Family Style Meals for Wedding Reception, has anyone done this/ been to one?

I worked banquet for three years and this was quite common. That being said, dont have large centerpieces. The platters are large, and they are heavy, and I cant tell you how terrible it was trying to find a place for everything when there was a huge centerpiece taking about 15 inches in diameter on the table. Just keep that in mind.

How large is the urn?

ETA: If you are seating eight to a table, then I would try ot make your centerpieces smaller, if you are seating ten, then the table is larger so you may be able to get away with it.

I've seen it, but I would hate that if I were at a wedding like that. But, I would also understand that it's not my wedding, too. So do what you like!

I went to one. It was horrible. The table was crowded with food. There was no room to eat.

I've been to one and it was great! We are having a plated dinner with one dish (perogies) served family style.

I went to a wedding where they served fried chicken family style. I'm not a fan of fried chicken - especially dressed up! Crumbs and grease everywhere! But the real problem was that they seated 8 to a table and put 6 pieces of chicken on a plate. So we passed it around and then everyone had to wait for the staff to bring a second plate.

They still had centerpieces, although to be honest I don't remember what they looked like.

I had family style for my very small wedding. Centerpieces were minimal as the food was the main thing. We had long tables with food dishes going down the center. The main thing is needing way more serving dishes that you would at a traditional buffet.

This is what we're planning on doing. I think it depends on the caterer and how big the platters are and how many different options you have. Ours has promised to remove platters constantly so there isn't just empty platters everywhere. One of the options has like three entrees and three sides--I think that would be way too much food on a table. So just be aware of how cluttered it's going to be, other than that I love it!

We're planning on doing very simple centerpieces to help accommodate the food.

It's hard for me to imagine eating family style if I'm at a table with at least SOME strangers.... LOL. I guess that's the POINT though.. it forces people to talk, mingle, etc. I've never seen it done, but I feel like if you did it RIGHT, that it would be pretty neat.

Our dessert was like that. A tray of mini desserts. We also had cake too, but the tray of other desserts worked out nicely. We had fake tea lights too (Our restaurant didn't let us have real candles.). Our centerpieces were stemmed tea light holders. I would not mind a family-style dinner, though. It's the same as a buffet only you don't need to get up and wait in line.

We thought about it (FH and his family were big fans) but I have trouble eating in front of strangers to begin with (and I don't know 1/2 of his family), so serving myself also, nope. My own personal food nightmare.

I went to a Vietnamese wedding where the food at the dinner reception was served family style...and the food WAS the centerpiece. Each course was brought separately on a huge tray for the center of the table, ending with a massive whole fish which was absolutely stunning (and delicious)!

I love it too, when we catered, we recommended not doing EVERY course that way. Maybe do a plated salad, family style entree, dessert display. I think it's novel and fun, but not for every course.

I've seen many family style.

Yes. It was fine and i really enjoyed it.. They used very short vases with just a few flowers. Very pretty.

I go to a banquet every year that is family style with just the entree and sides. You get plated salad and dessert and then the main and sides are family style.

Our wedding did plated salad, plated chicken and veggie side, but had family style pasta-for people to load up on. Then plated ice cream cake for dessert. Worked out great.

For people who prefer plated you've never worked banquets before( I assume )because buffet and family style is really fresher, if that makes sense...

Thank you so much for all your input, I appreciate it, and I do want people to have to interact and pass things and move around and communicate more.

I think multiple smaller vases will work better for the tables, and then have some larger displays on the guest book table and escort card table instead

I have been to one family style wedding. It was an Asian wedding (the groom was Chinese and the bride was Chinese and Korean). The only centerpieces were a bottle of bourbon and bottles of Sprite and Coke. There were many courses and luckily our table was all co-workers so there was no awkwardness asking someone we didn't know to pass a food.

Just went to a wedding last weekend and family style was a fail. Timing was way off, mashed potatoes came out as a course? Sitting at the end of the table many plates were nearly empty by the time they were passed down. Many guests around commented about stopping for food on the way home. I think this came down to poor catering planning, but not an experience you want for your wedding guests.