If you’re in the midst of wedding menu planning, you may be wondering how to do food stations at a wedding reception. If so, then look no further! Food stations are a breeze and are sure to make your wedding reception a hit.
Benefits of Food Stations
Food stations have become a new, popular choice for wedding receptions, and it’s no wonder why, given their many advantages over other dining styles. Here are some reasons why food stations are perfect for your event:
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- Customizable Options: Similar to a buffet, food stations allow your guests to choose exactly how they want to customize their meals. For example, if you are offering a mini po-boy station, everyone at the wedding can choose which toppings they want on their sandwich.
- The Themes are Endless: No matter what your favorite food is, you are certain to find a station that serves it! Your choices are limitless when it comes to choosing a food station theme.
- Versatile Set-Ups: One of the main benefits of food stations is that they can be arranged in a variety of ways. Group them together to create a sense of harmony amongst the stations, or spread them out across the venue to encourage guests to explore different parts of your reception space. This also means that stations are an excellent choice for large and small venues alike.
- Keep It Trendy: Food stations are still relatively new to the wedding scene, especially compared to plated dinners and buffets. If you want to break from the catering tradition, consider doing so with food stations!
Tips for How to Do Food Stations at a Wedding Reception
Now that we have reviewed why we should choose stations let’s discuss how to do food stations at a wedding reception! Because there is so much versatility to be found when catering stations, that means you have more choices to make in terms of food presentation and dining options. In order to ensure that you cover all your bases, we have included a list of considerations for food stations.
Choose a Meaningful Theme
The possibilities are endless with food stations! Consider choosing dishes that complement your wedding theme. For example, Elysian’s stone ground grits bar would be a perfect choice for a cozy barn wedding!
If you are unsure of how to match your foods to your wedding’s theme, then you can also consider catering your favorite dish as a food station. If you have a childhood favorite food or a dish that reminds you of you and your fiance’s first date, it would be fun to incorporate those lovely memories into your wedding feast!
Arrange Your Venue
Since food stations are self-contained serving areas, there are a lot of ways they can be arranged at your venue! If you appreciate the compactness of buffets but love the flair of stations, consider grouping your stations next to each other. Guests can go from one station to the next, much like a buffet, lending structure to meal time. Additionally, all the food is close together, making it easy to find.
For a more dynamic set-up, consider placing individual stations in different locations around the venue. This will encourage your guests to mingle about the reception space as they dine (and as they go back for seconds!). Spaced-out food stations also have the benefit of letting guests talk to people outside of their assigned table groups. Furthermore, the relaxed atmosphere will prevent your guests from feeling like they have to sit down and eat a whole meal during a specific dining time. They can go back and forth between eating and dancing to their heart’s content!
In order to finalize your food stations’ set-up, make sure you confirm your plans with the reception venue. They will let you know whether your dining plans can be accommodated within their space.
Decide if You’ll Offer Other Foods
Food stations can stand alone as your sole serving option, allowing your guests to customize all of their entrees while being served by a professional caterer. On the other hand, stations can also be paired with other serving set-ups to offer a broader range of foods. For example, some couples may be interested in using stations to serve lighter fare while providing the rest of their meal buffet-style.
The choice of what works best for your party is up to you! Food stations alone prioritize versatility in serving arrangements and customization of individual dishes. By comparison, pairing other food services with the stations will give you more food and a higher level of structure during dinner.
Consider Your Budget
Every caterer offers different price plans for their food stations. With that said, there may be a slight upcharge on stations versus other forms of catering. This is because a server is hired to work at each station, and they need to be compensated fairly for their extra work time.
If your catering budget is tight and you know you want a station, talking to your caterer about leaving the serving stations open for only a few hours versus the entire reception is best. If you book the stations for fewer hours, you may be able to save some money since the servers are working less time.
Research Your Caterer
No two caterers are the same! That’s why it’s essential to conduct research on your local caterers in advance. Not every service includes food stations in their wedding packages, so if you know you want to cater stations, choose a company that provides that service.
If you are holding your reception in New Orleans and love the delicious cuisine the city is famed for, consider Elysian Events Catering for your big day!
Why to Choose Elysian’s Food Stations
And there you have it; you now know how to make food stations at a wedding reception! But who should you call to cater? If you are hosting your wedding in the New Orleans area and want a caterer with vast experience (especially with stations!), then Elysian Events Catering is the business for you! At Elysian, we offer the following and more!
Flavors You’ll Love
We specialize in the delectable foods New Orleans is known for—gumbo, oysters, shrimp, and more! If that’s up your alley, then consider booking our Creole rice bar, mini po-boy station, or stone ground grits bar for your reception.
Blend Tradition with Modernity
Give your reception a unique spin by combining our traditional Southern recipes with the modernity of food stations! Our services guarantee you’ll have a one-of-a-kind reception.
Above-and-Beyond Customization
Food stations offer versatility as is, but if you’re looking for even more customization, Elysian is perfect for you! We accommodate the following:
Dietary Restrictions
If you or your guests have any dietary restrictions, we will happily make substitutions in our recipes to ensure all our foods are accessible and delicious.
Custom Foods
If you have a favorite meal that doesn’t appear on our full menu, we can still make it for you from scratch!
Tailored Menus
If none of our pre-existing wedding packages quite fit your needs, we can also work with you to create a custom menu! For more details, contact us to receive a quote.
Elysian Events Promises Food Stations You’ll Love
If you’re ready to make your New Orleans wedding reception memorable and seek a caterer with incredible customer service, reach out to Elysian Events Catering today! We can be reached through our contact form, as well as by email and phone. We can’t wait to hear from you!
