There are so many choices for the dining experience of your wedding; From the style of service to the dishes served, your choices set the tone for your big day. A well-executed dining plan ensures your guests leave raving about your wedding for years to come. One of the most popular options is the wedding buffet—but is it right for you? Let’s dive into the pros and cons of this timeless choice.
What is a Wedding Buffet:
The wedding buffet is a timeless classic, allowing your guests to overindulge in a variety of food with large quantities, while still preserving a high quality of taste. Just imagine watching your guests walk up to the buffet room table by table and leave with full plates and happy smiles as they prepare to indulge on you buffet selection.
There’s a reason it’s the most popular choice of service for a wedding, and while it is a beloved choice, its not for everyone. Here’s what to consider:
Pros:
High variety for your guests
With any good buffet there’s so much choice for your guests and usually as a couple you can customise it to exactly what you want served on the buffet. Are a large proportion of your guests a vegetarian? Select more vegetarian options on your buffet. Do you have specific cultural dishes that are important to you and your family? Ask for options to make this apart of your buffet and wedding day.
For example, at Markovina Estate the standard buffet menu includes:
· Freshly baked bread rolls, made in house each day.
· Select four salads from more than 15 salads choices
· Select seven hot dishes including two carvery items, a chicken option, fish option and three vegetarian dishes.
Plus of course, the main meal is accompanied with a range of canapes and desserts.
Additionally, buffets often allow customisation, so you can tailor the menu to suit your needs—whether adding cultural dishes or increasing vegetarian-friendly options.
Full flexibility with table decorations
Unlike other styles of dinner service, all the food is served away from the table, meaning the buffet leaves more room for creative table décor. With platters for example, there are multiple serving plates of food that are served and placed on the midline of the table. This requires space on the table, often leaving room for a small centre piece. With greater room for creative freedoms, the buffet is an ideal choice for couples who want their table aesthetics to shine, while still maintaining a high quality of food.
Cons:
Mobility challenges for guests
While most guests won’t mind walking to the buffet, it can be challenging for those with mobility issues or disabilities. However, there are solutions:
Ask family members or friends to assist in plating food for these guests.
Coordinate with staff to provide additional support, ensuring everyone feels comfortable and included.
Reduced table service
Unlike a plated meal, a buffet lacks the formal touch of table service. Some couples might miss the elegance of a served dinner when they opt for the buffet dinner, however that doesn’t mean there are no table service elements to your wedding reception. You can compensate by enhancing other service elements, such as offering an extended beverage service to the tables, or adding interactive food stations to elevate the dining experience on your wedding day.
Questions to ask your venue about the buffet setup?
Ask where the buffet will be setup?
Ideally the buffet will be in a space that is both close to your reception but will not take over space in your reception. You don’t want to walk past the buffet to go to your seats or wait for it to be removed prior to starting your dancing. At Markovina Estate we have a separate room that is right next to your reception – the ideal location.
Make sure that the buffet setup looks good!
Ensure that when guests arrive at the buffet, the setup looks amazing – the room looks good and the venue uses good quality chaffing dishes. The little things make a difference. Here is what our buffet setup looks like…..
Ensure the buffet is functional, so guests don’t have to wait longer than they have to
A double sided buffet means your guests will be eating in half the time of a one sided buffet, also corners in the buffet just slow things down. For a group of 70 guests a single sided buffet with a corner could mean your guests take an hour from the first guest to the last to collect their meal compared with only 15 to 20 minutes in a well-designed buffet, like we have at Markovina Estate.
So, is a Wedding Buffet Right for You?
A wedding buffet is a classic choice for a reason—it offers variety, flexibility, and an opportunity to cater to diverse tastes. However, it’s essential to weigh its potential downsides to determine if it aligns with your vision for the big day.
Ultimately, with careful planning, a buffet can leave your guests raving about the food and your thoughtful attention to detail. However, keep in mind that not every buffet is the same and some of the negativity about a buffet service is because not every venue’s buffet is designed right, looks elegant and offers amazing quality food and selection.
Ready to create an unforgettable dining experience for your wedding? Discover how Markovina Estate can make your wedding buffet a standout feature of your special day.
Contact us today to learn more about our customisable wedding menus and stunning venue.
