Q. I love the idea of serving our reception dinner family-style. Who offers this option in the Twin Cities and how can we pull it off?
A. “Family-style catering is great for the bride who wants to make food the focus of her reception, with a fun and interactive vibe,” says Dawn Drouillard, chef and owner of Fabulous Catering in Minneapolis. Family-style catering means that your guests will socialize and pass dishes around the table, notes Drouillard, and also allows guests to sample a little bit of everything, rather than choosing a single meal choice. “This style of service appeals to the bride and groom who want to have a festive reception without seeming stuffy,” she says.
Key to pulling this off is to serve it in courses. To make sure guests aren’t overwhelmed and tables don’t get too crowded, serve no more than three or four dishes at a time. You can also choose to only serve appetizers or antipasti courses family-style, letting guests nosh at the table while they wait for the main courses to be served.