Crystal Ballroom at the Rice?

alliethompson

I have a guest list of nearly 200 and am in love with the Crystal Ballroom at Rice downtown. That being said, I feel like the room is going to completely swallow my party because it's so big. I have heard that there are ways to make a room smaller by adding lounge furniture food stations etc but I have been to some weddings where the room is way too big for the number of guests and they have not been the best or most fun... Am I right in assuming that this venue is too large for my guest list? Are there other ways to create a smaller atmosphere in such a large ballroom?? Any advise will help!

luvnseptember

I dont know about the Crystal Ballroom but where we are having our wedding the room holds a little over 300 and we only plan to have 160 but this just gives us room to have a photobooth, candy buffet or change up the setup like having square tables instead of round ones.  I think it will be fine.

CJMWilliams

I would suggest adding different stations to the ballroom to fill it up, like a photo booth area, a lounge area where you could have sofas and etc., dessert station and things like that

sarahdactyI

I've only visited the Crystal Ballroom once, but it didn't seem excessively big... plus always better to have too much space than too little. Have you talked with someone there about ways to fill the space/if they often have weddings under 200? You might be surprised at how quickly the space gets "filled." You could do stations, have a bigger dance floor if they allow that, photo booth, or put fewer people at each table (I hate being squished into tables that clearly weren't meant to fit as many people as are seated at the wedding!)

FWIW when we were looking our guest list was about 200 and I didn't think it'd be too big for that amount of people. I loved the space!!!

Texasgal05

I t hink that at 200 and if you have stations and things of that nature, make sure you leave room between tables and things like that - I think it will be fine.

dkleinen

CB is big, but if I were you, i would just close the doors to the room that they serve the buffet in. I think that would solve your problem! 

vpine

My friend had 200 guests and got married there, it didn't seem too big when all the tables were set up and everyone was sitting

[Deleted User]

I'm getting married there (and am so excited about it!) and am actually only having 100 guests. We haven't done too much planning on layout yet since our wedding isn't until November 2014, but I'm planning on just separating the tables out a bit more than usual, and maybe seating 8 instead of 10 at the 60" rounds and using more tables. We'll also be sure to have our cake table, buffet, and photobooth (potentially) all in the back of the room and close off the parlor. We can't afford to do a zillion different stations so it will have to work, but I don't see it being a problem. We also might just establish a 6 feet or so buffer between the hardwood floor dance floor area and the tables to give us more room to dance and to make the space fill more filled.

sarahpowell17

My wedding is going to be there this July! Jamie showed us the room when it was set for 150 guests, which is our number. The room didn't over power the set up at all! I am certain that it will work perfectly for 200 guests. Happy planning!