Clever way to move people

atandby

Hi there-

Do you ladies have a clever rhyme that I can put at some tables to tell my guests that their tables will be removed to make way for the dance floor?

Need help!

Thanks!!

peachy13

I would ask the coordinator at the venue what she recommends -- what do most people do or how is it relayed to your guests that their table will disappear. Will all the tables be removed? If it's only a few, I would try to seat people who will likely be up and dancing for the rest of the night, like your friends (as opposed to your older relatives who may need to sit later in the evening). 

I feel like "clever" or "cute" rhymes often mean that you're masking something that's rude.

birdybride2014

I don't know the etiquette for if removing tables for a dance floor is okay or not, but I was at a wedding last weekend and our tables were removed. We had some visibly insulted aunts who took major offense, so if you are to do this I would agree with PP that you should try to sit people there who will likely be dancing/won't mind. 

[Deleted User]

I wouldn't do this at all. I nixed a gorgeous venue for this very reason. Either cut your guest list or find a bigger place. I am someone who is up and moving after dinner at weddings, but I still want a chair to go back to. People need a place to sit and they need a place to leave their coats, purses, etc.

KatWAG

atandby said:

Hi there-

Do you ladies have a clever rhyme that I can put at some tables to tell my guests that their tables will be removed to make way for the dance floor?

Need help!

Thanks!!

Dont do this. I have been to wedding that have done this. It is a huge hassle and no one was pleased.

Everyone likes to have a base camp where they can leave their bags, shoes, drinks, etc for the night. A place to sit down and rest for a few minutes between dances. And you are taking this away from people when you remove the tables. Plus, then you dont have seating for everyone.  What if these poeple arent done eating when the dancing is supposed to start? Or where should the move their bags to? Its just a huge pain in the ass.

And a cute or clever sign doesnt make it any better.

How many tables are you planning to do this to? one or two? Half? what?

JoanE2012

Please don't do this. No cute rhyme makes up for the fact that this is rude. Why would you pick a venue that couldn't accommodate everyone and everything (including the dance floor)?

Try working with the venue to find alternate solutions. Taking people's tables and chairs away should not be one of them. Where would I put all my stuff? I don't want to just shift over to another table that is full of stuff from the people. And what if they're all sitting? Where do I sit? This option is awful, please rethink it!

NYCMercedes

The only table that should be removed is yours.

OliveOilsMom

Please don't do this. It's very inconsiderate of your guests. I did attend a wedding where the buffet tables were placed on the dance floor. Once everyone was finished eating, the food & tables were removed. They did this while the B&G were cutting the cake. It worked out much better than having your guests disturbed.

climbingsingle

Cattle prods.

Jen4948

Moving guests' tables is bad enough, but using a "clever rhyme" to tell people to expect it just makes it worse.

If there's not enough room for both tables for all your guests and a dance floor, then you either need to find a new venue or cut your guest list (assuming that invitations haven't already gone out).

And forget about "clever rhymes."  There's nothing "clever" about it in prose, let alone rhyme, so don't try to make a song or poem of it.

KatieinBkln

Sitting's for squares, so move your butt
Hop on the dancefloor and dance as you're able

Don't forget to take all your stuff

When you get back, there won't be a table.

NAILED IT!

tammym1001

Someone suggested that I take down our sweetheart table after dinner at our wedding because it was in front of the dance floor and they didn't like that. Their reasoning was that DH and I would be up socializing and dancing and not sitting at the table anymore. I refused to have even just my table moved for two reasons:

1. I knew I wouldn't sit at it again, but I wanted somewhere to keep my stuff and be able to set my drink down. I also wanted the option if for some reason I needed to sit for a minute or two that I could.

2. I didn't want staff breaking down tables, carting out centerpieces, and folding up tablecloths in the middle of my wedding reception. It would have looked tacky and like they were shutting everything down already.

I didn't want this done to my own table, there's no way in hell I would have done it to my guest's tables.

cafarrie

Ugh, every wedding i've been to that has done this, i've been at one of the tables that was removed.  It was so tacky and rude and a pain in my ass!

jacques27

I've also been at a table that was moved.  It was awkward butting into another table full of people I didn't know and asking if they'd cram together so there was room to stash my purse, sweater, drink, and favor. 

