Family style vs plated

If it’s between family style and plated, I would always choose plated. I am not a fan of “community food”; especially after the pandemic.

I agree with Cece. I prefer player vs family style for sanitary reasons. You also run the risk of certain guests over-serving themselves and leaving little to nothing for the people who get the plates later, which has happened to me when I’ve been at family style weddings.

I prefer plated too, over family style or buffet. Same reasons.

Plated all the way. If I am out dining - whether it be restaurant or party - I don't want to serve myself. As others have correctly pointed out, there are those who give themselves huge portions, forgetting there are others at the table. I find family style also tends to be drier meats, mushier veggies, etc. AND the constant interruption to "pass the gravy: (so to speak)

I’m not a fan of family style unless I’m eating at home.

If they're the same price, do plated. I actually just read a thread on reddit where they were a guest at a family-style wedding. The food was served at the ends of the tables and by the time it made it to the middle, there was no food left. The people in the middle asked the caterers for more food, so they served it at the ends again and everyone on the ends got seconds while the middle still barely got anything, lol.


Sounds like a caterer problem, but guests over serving themselves is always a possibility with family style.

I've never been a huge fan of plated as a guest or the bride because I don't like asking someone for a food choice between 2-3 options when they RSVP for a meal that's a month+ away, and whatever side is included is what they get. However, plated is typically considered more elegant.

I went to a wedding where the food was served family style, and I liked that people could choose what they ate and in what quantities and there was plenty for everyone. But I agree with others that depending on the caterer they might not serve enough so this may be a risk.

Since the majority of people seem to not like family style, perhaps you should avoid it, but this is also a "know your crowd" situation. If your wedding is 50 guests who are all family, this would be very different from 200 guests where people are sitting at a table with those they don't know.

Not a fan of family style at events. It’s fine for meals at home, and even then at home for larger gatherings, the platters and bowls are larger therefore heavier and easy to spill. When you add dressy clothes at a wedding, that’s more of a disaster. If buffet is not an option, then plated is preferred. Make sure that the sides and sauces are not polarizing and that guests are not served the “avante garde” two bites per item because that’s not filling for anyone.