Advantages And Disadvantages Of Family Style Wedding

For your wedding, there are so many things you have to think about. Wedding preparation can be very stressful, which wedding dress would you wear? Where and when will you have your wedding? Who will you invite? How many guest you will invite? How much money are you willing to shell out? Are you planning to have a seating arrangement? So many questions and even if you hire a wedding organizer, there is so many things you have to work and arrange for yourself. Advantages And Disadvantages Of Family Style Wedding?

Wedding preparation can be very stressful especially if you want it to be successful. It is not only time consuming but may also cost you a lot, so it is best that you are prepared for possible huge expenses. Although, there are ways you can do to somehow minimize your expenses, you just have to be strategic about it.

Have you decided what type of wedding you would consider? How about a family style wedding? This may not be the most popular but needless to say, there is so many good things about this wedding style.

Just for your to understand a family style wedding, here are some of the pros and the cons.

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Family Style Wedding You Just Know

Do you remember your childhood days when every member of your family is seated in a one big table with large platters of great foods placed at the center of the table? This is exactly how the family style wedding reception works.

Moving on, below are some of the pros and cons you have to consider about this wedding style.

 Advantages:

Meals will be served in a more efficient manner

Yes it is, as food will be served at the same time. Everyone can eat at the same time as the moment food is placed in the table, everyone can already eat and serve themselves. There is no waiting for the waiters to serve the food nor wait for your turn in the buffet table as once food is served in the middle of the table everyone can start getting their own food.

This is a good way for guests to spend time together and talk

Yes, since everyone is just seated, they can spend more time talking to each other while in the dinner table. The sharing portion of the food encourages memorable conversations and fun encounters.

This is a more memorable option

As previously discussed, this is not the most utilized style, hence expect that your guests will have a memorable experience when they attend a wedding with a family style wedding reception.

Also, since everyone is sharing food in one serving dish, guests feel like they are a family.

It is a lot more affordable

Since family style wedding offers fewer food options than buffet or plated dinner, it is more affordable. However, guests will not have any diet options apart from the food already served in the table.

Also, since you do not need a lot of service crew, manpower is a lot cheaper.

Better photographs

Sure, the family style wedding looks very nice on photos. It looks elegant and classy, and feels like home.

You can feed even those guests that did not respond in your RSVP

If there are guests who came unexpectedly, you cannot only feed them but there is also a space for them to sit in. It is very easy to squeeze in guests in family style wedding, than any other wedding style.

You can cook your own food

Yes you can, if you wish and if you have time. This is a good time if you want to showcase your cooking skill with your guests.

Disadvantages

Although this option has a lot of advantages, there are some disadvantages you may also want to consider. To name some of the advantages, read below:

Wasted food is possible

For family style weddings, you have no choice but to order large volume of food. So if there are leftovers, it is not only waste of food but money too.

Guests may have not much options

If this is the style you choose, your guests may have a limited food option. Meaning whatever you have on the table that is the only food they can eat. What if he/she is allergic to any kind of food? What if he/she is a vegan?

If you want to stick with this style, best to ask your guests ahead of time of any food allergens they have. Try not to serve it on the dinner table or if possible, serve them a different menu.

Serve ware may be too big on the table

The serve ware of this wedding style is a bit huge, and if you are working in just a small table, this may occupy a lot of space. Instead of plates for the guests, venue can opt for the large serving plates. These plates will stay until the end of the event or at the least, when everyone will finish eating.

It can be more expensive

Depending on the catering service you will hire, this may need a lot of dinnerware renting. Although, there are some catering services that have dinnerware included on their fees.

This family wedding style may have its own advantages and disadvantages, but needless to say, when deciding, it is your preference and your choice that will prevail. Not all venues though allow family style wedding, so asking if it is possible on your chosen venue is a must.

There are a lot of other things you need to think about your wedding, apart from the reception or the food, you also have to think about the wedding ceremony, the program during the receptions, wedding favors, etc. Worry not as much, as there are a lot of available sites that can help you with your wedding preparations. Reading these articles would surely give you an idea on things you have to do, and one our Ultimate Bride’s Survival Guide will definitely help you out.

 

Header Image Credit: @jmosleyphotography