Buffet-style wedding: principles, ideas and rules.

A doll on the hood, rings on the roof, bows and ribbons - all this is usually diligently looked out by guests at a wedding, waiting for the bride and groom to attend the banquet. They also wander around in different directions, update social networks on their phones and are frankly bored. Maybe we can save them from this and have a wedding buffet table?

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantages of such events include the following:

lower cost compared to a classic restaurant banquet;
original presentation of dishes;
no need for a certain number of tables and chairs;
significant savings in space for dances and competitions;
optional presence of a presenter.

In addition, a buffet usually takes significantly less time compared to a traditional feast (on average 2-4 hours) and is suitable for those newlyweds who want to have a short but memorable celebration.

A buffet table, like any other wedding style, has its drawbacks. It is not suitable for a large number of guests or a classic wedding where invited participants expect a traditional banquet.

Entertainment

Despite the fact that you decided to do without a banquet at the wedding, you should not refuse the entertainment program. The host, musical accompaniment, performances by artists or bartenders, mimes, magicians and living statues - all this will give you and your guests incredible emotions. The entertainment program depends on the theme of the celebration, the number of guests, the venue, and the individual wishes of the main heroes of the occasion.

To end the evening, you can choose to congratulate the newlyweds, throw the bride's bouquet, or fireworks. The last note of the holiday should be as emotional as possible, because it is what forms the overall impression of the entire celebration.

Who is the buffet suitable for?

A buffet-style wedding is, first of all, an informal event for a small group of friends. This is an excellent option for modern young people who value time, but at the same time do not miss the opportunity to share their joy with loved ones. A buffet can easily be held outdoors or in a small banquet hall that is not designed for a traditional feast with dancing, competitions and a host.

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Wedding without a banquet: pros and cons

A wedding without a banquet, like any medal, has two sides. Which one shines brighter?

Advantages

Saving.

This is the main argument in favor of a wedding without a magnificent feast. There is no need to rent a banquet hall, spend money on decor, an expensive menu with the obligatory wedding cake, a host, a DJ, an entertaining evening program, or fireworks. A significant amount of money is spent on all this from the wedding budget. The newlyweds will be able to spend the saved money on themselves - go on a honeymoon, set up a “family nest” or make their first major joint purchase - a car.

A wedding without a banquet opens up space for the imagination of the newlyweds. Instead of a traditional feast, young people, accompanied by a small group of friends, can organize something unusual and more romantic than kissing to “Bitter!” tipsy guests. For example, take a boat ride or horseback ride, or have an informal picnic in nature.

Preserved nerves.

Organizing a wedding celebration is stressful! If you organize everything yourself, you will have to stock up on a fair amount of patience and self-control. You can, of course, entrust everything to a professional wedding organizer, but this will be a separate expense item, and it is not a fact that you will be able to completely eliminate yourself from the preparation process.

Personal participation will still be needed, and control over what is happening is also necessary. How to seat invited relatives at the table? Where to accommodate out-of-town guests? How many and what kind of cars will be needed for the transfer? Vanity! But initially I dreamed of a modest wedding, “without noise and dust,” and of an immediate departure away from everyone and everything - to the sea and snow-white sand.

But instead, there was a multi-hour feast, a tedious ritual of toasts and response speeches, competitions, songs, and dances according to a memorized script. Sometimes, young people are so tired of all this mentally and physically that they do not get any pleasure from either the banquet menu or what is happening.

But all this can be avoided, saving your nerves and money.

Disadvantages of a wedding without a banquet

Lack of vivid impressions.

Painting in the registry office on a weekday, without a wedding photo shoot, without any guests? This truncated version of the wedding is devoid of any wedding events. There will be no colorful memories or photo album left of him.

However, this minus is conditional, since everything depends on the newlyweds themselves. Do they have enough imagination to fill the void left by the banquet with other bright and interesting events?

Dissatisfied relatives.

It is no secret that most of the relatives - people of mature and elderly age - do not understand and do not approve of “wrong weddings”.

No banquet? Without a restaurant? Without bride price? Without a toastmaster? What kind of wedding is this?! Such comments are inevitable. There will be people who are dissatisfied. Question: How important is such grumbling from loved ones for newlyweds? And what does it threaten them with?

