Venue too big for final number of guests....how to fill/make feel smaller or more intimate?

[Deleted User]

 Hi yall. So my venue is pretty big (see pics). It can hold up to 300 people for a reception. We invited 204, but since it is a semi-DW, we are likely only going to have 80-100 (RSVPs are due next week). This would be enough for 10-12 tables if we have 8 per table. Now, I am worried that the space will look too big and empty. Any ideas on how to fill the space or make it feel less empty? I don’t think I have ever seen the venue set up with fewer than 18 tables.  

EDIT: Pics didn't post the first time!

KittenMittens84

You could have 6 per table and space the tables a bit wider for more room to walk in between. Does the venue have tall cocktail tables? If so put a few of those up near the beverage area.

[Deleted User]

jenandtonic81515 said:

 Hi yall. So my venue is pretty big (see pics). It can hold up to 300 people for a reception. We invited 204, but since it is a semi-DW, we are likely only going to have 80-100 (RSVPs are due next week). This would be enough for 10-12 tables if we have 8 per table. Now, I am worried that the space will look too big and empty. Any ideas on how to fill the space or make it feel less empty? I don’t think I have ever seen the venue set up with fewer than 18 tables.  

Personally, I like the aesthetic of big open spaces.  Definitely space tables more so people can easily push out their chairs, not touch someone at another table, and still allow for waitstaff to walk between them.

[Deleted User]

I do like the idea of cocktail tables. Haven't considered that.

The tables are 60 inches. Do you think that 6 people would feel really empty at each table? I wish I had access to a random 60 inch table to play around with numbers.

Cookie Pusher

jenandtonic81515 said:

I do like the idea of cocktail tables. Haven't considered that.

The tables are 60 inches. Do you think that 6 people would feel really empty at each table? I wish I had access to a random 60 inch table to play around with numbers.

We had 60" tables and sat 6-7 per table except for a couple with 8 (kids and parents). Looking back at our pictures, the tables didn't look or feel empty at all.

CMGragain

What a nice problem for you to have!  Usually we hear panic stricken brides moaning that their venue is too SMALL for all their guests!  Great planning on your part!
My daughter's wedding was in a ballroom that would legally hold 250.  We had 135 total.  It was lovely, and everyone had elbow room.  Trust your venue coordinator.

southernbelle0915

KittenMittens84 said:

You could have 6 per table and space the tables a bit wider for more room to walk in between. Does the venue have tall cocktail tables? If so put a few of those up near the beverage area.

This is exactly what I was going to suggest. With 80-100 people, I would put a large cocktail section near the bar...like 10 cocktail tables.

And no, 6 people at a 60" table is not too empty. IMO, 8 is a little snug.

Use another 60" table for your cake table and put petals in the empty space.

Are you having a photo booth? That might take up some space. You could have a table with props and a table with one of those books where people can put in a photo and write you a message.

Have a kings table.

Set up a table with photos of the two of you.

Set up a favor display (if doing favors).

[Deleted User]

Thanks for all the awesome ideas ladies! I'm obviously not super creative when clouded with wedding stress. I love the cocktail table set-up idea and I will play around with seating numbers for 60 inch tables. I think I am imagining them to be bigger than they actually are. 

We aren't doing a photo-booth, but it might be worth looking in to. Functional and fun, I can work with that  

lembaslover

We have a similar problem with a large reception site and small number of guests. I expressed this concern to the DOC there and he said they spread out the tables more and we can put less guests at each table. They also have little lounge areas they put out so while people are mingling or in between dancing they have couches with little side tables and cocktail tables they'll setup throughout the reception area. Perhaps your venue has something similar. I love your head table setup! I wonder if our venue has those tables as I've only seen round there!

Cookie Pusher

jenandtonic81515 said:

Thanks for all the awesome ideas ladies! I'm obviously not super creative when clouded with wedding stress. I love the cocktail table set-up idea and I will play around with seating numbers for 60 inch tables. I think I am imagining them to be bigger than they actually are. 

