While having a sit-down dinner at your wedding reception is traditional, you definitely don’t have to go that route! Some couples prefer a more informal dining experience, while others just want to keep their guests entertained and ensure everyone has a good time. No matter your goals for your reception, here are a few alternatives to the traditional sit-down wedding meal.

Opt for cocktail-style dining

If your wedding is more on the formal side but you don’t want to do a sit-down dinner, consider a cocktail reception. You can either set up food stations for your guests to serve themselves or have servers mingle with the crowd and hand out appetizers. Don’t want to choose? Have both options at once! Your guests will enjoy the formal atmosphere and the tasty cuisine to try around every corner.

Have fun with food trucks

Maybe you want to give your wedding guests multiple different dining options. Hiring several food trucks is a great way to add some fun to your reception and give your event more of a relaxed and informal vibe. Food trucks allow your wedding guests to choose what they want to eat without ordering ahead and give people more of an opportunity to mingle during dinner. Set up picnic benches or outdoor tables around the gathered trucks for people to sit down and eat! See QC area food trucks here.

Cozy up family-style

If you’re hosting a smaller get-together for your big day, consider setting your reception up like more of a family dinner. Guests can sit at large tables with a variety of dishes in the center which they can pass around. This is the perfect option if you still want to have assigned seating but don’t want the formality of a plated and served meal. Plus, a family-style dinner can make your wedding reception feel more like a gathering of loved ones than a big, overwhelming event.

Celebrate with a barbecue

Perfect for a summer wedding, a barbecue is a casual and cost-effective way to allow your wedding guests to serve themselves. If you have a pro griller in the family, ask them to make burgers, brats, and other grilled delicacies, or you can have professional barbecue catered to your reception. Bonus points if your wedding is in an area that’s famous for its barbecue!

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