No gifts.

No guests, no gifts - this is the logic of the consequences of a wedding without a banquet.

Advice: before betting on a “modest wedding”, you should carefully calculate everything. Will your guests give enough to pay for your wedding reception? Or are you waiting for the same type of sets of porcelain dishes and bed linen? And will the banquet expenses be many times greater than the “gift income”?

Buffet menu

Basic principles of the buffet menu:

lack of hot food and multiple changes of dishes;
lack of waiters and service personnel;
all dishes are placed on tables or stands in general accessibility;
small portions for one or two bites;
main course - light snacks, canapés and sandwiches, as well as fruits and sweets;
large selection of drinks (champagne, wine, sparkling water, juices, fruit drinks).

Not the least important role is played by the design and presentation of each dish. Miniature bowls, glasses and cups are most often used as tableware. Sliced meats and fish, cheese, fruits, vegetables and sweets are often served directly on trays. Drinks, with the exception of wine and carbonated liquids, are poured into glasses in advance.

How to design and decorate a buffet table for a wedding

Due to the fact that the treats consist of small portions, they take up a lot of space, so it is better to group them slightly apart from each other, as in the photo.

Tables with hot, cold and sweet dishes are placed so that 4-5 guests each have free access to them.

It is good to create zoning according to the type of food served, and you also need to separate the place with drinks.

Dishes served on the table:

Beautiful presentation of small portions is the main thing in a buffet table. Sauces, delicious salads and desserts can be packaged in bowls.
Fruits need to be laid out beautifully; it is best to use portions held together with a skewer.
All dishes on one table should be in the same style.

The buffet is decorated mainly with the help of whimsical placement of treats, exquisite bowls or stands. The table can also be decorated with fabric or bouquets of fresh flowers. The design focuses on functionality and ease of access to food.

From this video you will learn how to prepare food and drinks for a buffet table:

Design, decor and other nuances

A buffet-style wedding is distinguished by its laconicism and at the same time playfulness. On the tables, as a rule, there are practically no decorations of any kind, except for dishes, cutlery and flowers. But at the same time, all design elements are selected with special care. There are a lot of original and unusual details that are not typical for a classic restaurant feast. For example, treated wood cuts are used as trays or dessert stands.

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Tables can be arranged randomly or in a specific order. Recently, tablecloths and napkins are used less and less, but if there is a tablecloth, its edges should completely cover the legs of the table and reach the floor. Tables or stands should be high enough so that there is no need to lean over them. The central part and decoration of the wedding venue can be a fountain made of chocolate or champagne. A classic technique for decorating buffet tables is to build a pyramid of wine glasses.

A small number of chairs, benches or sofas should be placed in the wedding area area so that guests can sit and relax. In addition, you should stock up on a lot of extra dishes and wine glasses, as guests often confuse them and forget which glass they drank from.

Differences between a banquet and a buffet and features of its organization

This needs to be known and understood when organizing such a wedding.

Location

Banquet:

In order to organize a banquet, there are now many different places, from city restaurants, country houses and ending with tents in the park. At a minimum, the venue for the banquet should be spacious, appropriate to the style of the wedding, well lit, and you will also have to adapt to the schedule of the establishment and its rules.

Buffet:

Unlike a banquet, a buffet can be held almost anywhere; parks, river or lake banks, pine forests, fields or beaches are especially good for it. That is, if banquets are held in establishments such as restaurants or cafes, then buffets are held mainly outdoors, if the weather is good and warm. Although they can also be arranged at home.

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Serving and seating

Banquet:

When organizing a banquet, you always need to think through a lot of things: how to arrange the tables, how to decorate them, how to seat the guests, etc. A banquet can be served in completely different ways. These can be modern long tables or round, European-style. It can also be one common table, where everyone will sit at once, with the newlyweds at once.

Guests at the banquet also need to be seated wisely so that they have common topics of conversation and no one feels out of place.

Buffet:

There are no rules in seating or serving the buffet table. This can be a shared table with everything at once: all snacks, drinks and alcohol. However, the buffet can also be divided into different zones: in one zone - light snacks and canapés with fruit, in another - drinks, in the third - meat snacks, in the fourth - salads.

