Chairs

annieoldfield

Ok i know theres a ten tonne of chair threads! But this is different.. 

Me and my fiance are from separate countries and need to wait for a visa to be approved before we can marry, as soon as its approved we only have 90 days in which to marry so we will be having a courthouse wedding so everything is official and then we can get on with planning the eventful wedding with us both in the same country and with more time!

So our event wedding we are hoping will be outdoors at a park pavilion and just down a ramp to the side of it there is this http://i48.tinypic.com/2rc5vl3.jpg where we are wanting to have the ceremony. with the people in the actual square area and us stood on the ramp.

right now our guest count is 30. 30 chairs would not fit in that area. would it seem strange to have around 16 chairs (4 rows of 4 would be a right fit) 

and for the more able people to stand around the side and back? as we will already be married we could keep it very short and sweet.

Would this be acceptable? would it look strange?

is no chairs at all okay in this situation?!

QueerFemme

It doesn't matter how short and sweet your ceremony is, you need a chair for every person. You should pick another location for your ceremony or reduce your guest list for the number of people you can accommodate with a seat. Also, your wedding is happening when you get married at the courthouse. What you are talking about is a vow renewal.

GoodLuckBear14

Your situation is not different from any other.  You need a chair for every butt - and you also need to refer to the PPD as a vow renewal, not an event wedding,  because your wedding will be at the courthouse.

annieoldfield

okay. i just wasnt sure what to call it. as it wont even be a year after the courthouse. plus only a handful of people will be attending the real wedding. the "renewal" is the one everyone will attend.

Summer2011Bride

You need a chair for every butt. Your situation is no different from others who ask if they can make guests stand. If you have 30 guests, you need 30 places for them to sit, whether that be benches, chairs, etc.

kmmssg

Agree with the others.  Why do you think this is any different than any other thread asking about the need for chairs.  A butt needs a chair no matter what!!

aragx6

Because there is no time constraint for your vow renewal I see no reason your situation is any different than anybody else's. Either find a bigger venue or invite fewer people.

annieoldfield

I agree youre all right in regards to everyone should be seated, we will just hold the ceremony in a different space. 

But i dont see why it is a renewal. No one aside from my fiances immediate family will attend the courthouse wedding. We arent renewing them for ourselves only a few months after we already said them, we were just going to go through the ceremony for everyone else to see. not even going to have a judge or a priest. 

Summer2011Bride

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_outdoor-weddings_chairs-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:666Discussion:85cedcc9-c9a5-4eee-a94d-af8d4ace7278Post:3ab509d7-df60-42c3-90c2-8afe171d81fe">Re: Chairs</a>:
[QUOTE]I agree youre all right in regards to everyone should be seated, we will just hold the ceremony in a different space. <strong> But i dont see why it is a renewal. No one aside from my fiances immediate family will attend the courthouse wedding. We arent renewing them for ourselves only a few months after we already said them, we were just going to go through the ceremony for everyone else to see. </strong>not even going to have a judge or a priest. 
Posted by annieoldfield[/QUOTE]

It's a renewal because you can only marry the same person once unless you get divorced and then re-marry them. As a married woman, you aren't having another wedding; you are renewing the vows you already said. You have reasons for having a courthouse wedding, I get that. But you're making that choice. Many people choose to have a courthouse wedding and that is their only wedding. They like their decision. You're playing this off like the ceremony at the courthouse doesn't mean anything and that's kind of insulting to people who choose to go that route.

Also it's unclear from your post, but please make sure all your guests know at your renewal that you are already married. Not doing so would be lying to your guests, which is a big no-no.

Mirahbelle4

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_outdoor-weddings_chairs-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:666Discussion:85cedcc9-c9a5-4eee-a94d-af8d4ace7278Post:3ab509d7-df60-42c3-90c2-8afe171d81fe">Re: Chairs</a>:
[QUOTE]I agree youre all right in regards to everyone should be seated, we will just hold the ceremony in a different space.  But i dont see why it is a renewal. No one aside from my fiances immediate family will attend the courthouse wedding. We arent renewing them for ourselves only a few months after we already said them, we were just going to go through the ceremony for everyone else to see. not even going to have a judge or a priest. 
Posted by annieoldfield[/QUOTE]


Your wedding does not have to be a show in order for it to be the real thing. A renewal cannot be called a wedding because a person cannot legally be married more than once without getting divorced in between. Therefore, it is a renewal.

Peavy

Just skip the do-over ceremony and have yourselves a party to celebrate your marriage.  The people who missed your courthouse ceremony will know that they didn't see the real wedding, so why go through all the bother to recreate it?  It's a little silly, don't you think?

QueerFemme

It is a renewal.  If you said your vows today, and you say them over again tomorrow, you are renewing said vows.  Your wedding is the day you get married. Anything that happens after that is a vow renewal.   If you just want to celebrate with your family and friends, you can do that without recreating the ceremony.  Just have a post-wedding party.  You can skip the ceremony all together.  

People will already know you are married (I am assuming you are telling your guests the truth that you will already be married).   I'm sure your 30 guests will be thrilled to celebrate with you, but they likely won't care if they miss a recreation of a ceremony that already happened.

NOLAbridealmost

A CHAIR FOR EVERY BUTT; A CHAIR FOR EVERY BUTT; A CHAIR FOR EVERY FREAKING BUTT!!!!!!

Sorry. I just went to one like you're suggesting. And I've been to two in the last 4 years. They. Are. The. Worst.  Seriously.

Everyone hates it, judges it, remembers it.

If you still want to do it, then go ahead. But people will remember and it makes you look awful.

WildMagelet

Ditto PP

Also, I thought I'd let you know that there are plenty of knotties who have planned their wedding for more guests in 3 months or less.  It's definitely doable.  Just start saving and you'll be financially ready for it.

AliMarieABC

Erm, I live in the Netherlands, my fiance is from England, and my family & the wedding will be in the USA. We will be legally married before the ceremony / reception for legal issues, as we have to get visas sorted out as well. 

Point and case - everyone has a back story! 

Regardless, you need a chair for every person. Can you put some high stools in the back? Or line the room with them instead of doing rows? Or even rent some bleachers? If not, find a new venue or invite less people. Sorry to say but it's rude not to have a chair for everyone.