Thoughts From Our Kitchen On Cooking And Culture

Planning a party can be a daunting task.

Many of us host weddings only a few times in our lives. That being said, it is worth the time and effort it takes to find knowledgeable event professionals who can work within your budget.

Clients frequently tell me that they have become overwhelmed by all of the components that go into the “finished product” of an event. Costs like site rental, catering/bar, entertainment, photography and flowers are typically factored in. Things like transportation for guests, tents, linen and table/chair rental (if the facility doesn’t provide these items), gratuities and sales tax on these items often go overlooked when clients are figuring out their budgets. Rehearsal dinner costs, wedding clothes, favors for the guests, ceremony musicians and officiant may also add to the costs.

There is definitely a balancing act that occurs between the largest expenses, and these are unique and specific to each site. For example, if you are getting married in a remote location, transportation costs might catch you off guard.  As most people choose to book certain vendors before evaluating all costs (i.e. educating themselves), numbers can get out of hand rather quickly. My point is to take the time to learn all of your options, and call some venues, caterers, photographers, graphic designers, florists, event coordinators etc. before booking your vendors. Take the time to understand how these “products” differ from vendor to vendor and decide where you want to place the most investment. What good is the experience of a fabulous venue if you are going to serve sub par food to your guests? Well researched vendors will make your event a memorable, glitch-free experience for you as well as for your guests.

My advice when planning a party? Educate yourself! A few phone calls can provide a valuable education, and most people in our industry are more than willing to take the time to walk you through. Discussions with event professionals will provide you valuable budget information from multiple sources and give insight into the party planning process. A well developed concept of costs and components that go into an event will help you feel confident in making an informed decision. Try not to get overwhelmed, stay flexible and open minded, and trust your instincts.

Don’t lose sight of the main goal of the party- to bring everyone together to celebrate.

I speak with a lot of engaged couples about catering options. I wrote a post last Monday about the pitfalls of station dining…and although there are many styles of service to choose from, it really comes down to two main types: buffet service and plated.  As these two styles of service comprise the vast majority of the weddings held in Northern Michigan, I think it is a good idea to go over some of the pros and cons of each:

Buffet Pros:

Less service staff is needed

Relatively quick method of service because buffet meals are usually only one course

Less rentals are needed (less courses = less plates and flatware)

Informal style of service

More variety can be offered at the same time

Buffet Cons:

Difficult to do multiple courses

Difficult to accommodate special needs guests (vegetarians, children, etc)

More difficult to calculate the proper amount of food, resulting in more waste

Presentation gets lost after the first guests go through the line, hard to keep buffet table clean

Each guest’s experience is not similar (guests going later are more likely to encounter spotted linens, somewhat depleted bowls, etc)

Significant amount of square footage needed

Informal style of service

Certain foods are not suitable for buffets

Plated pros:

Multiple courses are simple, meal can be as long or short as desired

Easy to accommodate guests with special dietary needs (vegetarian, children, etc)

Easier to pinpoint amount of food necessary, resulting in less waste

Integrity of presentation is maintained

Each guest has a similar experience

No extraneous space is needed (as for buffet)More formal style of service

All foods are suitable for plated presentations

Plated cons:

Requires significantly more rentals (more plates and flatware)

Requires more service staff (servers and dishwashers)

More formal style of service

As you can see, there is a substantial list of pros and cons for buffet vs plated. From a guest experience standpoint, I feel plated is preferable for three main reasons: guests are truly taken care of, the integrity of the food presentations are maintained, and accommodating guests on an individual basis is simple to execute.

As far as cost, many people assume that buffet presentation is less expensive. While service staff needs are lower, food costs can sometimes be higher on buffets than plated meals because the amount of food needed is harder to pinpoint. Unfortunately it is my observation that guests take more than they can eat, which results in food getting thrown away. Your caterer (if experienced) is also aware of this, and must purchase more food to compensate. So, there is no “industry standard”. A lot of factors go into costing your event: seasonality of food costs (hopefully your caterer highlights local and seasonal foods), intricasies of preparations and presentations, service staffing needs, rental needs, bar needs, and more. My point is that there is no correct blanket statements like “buffets are cheaper than plated meals” when conveying informations about weddings.

Only you know how you want the feel and vibe of your wedding to go. Your caterer can work with you to determine what is right for the situation and the budget. As with any major investment, do your research and talk to people in the industry. Obtaining more information will help you make an informed decision when choosing the correct style of service for your wedding.