Tables should be high so that guests do not have to bend over too much. After all, the buffet does not require seating.

Menu and service

Banquet:

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A banquet presupposes a large amount of varied food, corresponding to the wishes of the guests (what if someone doesn’t eat meat or something else), as well as good service: waiters, clean plates, timely serving.

Buffet:

The buffet menu is a little more limited, and easier to create. But serving a buffet table is more complicated: waiters will need to replenish all dishes when they run out, and monitor this, as well as cleanliness and order. And someone else has to cook it all quickly.

Entertainment

Banquet:

The banquet should have its own entertainment program with a host, competitions, surprises, performances by artists and funny shows.

Buffet:

The buffet does not require a prepared program. Is it better to provide quiet musical accompaniment with live music or with the help of a DJ. You can also think of some kind of measured and interactive entertainment, like a not too complicated board or street game or a cooking, dance, or floristry master class.

Entertainment at the buffet table

Since the host, as a rule, is absent from such events, its main organizers - the newlyweds - are responsible for entertaining the guests. Most often, the time allotted for a feast does not allow for a large-scale entertainment event. Therefore, guests calmly communicate with each other and congratulate the newlyweds. One of the most popular and successful entertainment options is the installation of a photo zone. It is better if there are several sites for an impromptu photo shoot, and a separate photographer should be invited to each. Board games or sports games can be offered as additional entertainment.

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A wedding without a banquet is a sign of time

You don't choose times. People live and have weddings in them. And these weddings are becoming less and less similar to the wedding events of our ancestors.

It was difficult to imagine a wedding without a 2-day feast a couple of decades ago. Today, a wedding without a banquet is a clear sign of the times. More and more newlyweds are choosing this modest format to celebrate their fateful event.

What is this? Saving finances, singing romances among young people? Or the practicality and healthy rationalism of modern youth? Or, perhaps, the newlyweds are selfish - they do what is convenient for them, ignoring the wishes of their relatives? www.4banket.ru understands the vicissitudes of a wedding without a banquet . Follow us and we will reveal to you all the pros and cons of a wedding without a banquet and offer alternative options.

Other options for weddings without a banquet

A buffet is not the only way to have a memorable wedding without a banquet.

There are other great opportunities to show your imagination and hold the most romantic and original ceremony.

For example, not the cheapest, but at least a romantic way to hold a wedding event - in an outdoor tent, in the circle of your closest friends, with copious drinks and delicious food.

Large wedding celebrations are held not only for the newlyweds, but also for the guests with whom the newlyweds want to share their joy. But if the bride and groom decide to do without this, then immediately after official registration you can go on a honeymoon trip around the country, retire to some good country hotel or boarding house, or go abroad to a luxury resort or sea cruise.
If you have more limited means, organize a small treat for witnesses, parents and a few friends only at the registry office, and then go, for example, on a river trip or a walk around the city, which will end in the newlyweds’ house.

After registration, arrange a small buffet for invited guests and relatives with congratulations, toasts, maybe reading poetry, and then go together to a restaurant where a romantic dinner has been ordered and finish the day at home.

Whatever wedding option a young couple chooses, it is important to remember one simple thing: the wedding is not arranged for guests, but for the bride and groom - for those who united their hearts in a fit of love.

Video gallery on holding a wedding without a banquet:

Buffet table aesthetics

If we talk about food and its quantity, then the decision on this issue is up to you personally. But for the centerpiece of the event, a private table should be allocated. What it will be is up to you to decide: various cakes, chocolate fountains or sushi - the choice is yours. Standard buffet dishes include sandwiches, canapés, fruits, cakes, tartlets, etc.

The right decision would be if you distribute tables for each type of food. Since the buffet takes a short amount of time - up to 3 hours, there should be enough food on the tables for all this time.

How is the wedding presidium formalized?

Foreign and domestic experience in this matter demonstrate fundamentally different approaches.

Western decorators of wedding events rarely use the technique of separating the newlyweds’ table into a separate area, but in Russia this is a fairly common design move. Moreover, if it has already been decided to make a presidium, then the scope of the process will be ensured: a thematic backdrop, rich draperies on the front of the table, flowerpots on the sides, hanging structures, aerodesign.

