THE PERFECT MARRIAGE
Family Style Food + Tons of Tiny Table Arrangements
Designing a functional wedding table that delivers on style goals
For the last few years, farm tables + family style dinner service have been at the top of most bride’s lists. Long farm tables create an elegant look in any venue, and the popularity of family style serving can be attributed to the fact that it isn’t as fussy as plated, but feels more elevated than a traditional buffet.
Despite the popularity of this combination, there are multiple design challenges that this pairing represents. Farm tables are usually longer than they are wide, while family style dining requires multiple large platters on the table at the same time, which eats up table real estate. While ordering larger farm tables is an option – this results in higher costs as larger farm tables aren’t standard at most venues or rental companies.
If you’re “married” to the idea of family style serving, traditional vase arrangements usually have to be made smaller in order to compensate for the number of dishes on the table or are sometimes removed altogether once food service begins. This is a major bummer for both the bride and the florist after all the time we’ve both spent working on the vision for the wedding.
At Ash + Oak, we’ve solved the family style conundrum – so you can have your (wedding) cake and eat it too. Multiple small arrangements dotted on the table provide visual impact and still allow space for plates, serving platters, and cutlery. On a long farm table, each cluster of guests can admire the unique arrangement placed in front of them – as well as be wowed by the sheer number of arrangements in the room.
