Serving up your reception dinner family style..
Image via Huffington Post
A family style reception meal can be a great option for couples who want to a very warm atmosphere that will encourage their guests to get to know each other as much as possible. Because guests will be passing the bowls or trays, it lends for an easy ice breaker and conversation starter.
A menu card at each place setting will let your guests know what food will be served, and is another fun way to put your personal touch on your decor. Add some candles if your venue allows open flame, or otherwise consider centerpieces that will work well with the added serving dishes. Overall you will likely have less table decor due to having to allow for enough room for the food to be placed on the tables.
What to serve
While there are no rules on what can be served family style and what can't, you should consider what dishes are easier to pass around and easy to serve. If you want to keep your budget in check, look into what vegetables and items are in season when planning your menu. Lastly, because the food will be placed at the tables you can use the colors (bright salad greens, red sauces or bright vegetables etc) to add to the overall color palette.
If you ask us, a family style reception menu sounds pretty fun (and yummy)
~ Happy Planning~
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Three Reasons to Consider a Family Style Reception Menu via Huffington Post
For the complete run down of reception meal styles check out Brides.com article which includes comparisons and pros and cons for each one. Read the full article here.