Wedding Vows & Ceremony Discussions

Ceremony/Reception Delimma! HELP!

My fiance and I have booked a venue that will host both the ceremony and reception. The orginal plan was to only have chairs in the area for the ceremony. However, after speaking with our planned that held a wedding there, it was a bit of a hassle to get people out of the area in order to flip the room for the reception.
Would it be "tacky" to have the room already set with tables and chairs for during the ceremony and already have the guest seated?! I'm so torn with this!
FYI- Guest totaling about 275...

Re: Ceremony/Reception Delimma! HELP!

  • My cousin did this.

    The ceremony and reception were in the same room, and everyone was at their seat at their table for the ceremony.  It works.
  • Herding 275 guests sounds like a daunting task. Cramming them into hallways doesn't sound very appealing, either.

    There is nothing tacky about having the tables set up for your guests when they arrive.Your ushers could help direct the guests to their assigned tables. Your guests will be comfortable, which is the important thing.
                       
  • One of the venues we looked at does all of their outdoor weddings under the tent with the guests seated at their dinner tables. It wasn't my favorite idea but was by no means a dealbreaker. But your ceremony should definitely be short -- otherwise it might be a little awkward to sit at a round table leaning to see the B&G.

    To me that sounds to be your best option, so i say go for it!
    Lizzie
  • If the venue has a space for the guests to move into another (large enough) area for cocktails while the room is being flipped, I would suggest that. If that's what you end up doing, maybe put a small note in the program that cocktails will be in such and such a room so that people know to get up and move towards that area.

    Otherwise, I think it's okay to have the tables set up as long as you are okay with it!
  • I'm curious what venue you selected...only because why didn't your planner anticipate this aspect prior to you booking the venue. 

    Ushering your guests to allow the area to be "flipped" for the reception is done many times as long as you are hosting a cocktail and hors d'oeuvres reception during the hour it takes to turn the room.  Does the venue have space to allow for this and was it included in your wedding package?
  • We are having our ceremony and reception in the same room.  The room will be flipped during cocktail hour.
     
      Image and video hosting by TinyPic Lilypie First Birthday tickers
  • We are doing the same thing - having our guests sit at the tables.  I think it works!  Our wedding planner said people do that often now! :)
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_ceremonyreception-delimma?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:10Discussion:d66432a7-94c4-4611-828c-5861bc439edfPost:d7598987-bd2e-4231-a3c7-827ff194ca2e">Re: Ceremony/Reception Delimma! HELP!</a>:
    [QUOTE]We are having our ceremony and reception in the same room.  The room will be flipped during cocktail hour.
    Posted by HobokenBride2012[/QUOTE]

    This is what we did too.  Everyone moved outdoors for the cocktail hour.  It's amazing how fast they can flip a room :)
    84image 73image 11image Wedding date: June 11, 2011 :)
  • edited December 2011
    Our venue is the same way...but they have an awesome covered garden area for cocktail/appetizer hour where our guets will go while the room is flipped.  We are having our tables dressed with linens and centerpieces down the sides of the room like so


    and then during cocktail hour our "crew" (some staff of the ballroom and a few good friends) will arrange the tables around the room for the reception.  The only table that will need to be brought out is the head table. They (our venue) said sometimes people will just have their tables out and set up during the ceremony, eliminating the "flip" time.  If you don't have a good place to send 275 people during the flip, you might want to avoid straight ahead ceremony seating.  Lots of people do creative seating arrangements nowadays anyway.  :)

    ETA: Our officiant will be helping direct traffic as the ceremony ends, letting guests know to go out to the back gardens to enjoy appetizers and cocktails before dinner starts.  :)
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic Anniversary
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