In foreign weddings, the newlyweds’ table barely stands out - laconic floral arrangements and a beautiful tablecloth. That's all. There is no need for additional structures behind the table at all. Western designers usually solve the problem of a backdrop by choosing a well-lit, open place for the newlyweds' table. Thus, the main wedding table is visible from all sides, noticeable and harmonious in its special status, without additional decorative tricks.

Decorator tips

If the banquet area has a very specific thematic interior that does not match the wedding style, then the podium and backdrop design will help find a compromise in this discrepancy. Their organization will draw attention to the newlyweds’ table, making it noticeable and attractive in the surrounding space. When installing a backdrop, give preference to light, light-colored designs that are not overloaded with decorative elements.

It is important that the bride and groom do not get lost against their background. When choosing between preserving the natural light of the room and the backdrop, choose light A as a decoration for the podium, placing the emphasis on the front of the table, its foot. Floral arrangements will be the best solution.

Benefits of a banquet

If you intend to celebrate a wedding without a banquet, carefully consider all the pros and cons of such an event. For what reasons did you make this decision?

Do you want to have a fun wedding, but don’t have the time or desire to look for a banquet hall, decorate it, invite a toastmaster, or come up with all sorts of fun competitions? Then use the services of any specialized wedding agency, they will think through everything to the smallest detail for you.

You don’t want to spend money on a banquet, but would you like to spend that money on your honeymoon in an exotic country? Then you should calculate the approximate amount of money that will be spent on preparing the banquet, and then estimate how much your guests will be able to give you. In most cases, the newlyweds at the banquet are given more than the cost of preparing the wedding.

A wedding banquet means that people close and dear to you will gather at one table - friends, relatives, colleagues with whom you want to share this important and incredibly pleasant moment of life. And on your wedding anniversary it will be nice to look at photos and videos with their participation.

Only at the banquet they will shout at you many times: “Bitter!”, you will plunge into a sea of jokes, songs, fiery dances, you will be enveloped in a wonderful atmosphere of goodwill and love. At the banquet we hear good wishes from friends and parting words from parents. And the crown of the celebration is a huge cake, everyone is waiting for it from the very beginning of the wedding! If the list of these actions is familiar to you from the weddings of friends and relatives, and you have definitely decided that your wedding can be celebrated in a much more interesting way? Then give up organizing a banquet and come up with other entertainment for yourself and your guests.

You can only gather so many people dear to your heart in one room and hear pleasant words of congratulations from them only at a common table. Enjoy their company, and you can celebrate your wedding without a banquet with your loved one alone during your honeymoon. You have your whole life ahead of you.

How to celebrate your wedding - in a secluded place, away from everyone, only with your loved one, or in the company of loved ones - the decision is up to you. Weigh the pros and cons, choose a worthy option, because this important day should remain in your memory forever.

When is a wedding presidium needed?

Decorating a wedding space is a matter of taste and desire of the newlyweds. And the presence or absence of a presidium is their personal decision. However, there are a number of points that can influence this choice.

Reference: “wedding presidium” is the name of a specially decorated table for the bride and groom, standing apart from the tables for guests or a large common table.

The wedding presidium performs 4 tasks.

Helps the newlyweds be the center of attention of the festive event.
Promotes unity between the bride and groom. The table “for two” emphasizes their new status – spouses.
It prevents you from getting lost in the interior of the large hall, among other tables.
It is a bright element of wedding decor, serves as a spectacular photo zone, intended only for the main heroes of the occasion, and serves as an excellent background for staged photographs.

Thus, a wedding presidium is useful in two cases:

- when the event is of an impressive scale and takes place in a large hall with many guest tables. Then the main area where the newlyweds sit needs to be highlighted;

— when there is no special photo zone for staged shots at the banquet. Then the presidium zone takes on this role.

Scenario options for organizing a buffet table

There are different types of wedding reception:

pre-wedding – the best opportunity to introduce guests before the official and main part of the wedding;
The main one is a buffet after the traditional wedding day, when after the ransom, photo shoot and of course registration, the newlyweds invite guests to the main part of the event.