If you persist in going through with this plan (please don't, but if you do...), just have the staff politely and quietly inform the guests involved when it is time to do it and perhaps even have them find a new spot for the guests while they are at it instead of making them look for their own.  Also, please make sure that all food you are planning on serving is done and over with (i.e. no cake cutting, dessert buffet, or late night snack) before breaking it down - it's super awkward when they leave the cake cutting until later and then you realize you don't have a table to sit at to eat your cake.

But do not go with a "clever" poem.  The actual clever thing to do would have been find a venue that can accommodate your guests without disrupting them.  As a guest, if I were to see a cutesy or clever poem in this situation, I would think "Gee, it's too bad they put more time and effort into this poem than they did picking their venue and planning for their guests."

Viczaesar

As a guest I would be so pissed and uncomfortable.  Don't do this to your guests.

southernbelle0915

The reason you're trying to find a rhyme to say this is because you know it's rude. Don't be rude to your guests.

Maggie0829

If my table were removed I would be pissed as hell.  Since I typically wear heels to weddings I generally like a place to sit to give my feet a break.  I also like a place to put my clutch and drink down.

Where will these discarded guests go?  Where will they put their things?  Will they just have to stand all night?  If you do this expect these guests to pretty much leave right after their tables are removed.

MandyMost

Assuming invites have already gone out and there's not turning back, I think your options are, in order of best-to-worst:

1. Talk to the venue about ANY other options for this--such as using long tables instead of rounds, having more people at fewer tables, putting other tables outside of the room so there's more space, etc. Perhaps you could do a seated dinner instead of buffet and not need buffet tables, if that's an option. Put the bar outside of the room if you can. 
2. Get rid of all the side tables--hang a sign on the wall with a seating chart, put the guest book on a little stand, etc., so maybe you won't need to break down any tables
3. Break down only your sweetheart table
4. Have only a tiny dance floor that you can fit.
5. Don't have a dance floor at your wedding, since you don't have space for one
6. Break down the "head table" only, but make sure there are still chairs somewhere for your bridal party and their dates. You can explain the situation to them ahead of time.

Honestly, I don't think breaking down guests tables is an option at all. I just can't imagine how rude this is and how put out your guests would feel!

theartistformerlyknownas

Hey everybody, let's move your feet!

My "vision" mattered more than you keeping your seat.

So get up, move around, hope your feet aren't sore!

Cuz we're sacrificing your table in the name of the dance floor.

graciegra

Personally, and I know this my personal preference as a fairly young person, but I'd much rather have my table moved than have *no* dance floor. I love dancing and if the bride and groom are the kind that would like a dancing wedding, I want to be out there on the dance floor celebrating with them- whether or not I'm the DD! 

Obviously weddings don't need dancing, but if it's an evening wedding where there otherwise would be dancing and OP, you'd like it as the bride, then figure out the best way. 

I think the suggestion to first talk to your venue about other ways to set up the space are very smart. I think last case would be to think about your friends like me who won't mind so much. Sit us there and let us (at least a few of the people at the table) know in advance (and maybe suggest another good table for them to use with mutual friends.) If a friend told me, I'd casually mention it near the end of dinner to the rest of my table and it wouldn't be a big deal. 

Honestly, most weddings I've been to, a lot of the tables are totally abandoned because they are so far from the action and people end up hanging out at the cocktail tables, outside areas, etc when they don't want to dance. 

Last, a coat check could be helpful for holding people's things and with the tables disappearing, don't put favors on the tables, just have a station by the door to pick them up so guests can grab them as they leave. 

southernbelle0915

graciegra said:

Personally, and I know this my personal preference as a fairly young person, but I'd much rather have my table moved than have *no* dance floor. I love dancing and if the bride and groom are the kind that would like a dancing wedding, I want to be out there on the dance floor celebrating with them- whether or not I'm the DD! 