We aren't doing a photo-booth, but it might be worth looking in to. Functional and fun, I can work with that  

60" sounds really big but it's much less space than you think. Between the centerpieces and place settings, there isn't a whole lot of empty space at all.

[Deleted User]

engagedhamstermom said:

We have a similar problem with a large reception site and small number of guests. I expressed this concern to the DOC there and he said they spread out the tables more and we can put less guests at each table. They also have little lounge areas they put out so while people are mingling or in between dancing they have couches with little side tables and cocktail tables they'll setup throughout the reception area. Perhaps your venue has something similar. I love your head table setup! I wonder if our venue has those tables as I've only seen round there!

Oooh lounge furniture sounds awesome! And that's not my head-table set-up, but it's gorgeous isn't it?? These pics are from previous weddings that the venue has held. I figured it might help to post pics of what the actual space looks like. 

MesmrEwe

Our dinner table for our house is 65 inches and seats 8... But really, 6-7 is actually what's comfortable!  It seems like it'd be a lot of space but it really isn't once you add everything.  No one ever complains about having extra room at the table to sit but it sucks when the tables are right on top of eachother without enough room to get up and move around or you're so on top of eachother that you can't distinguish one place setting from the next. 

[Deleted User]

MesmrEwe said:

Our dinner table for our house is 65 inches and seats 8... But really, 6-7 is actually what's comfortable!  It seems like it'd be a lot of space but it really isn't once you add everything.  No one ever complains about having extra room at the table to sit but it sucks when the tables are right on top of eachother without enough room to get up and move around or you're so on top of eachother that you can't distinguish one place setting from the next. 

Yes!  This!  "Is this my fork or yours?"  "Did someone already drink from this water glass?"

primafaba15

Definitely ask the venue coordinator for recommendations. Ours was very helpful. 

I have no idea what size our tables are, but we ended up with a similar issue -- venue bumped our 100-person wedding up into a room that usually has a 120 minimum and we had...64 Yes RSVPs. So we consulted with the venue and they basically recommended a minimum number of tables that we needed to hit in order for the room to look OK. So we seated accordingly and ended up with 6-7 per table. I haven't seen it yet, but it sounds like it's going to be OK, and I trust the coordinator -- he's seen everything imaginable in that room. 

MandyMost

This is a great website which says 6 people is fine for a 60" table, and shows examples. http://apracticalwedding.com/2013/08/wedding-seating-chart-tips/

My venue was also really big. We used a mix of round and rectangular tables, which made it look more filled up. We also had a few side tables (escort cards, gifts, etc.), a cookies/coffee table off to the side after dinner, a good-sized bar and DJ stand, and some lounge furniture. Most of all the venue set it up in a way that kept things nicely spaced, and then there was empty space around it, instead of taking up all the space with the tables.

Now that it's said and done my only issue is that the dance floor was pretty big, so there were lots of individual groups dancing, instead of everyone dancing closer together. Clearly nothing that ruined my day! 

As an aside, photos of the room looked amazing. 

[Deleted User]

MandyMost said:

This is a great website which says 6 people is fine for a 60" table, and shows examples. http://apracticalwedding.com/2013/08/wedding-seating-chart-tips/

My venue was also really big. We used a mix of round and rectangular tables, which made it look more filled up. We also had a few side tables (escort cards, gifts, etc.), a cookies/coffee table off to the side after dinner, a good-sized bar and DJ stand, and some lounge furniture. Most of all the venue set it up in a way that kept things nicely spaced, and then there was empty space around it, instead of taking up all the space with the tables.

Now that it's said and done my only issue is that the dance floor was pretty big, so there were lots of individual groups dancing, instead of everyone dancing closer together. Clearly nothing that ruined my day! 

As an aside, photos of the room looked amazing. 

Thanks! That website is super helpful. I'm very visual so it's hard for me to picture things unless I see an example.