Outdoors after the registry office

You can celebrate your small but significant date in nature after the registry office. The first thing to start with is choosing a location. Choose a place that is convenient to drive to.

Also, in order to hold a buffet in nature, nature must accompany you. Come up with a plan B in advance if it suddenly rains.

Wedding in a restaurant

If you already want to hold a buffet in a restaurant, then you should contact the restaurant you have chosen in advance about this issue and discuss all possible issues, which include: menu, number of guests, invitation of artists, etc.

Coordinate your actions, decide on the time by which everything should be ready. And be sure to check everything yourself when you arrive on site.

Wedding at home

If you decide to hold this event at home, then you should take into account that the buffet differs from the traditional feast.

You should place the table with various snacks to the side, but so that everyone has the opportunity to approach it from a convenient side. If we talk about snacks, then they should be such that you can eat them in a relaxed atmosphere - sitting in a chair or just standing.

Wedding concept

The choice of color palette turned out to be funny. Pasha and I went shopping to pick out a suit. And when I saw this eggplant color in one of the stores, I immediately said: “We’ll take it.” And already they began to select the color scheme for the suit.

For our holiday we chose eco style, but some details were borrowed from other similar styles. Seasonal flowers, fruits, and linen fabrics were used in the decor. We also took care of blankets for guests in case of cool weather, and we were right.

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We were very lucky that next to the chosen place for the buffet there was an ancient oak tree, which is approximately 500 years old. Near it we organized a wedding ceremony, where we pronounced vows to each other to the light music of the violin. As guests later told us, everything looked very tender and touching.

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Go to your favorite cafe

Budget: RUR 24,000 Where: Moscow, 2015 Guests: 5 Saved by consciously refusing to spend large amounts

We spent 24 thousand on the wedding. The rings cost 12 thousand, the bride’s dress was sewn by the sister, we paid 4 thousand for video filming at the registry office. We chose our favorite cafe in the center of Moscow and paid 7 thousand rubles there. On the wedding day we also bought two jars of red caviar worth a thousand rubles.

There was no problem with money: I am an IT specialist, my wife is a lawyer, we just left this amount from our last salary. Small expenses are our conscious choice. We didn’t need limousines, cool wedding photos and other attributes of a “successful wedding”. We thought it would be wiser to transfer the money to purchase a home.

Place

When we were looking for a restaurant, we imagined an inexpensive establishment on the outskirts of the city, perhaps by the water. It turned out that this is a potential problem: such a restaurant will not be in the navigators and guests will call the bride and groom to find out directions. Mosquitoes will fly in from the reservoir, and some local residents may try to snatch the phone from one of the lost guests.

Restaurants in the region were also not the best option. Almost all of them had terrible toilets without paper, soap or towels, and there was no need to even mention dressing rooms for presenters and musicians.

Expensive establishments in residential areas were also not suitable: after 11 pm we would not be able to set off fireworks, or turn up the music louder, or shout “Bitter!”

There are problems with parking for guests in the city center.

We looked at 10 restaurants and in the end chose an inexpensive establishment at a hotel on the outskirts of the city, far enough from residential buildings, but not in an industrial zone and without bodies of water nearby.

Total:

If a large number of people are planned for your celebration, the wedding itself will be held in an official, classic style, and you want a full evening with a program, congratulations and a nutritious dinner - feel free to choose a banquet.

And if you want a more friendly, relaxed, informal and light atmosphere, with a free program, board games and cinema, a buffet is your option. Whatever you choose, keep your guests and yourself in mind to ensure a comfortable celebration for everyone!

In our Weddywood Organizer you will find a complete guide to choosing a wedding format, type of celebration and creating an entertainment program depending on the chosen format. Happy preparation!

Weddings without a banquet: 5 alternative options

Who said that a wedding, abandoning the traditional banquet, is devoid of meaning and joy? There are many ways to “revive” a fateful day with informal and touching events, to add a fresh flair of romance to an organized day at an affordable price.

Option number 1: Civil registry office and honeymoon.

The traditional morning of the wedding day is the bride's ransom, the company of cheerful friends and girlfriends, a light buffet before heading to the registry office.