Cocktail Woes

[Deleted User]

Hello, my wedding reception is targetted to last 3 hours after a 1 hour ceremony. i intend to serve cocktail dishes only instead of having a sit down dinner. the problem is, the reception will be in the same hall as ceremony and i have no clue how to decorate for the cocktail reception, especially when it comes to seating. should i omit chairs, have tables decorated like a sit down dinner or what?  i would love to create a lounge but my hall doesnt have lounge chairs and im not willing to rent them. pls help!

Viczaesar

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_cocktail-woes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:5Discussion:09be853a-ee7d-4db2-b952-b6cd0bc144e5Post:f8ad871c-8001-452e-997d-d1ea230ca61f">Re: Cocktail Woes</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Cocktail Woes : You're correct that it's not an hour.  And perhaps I'm thinking of this wrong, but I'm thinking of this as basically being a long extended cocktail hour.  I'm envisioning people coming to the ceremony and the reception not having dancing, but being more of a cocktail party style.  I'm also thinking that it would be passed apps/cheese display rather than a buffet where silverware would be needed (hence not needing place settings).  And that's why I would think that seats for everyone aren't necessary because I'm envisioning people mingling for the most part, but providing some seating for those who want it (like I would do for a cocktail hour).  And like a cocktail hour, I would hold onto my things (purse basically).  But your are correct in that 3 hours is a long time.
Posted by Jager1219[/QUOTE]
People need to have somewhere to sit.  If you don't have enough chairs for everyone to sit in then people start to hoard seats, either by refusing to get up or by claiming them with purses and jackets.  Everybody needs a chair.

mvance3

We're doing the same thing and we have a combination of lounge seating (a couple couches and some padded benches), standing tables, and 6 regular round tables with chairs.  We figure with a cocktail reception with stations of food, it'd be best to keep the party flowing.