Take note because we will tell you what each type of banquet consists of and which one is best for your wedding style. Start planning your reception and choose which one will surprise your guests. Don’t miss a single detail!
Choosing the ideal type of banquet for your reception will depend on the number of guests, your budget, the style you want and the type of food you want to serve, as well as the time and date of the wedding. Learn about the different types of banquets that exist and choose the ideal one for your celebration!
It may seem like a lot of options, but stay calm and be patient. Once you have defined your budget and what you want for your wedding, start looking for options for suppliers. To facilitate the organization of the reception and to satisfy the most demanding tastes, wedding catering services offer a wide variety of proposals. Here, we tell you what types of banquets you can choose from.
What are the Types of Banquet Service?
Classic banquet
The classic of the classics of banquets is the one that is served at different times. Guests receive the attention of the waiters at all times, so it is very comfortable for people to chat with each other without having to move from their seats. This type of banquet is considered the most elegant.
Tables can be closer together, as guests don’t have to move around as much. However, a lot of coordination is required in wait staffing, both to accommodate guests and to serve them efficiently.
The classic banquet is ideal for indoor and evening weddings. As for the courses or dishes served, there are five-, four- and three-course services: appetizer, first course (soup or salad), main course (chicken, fish or meat with garnish) and dessert. You can choose whatever you want, but if you want a perfect menu, you must combine the flavours well and choose the best quality.
Buffet
In the wedding buffet service, trays with different dishes are placed on a bar or table so that each guest can serve themselves what they like. It is more informal than the classic banquet, so a few simple centrepieces will be enough to complete the decoration.
The buffet can be more intimate and fun than a classic banquet, depending on the type of celebration you are planning. You can even break with tradition and opt for wedding food trucks that, in addition to being original, allow you to offer different types of dishes.
This type of banquet is excellent for daytime and outdoor weddings, but you should make sure that there is enough space for everyone to move around freely. Although the waiters do not serve the dishes, they do attend to the guests, serving special menus and drinks and clearing away what is no longer needed.
These services are suitable for weddings with a moderate number of guests. In addition, it is important to take care of the distribution of dishes on the tables so that long lines do not form to serve.
Food or service corners at stations
Food stations are a variation of buffet service. They consist of distributing tables around the edges of the reception venue. Each food station has a particular theme and can be supervised by professionals specialized in each type of food, or there can be just one chef accompanying one of the stations and preparing the guests’ requests.
In some ways, the buffet and cocktail concepts are combined, so tables or just benches can be used and waiters can participate by handing out food or just collecting what is not used. To innovate in your wedding banquet and to offer more alternatives to your guests, you can combine various styles, such as the classic banquet and the corners for dessert, for example, or the buffet and the informal meal.
Traditional food banquet
Traditional food can be served in many ways, so it deserves to be considered as an option apart from the rest: broths, snacks, tacos, toasts… If you are thinking of serving appetizers or even food from other countries at your wedding, it would be best to look for a catering service that combines the classic banquet with the buffet.
You can also opt for a very refined presentation for your traditional food banquet, which matches a Mexican but minimalist decoration.
Do you like the idea?
Cocktail
If you are looking for something stylish, this is the option for you: the cocktail party consists of a tasting of snacks that combine different textures, flavours, smells and colours. These snacks or canapés can be elegant, with lots of design, inspired by exotic food, themed (for example, wild fruits or seafood) or simple and varied. Different types of wines and spirits are also served or craft beer bars are available.
This lounge and glamorous style can be adapted to the number of guests you will have. However, you must take into account that some palates are very demanding, so your banquet should include canapés with mild flavours and light snacks.
The setting is very important: although guests should remain standing, small tables with benches, chairs, or comfortable armchairs can be arranged. Of course, waiters are essential, as they must carry trays with snacks and serve drinks to the guests. Cocktails are fine during the day, but as they are light, they are ideal for an evening wedding.
Casual Dining
Casual dining can be the most intimate option for celebrating your union. However, it requires the same planning as the other alternatives. Casual wedding dining can be served in many spaces, such as your home or a garden, and it also requires hiring the services of waiters to ensure everyone is well attended to. There are many menus for casual dining that can be prepared by a caterer: tacos, tostadas, and barbacoas, among others.
What you need to take into account for this type of banquet is the number of guests you will have and that you should stock up enough so that there are no surprises on the big day. If you hire a service, give them all the necessary directions to get to your reception venue on time and ask for samples of the menu.
Of course, we cannot forget to mention the wedding cake, which, in addition to being a beautiful decoration, is the protagonist of one of the sweetest moments of the big day.
Remember that other “unofficial” components of the banquet can be left out during the reception. For example, the after-wedding, which consists of serving a snack once a few hours have passed since the meal, or the dessert tables that can be left out throughout the reception. Guests can take whatever they like from them.
Have you already decided what kind of banquet you will serve at your wedding?