One of the biggest decisions that you will have to make for your wedding reception is the style of dinner service. You can choose between a seated dinner, a buffet, serving stations or family style. This guide explains the differences between the various wedding dinner options to make your decision easy.

The most traditional type of dinner for a wedding reception is the seated or sit-down dinner. This is the most similar to what you would experience in an elegant restaurant. The guests are seated, usually by assignment, at their dinner tables, and the waitstaff brings a plated dinner to each person. The main difference between a seated reception dinner and the service at a restaurant is that typically the meal is already planned, so there will be no option to order off of a menu.

How do you know if a seated dinner is right for your wedding? It is all a matter of the style of reception you envision. Brides who love the classics, from pearl bridal jewelry to all-white centerpieces, tend to prefer this traditional dinner service. It is certainly the most formal style, and is very appropriate for elegant weddings such as black tie. As with any type of dinner service, there are potential drawbacks to a seated dinner. The first is that the menu is usually fairly rigid, with few options for the guests. Another potential issue is when there are an inadequate number of servers, and the tables receive their meals at very different times (there is nothing worse than sitting there starving as table after table is served while your place is empty!). The first issue is a matter of preference; the second can be avoided if the caterer is instructed on the number of servers required to keep things moving along quickly.

The buffet service is at the opposite end of the spectrum from the seated dinner when it comes to formality. It is the most casual option, which can be ideal for a relaxed wedding, or can end up being too inelegant. A buffet is great for an outdoor reception, especially one with a homey rustic feeling. A buffet featuring really well made comfort foods would be very popular with the guests. A frequent pitfall of wedding buffets, however, is that they can be unattractive. If you are considering this option, find out how the caterer intends to present the food. Graceful silver tone dishes over warming flames are one thing; disposable foil trays are another matter. Some people love the casual nature of a buffet for the options it presents their guests while others do not like the idea of guests be required to serve themselves.

There are two other options for wedding dinners which have become very popular in recent years. One is a reception with serving stations. Individual stations are set up around the venue and guests may visit whichever one they want. There are a couple of possible advantages to this over a traditional buffet. Serving stations are usually manned by someone who will place the food on the guests' plates, avoiding the whole question of guests having to serve themselves. The real draw of serving stations, though, is the ability to highlight special foods. You can do ethnic foods that showcase the cultural traditions of the bride and groom. Specialty stations such as a baked potato bar or a mushroom station are also in vogue.

One additional option for wedding dinner service is family style. This trend has really taken off over the last few years, and it is pretty much what it sounds like. Guests are generally seated at long rectangular tables instead of round ones, and large platters are passed down the line, allowing each person to choose his or her own portion. The appeal of family service is that it has the convivial warm feeling of a really great Thanksgiving dinner. This style of service is being seen at weddings of varying degrees of formality, from the rustic casual where the bride wears fresh flowers in her hair, to the elegant type, where the bride is all decked out in a tiara and pearl bridal jewelry. All of the various dinner service options have an appeal, it is simply a matter of choosing the perfect one for your wedding style.