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Wedding Thoughts on seating for a cocktail reception

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RLG

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 22, 2007
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I''ve read several different ideas about whether to have only 2/3 seating available or full seating available for a cocktail reception with passed hordeurves. Has anyone been to this kind or reception? What were your thoughts? My second problem is that with this type of reception should I go with the smaller room the venue has. When I thought I was doing a sit down dinner for a guest list of 160 I knew I needed the bigger room even if only about 130 people came. Now I''m wondering if I have less seating is the size of the room going to swallow up our guests?
 
In terms of the 2/3 vs. full seating question, I'd vote for full seating and here's why. I went to a wedding last year that had a cocktail reception where there wasn't enough seating for all of the guest (actually, they assigned seats to all of the "older" guests but all the bride and groom's friends (including me) had no assigned seat and thus had to just stand at high cocktail tables the whole time). Anyway, for the ladies wearing high heels, it's just nice to have a definite place to sit down. Having stood at the high cocktail table for a while my feet were killing my by the end of dinner and I just didn't feel like dancing after that (which made the reception a lot less fun for me). All the while, I just kept on thinking that the bride and groom were too cheap to spring for a few extra chairs and tables to accommodate all of their guests.

I know that the theory with 2/3 chairs is that there will always be chairs open when people want to sit down since others will always be getting up to get food/go dancing. However, in reality, people will leave purses/jackets/wraps etc on seats, thus making them not really "open" seats. Plus, that could also leave one seat here one seat there open and most people will want to sit with their group, not in single scattered seats. I just think its easier to have enough seats for all. That doesn't mean that people will be stuck to their seats all night because at a cocktail reception people kind of have to get up and moving! It just means that no one will ever get mad that they don't have a place to sit when feet get tired/put their purse, etc...

Regarding the room size, I'd ask the venue for their opinion. If they've hosted cocktail receptions before they should have an idea how much space you need.

Good luck RLG!
 
I totally agree with havernell for all the same reasons she listed. My FI has been very laid back and doesn''t really have an opinion on most wedding stuff, but he definitely wanted to be sure we had plenty of seating even during our cocktail hour so that our guests are comfortable.
 
I agree that full seating is the best option if it''s possible. Even if people are up dancing most of the time, it''s still nice to have a place to leave your stuff, put your drink down and know it will still be there when you get back, and have a place to rest (especially during toasts and stuff like that). And I''ve had the same experience as havernell where even after people get up from their seats, other people are not likely to sit there because it still feels like it''s not "yours" to sit in.
 
As always thank you for the informative replies. I really appreciate it. I''ll talk to them about the seating when we go to sign the contract. I went and looked at the site today and I think the smaller room will work better for us.
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