Post # 1

Member
3 posts
Wannabee
We’re having food stations for our reception but I’m afraid our guests won’t quite get how it works. I am thinking of including an explanation on our ceremony program since it is all at the same venue. I was wondering if anyone had any tips or examples of how to describe the concept of stations. Thanks!
Post # 3

Member
146 posts
Blushing bee
they are more common then you think… what is making you doubt them understanding the concept?!
Post # 4

Member
2640 posts
Sugar bee
I agree. Even if someone hasn’t really been introduced to them before, I’d think it would be easy to catch on by watching others. Maybe we need more explanation as to what the problem is.
Post # 5

Member
36 posts
Newbee
I’m doing food stations and passed canapes’ in lieu of a sit down dinner. Very much a cocktail dinner. The only thing I have come up with so far is cocktails and a strolling dinner to follow.
Post # 6

Member
146 posts
Blushing bee
My Fiance and I are using the "stations" to follow the theme of "The Best of Both Worlds".
My fiance is Puerto Rican and I am Italian…i thought it was a great way to bring our backgrounds into the wedding!
Post # 7

Member
44 posts
Newbee
Sorry, I guess I’m the only that doesn’t quite understand what a food station is, I always thought it was the same as a buffet?
Post # 8

Member
146 posts
Blushing bee
The food stations will be present at the cocktail hour along with the pass arounds… before the actual sit down dinner.
Post # 9

Member
1423 posts
Bumble bee
I’ve been to weddings where the DJ/MC tells the crowd to help themselves to whatever they want at any time. That works well.
meso3– stations are like a scattered buffet. set up in different parts of the room, and you help yourself to whatever you want, whenever you want it. They’re usually out for at least a couple of hours.
Post # 10

Member
92 posts
Worker bee
You could always have a couple of the head waiter who might greet guests as they arrive to the reception with cocktails inform people to feel free to move around and try out the stations – word of mouth would probably work better than writing it down.
I live in South Carolina, and honestly, I’ve NEVER been to a wedding where there was anything but food stations. It’s just kind of an understood thing down here that we do not have a seated dinner. The whole reception has a cocktail type feel – it’s different from a buffet b/c you really don’t sit down – mostly you stand at high top tables and eat from smaller plates. I think it works wonderfully – plus people can move around easily, and get out on the dance floor. It also saves you the daunting task of figuring out the seating drama!
Post # 11

Member
1379 posts
Bumble bee
I will say that I’ve been to a stationed wedding that we didnt realize had different stations! The ballroom was quite large and from our vantage point we could only see two stations with the same food (carving stations with veggies and potatos … mmm) … about a half an hour later as we were finishing our dinner another guest came over to chat who was on the other side of the room and she said "wow that looks good!!" and I said "well isn’t it what you had?" and she said "no! we all had pasta!!" … and pointed waaay across the ballroom to the two pasta stations!
No one at our table even knew that was an option. So just make sure that people realize that there are other stations offering different foods. Whether it’s an announcement by the DJ or by the people helping to serve at each station, just makes ure peopel don’t miss out on all the options!
Post # 12

Member
44 posts
Newbee
Thanks for the clarification bluegreenjean.
I think people will get it, anytime there’s food people will go towards it, especially if they see others at each station. So the people who know about that stations can start it off and others will catch on.
Post # 13

Member
3 posts
Wannabee
Thanks all for the insight! There haven’t been too many weddings in our area that have used stations before – its either a buffet or sit down. I guess I was worried that they would think it was a buffet and all wait in line at once and not move to other stations or mingle. I like the idea of making an announcement to let them know what the various stations are so they won’t feel like they missed out on something at the end of the night. Thanks again!