Obviously weddings don't need dancing, but if it's an evening wedding where there otherwise would be dancing and OP, you'd like it as the bride, then figure out the best way. 

I think the suggestion to first talk to your venue about other ways to set up the space are very smart. I think last case would be to think about your friends like me who won't mind so much. Sit us there and let us (at least a few of the people at the table) know in advance (and maybe suggest another good table for them to use with mutual friends.) If a friend told me, I'd casually mention it near the end of dinner to the rest of my table and it wouldn't be a big deal. 

Honestly, most weddings I've been to, a lot of the tables are totally abandoned because they are so far from the action and people end up hanging out at the cocktail tables, outside areas, etc when they don't want to dance. 

Last, a coat check could be helpful for holding people's things and with the tables disappearing, don't put favors on the tables, just have a station by the door to pick them up so guests can grab them as they leave. 

I'd rather have the bride and groom find a venue that's big enough to house their guests. That's the best way to figure this out... 

I don't understand why people book venues that are too small for their guest list. 

theartistformerlyknownas

graciegra said:

Personally, and I know this my personal preference as a fairly young person, but I'd much rather have my table moved than have *no* dance floor. I love dancing and if the bride and groom are the kind that would like a dancing wedding, I want to be out there on the dance floor celebrating with them- whether or not I'm the DD! 

Obviously weddings don't need dancing, but if it's an evening wedding where there otherwise would be dancing and OP, you'd like it as the bride, then figure out the best way. 

I think the suggestion to first talk to your venue about other ways to set up the space are very smart. I think last case would be to think about your friends like me who won't mind so much. Sit us there and let us (at least a few of the people at the table) know in advance (and maybe suggest another good table for them to use with mutual friends.) If a friend told me, I'd casually mention it near the end of dinner to the rest of my table and it wouldn't be a big deal. 

Honestly, most weddings I've been to, a lot of the tables are totally abandoned because they are so far from the action and people end up hanging out at the cocktail tables, outside areas, etc when they don't want to dance. 

Last, a coat check could be helpful for holding people's things and with the tables disappearing, don't put favors on the tables, just have a station by the door to pick them up so guests can grab them as they leave. 

There's a big difference between moving a table and removing a table. Starting with tables slightly further apart so there's more walking space before dinner, and then moving them slightly to make more dancing space - totally fine. Removing a table altogether so your guests lose their "home base" - absolutely not ok. Etiquette has nothing to do with age.

If anything is removed from your reception space, it should be the buffet, cake table, and/or your own table. Your guests are entitled to have their own seat at their own table for the duration of the event. You need to have a venue that has enough room for everyone from start to finish.

cowgirl8238

MandyMost said:

Assuming invites have already gone out and there's not turning back, I think your options are, in order of best-to-worst:

1. Talk to the venue about ANY other options for this--such as using long tables instead of rounds, having more people at fewer tables, putting other tables outside of the room so there's more space, etc. Perhaps you could do a seated dinner instead of buffet and not need buffet tables, if that's an option. Put the bar outside of the room if you can. 
2. Get rid of all the side tables--hang a sign on the wall with a seating chart, put the guest book on a little stand, etc., so maybe you won't need to break down any tables
3. Break down only your sweetheart table
4. Have only a tiny dance floor that you can fit.
5. Don't have a dance floor at your wedding, since you don't have space for one
6. Break down the "head table" only, but make sure there are still chairs somewhere for your bridal party and their dates. You can explain the situation to them ahead of time.

Honestly, I don't think breaking down guests tables is an option at all. I just can't imagine how rude this is and how put out your guests would feel!

I really like all of the things Mandy Posted here...I would start with long tables in rows instead of rounds...that alone should signigicantly help with this problem.

When I was venue shopping I turned down a venue because I knew we needed more room for the dance floor then they could provide.  It sucked because I thought it was a lovely location, but thats what you have to do!

danamw

I would absolutely hate it if my table was one that was "removed" for dancing. I dance, but I like to have a seat of my own to flop in, between dances.

I would leave if I had no seat left. If someone were "excuussse me" if I am sitting in their seat, because mine was gone.