Advice-round tables or one long table

[glueck]

Seating arrangement help needed!

The space we are using for our destination wedding reception in is a hotel. It is a room divided into two different areas-upper and lower room. Upper room has a grand piano, comfortable love seats,chairs, and tables. Our cocktail hour will be in the upstairs room. The lover dinong section will he closed off with a decorative ribbon, and the person giving the last toast (the hostess) will open the ribbon and invite everyone to eat. There will be 2 continents and two different languages represented although most of the europeans speak passable english or better.

We will have about 40 guests and a few children as well. Below are pictures of both sections as well as the connection between them.

The dinner is a formal 4 course gourmet dinner, and we dont anticipate any dancing. This hopefully gives you an idea of what we are planning

Question is- How do we set up the tables? One long rectangular table or a few small ones (These seat 6 a piece)

All input is welcomed.

1st photo is the cocktail area

 

[glueck]

A very unromantic view of the dinner area... imagine with chandeliers dimly lit, candles burning, and different chairs!

 

[glueck]

This is the view from the dinner area into the cocktail area.

 

[glueck]

If anything about this inspires you will decoration ideas, cake placement guestbook tables or anything, I am 100% open to hearing it- We were hoping to use green as our main color based on the church which looks like this....

 

[honey22]

I think one long table can look fabulous, especially when you don''t anticipate dancing, however I do think this setup limits mingling a little bit.

That said, we are having 18 for our destination wedding in Sept and we plan to do one long table, or a L shaped table as we want to maintain an intimate atmosphere, and want everyone to feel like they are having dinner with everyone else, not just be segragated into groups.

 

[glueck]

When it is such a small group I love the feeling that everyone is one big group. But I had the same thought. Might it be difficult to mingle? Thanks for your thoughts, honey!

 

[Honey228]

I love the look of your venues!

Unfortunately, I can''t give a clear cut opinion. I see the pros and cons of both. One long table would look very regal. Smaller tables would be more intimate and conducive to mingling. But even with the one table set up for dinner, couldn''t guests mingle before and after in the cocktail area? If you don''t have a definite opinion on how you would like to "present" the space, then I might consider the guest list. Do your guests know each other fairly well and would comfortably feel like one big group? Or does your guest list break down easily into the smaller groups? Would you then have to seat them in groups of 6 or could different tables be brought in?

 

[meresal]

I think one long table in the lower room will look beautiful.

ETA: I went to a DW last year and there were probably 50 guests. All the older family member sat at one end, and all the younger friends sat at the other next to the bride and groom. The parents sat in the middle across from eachother. It was hard to hear people talking, but we were also sitting on a very windy pier. I think mingling will be fine if you are in a closed off room.

The table was set up like this:

I------------------

Where the "I" is, they had turned a small table sideways, so that the bride and groom could sit facing everyone. Made it much easier for everyone to see them and talk.

 

[glueck]

Honey 228- There are definitely pros and cons to both. The american people all know each other- family group and friends group, and the germans ALL know each other. The swiss guests know each other. They havent mixed yet (except for our parents) I dont want people to be language stressed. Talking in a language that is not your own all night can be exhausting. This is my vote for the small tables.

The vote for the long tables is that, I can say with almost complete certainty that FI''s family and my family will never be in the same place at the same time again. Mine live in the USA, his in north germany and we live in switzerland. This is the opportunity to get them to meet. Hence, my vote for the big table...a feeling of being together.

Meresal, I relly like the idea of breaking down the big table into age groups with the parents in the middle. Its a really good idea. I am storing that away for sure.

Thanks for you input. There is no clear cut answer here. Just advantages and disadvantages!

 

[AmberGretchen]

I think the big table sounds really good too - I think it will look so elegant, and will really promote that cohesive feeling you seem to be looking for

 

[Winks_Elf]

Several tables are more to my liking. It''s easier to get around, especially for anyone who may need to use the rest room or has trouble walking.

 

[katamari]

I think that with long tables, smaller groups tend to faction off (even if it is just in conversation), so I am not sure the longer tables are any more conducive to everyone talking. I would do smaller tables, but I would also figure out a way to get people talking (like moving away from the tables at some point) or having them rotate tables.