers during a wedding reception is that is it an easy way to keep guests happy because they would not have to stand up and to fall in line to get their food or their drinks. In addition to this, having servers is also perceived as a more classy way of serving food during a reception. However, having servers also have some disadvantages, one of which is the cost, especially if the couple is expecting a large number of guests as this will entail paying for more servers. One risk that couples also need to contend with is that they would have to take the chance that the servers would be courteous to their guests.

Having a buffet
One of the most obvious advantages of having a buffet is your guests can choose what they want to eat from the buffet table, which is also a good way to keep guests happy during the reception. In addition to this, their guests would also get to decide on the quantity of food they can consume, which can help prevent food wastage. Another advantage is that the cost of having a buffet is relatively lower than having servers. However, one disadvantage of having a buffet is that the most popular food among guests would most likely run out before everyone gets to have them.

A major decision that couples need to make is on whether they would have servers or have a buffet for their wedding reception. To help them with this choice, they need to have information on the pros and cons of each type so that they would pick a choice that would be able to make the celebration of the wedding more comfortable and enjoyable for their guests.

4 comments:

Gisele aka LA2LAChef said...

Buffet vs. sit down- they each have their advantages and disadvantages. But while it is the common wisdom that a buffet dinner saves on costs because fewer servers are required, I , and other caterers I have interviewed challenge that assumption.

Because guests are free to take as much food as they like, food costs can be high with a buffet. Believe me I have seen guests pile their plates high at buffets with muchmore than they actually eat. Also, most likely there will be more options available, i.e. a second salad or third or fourth side dish.

And finally, because guests can go back to a buffet a second time, rental costs are likely to be higher as additional plates, flatware etc, is required.

I've devoted a section to discussing this, and also offered some cost saving ideas in my new E-book:

"Help! I Need a Caterer"

Gisele
www.smallpleasurescatering.com
http://giseleperez.typepad.com/smallpleasurescatering/

catering said...

Just wondering what is the best and affordable,catering or cook at home?

winnie

Gisele aka LA2LAChef said...

Forgive me for being blunt, but anyone who cooks at home for their own wedding reminds me of the saying about people who represent themselves in a legal court. They have a fool for a client.
You play a starring role on your wedding day. It's your day to shine,and to entertain your guest, who after all may have gone to a good deal of expense in terms of their money and time to be there celebrating your special moment. DO you really want to spend that day being exhausted form shopping and cooking for a large group of people. DO you want to be concerned about whether the food is getting reheated properly, or kept cool properly if that is what's required (remember food temperature leads to food poisoning). Do you want to be concerned about everything being set up properly,whether there are enough plates, flatware,glasses etc., and the clean up afterwards? And those are only a part of what a good experienced caterer will do for you. Some things are worth spending the money on.

www.smallpleasurescatering.com

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