Advice re: reception venue

insanityofamom

I love our reception venue. Love, love love it! But is a house (a very large manor, really) and so it's not laid out as a typical reception venue. And it's furnished. 

I want to use the space so that we take advantage of the indoor and outdoor spaces (but always with a back up with the outdoor in case of inclement weather). 

But there is so much going on it is hard to see clearly. 

Downstairs is a large parlour, large dining room, and two other large rooms. (Library, and we'll say a sitting room?) There's also a kitchen, but that has no place in my "plans" except as a place to cook and serve food. There is a porch that goes around like 3/4 of the house and a good sized screened in porch as well with lots of seating. 

I didn't count all the couches and chairs, but the venue provides 6 card tables and 25 folding tables as well as two large picnic tables and a large dining table that seats 18. 

So, I need to find a place for beverage service, the dessert table, and obviously food/buffet line. Also I need to figure out where I'd put the "welcome table" you know with the guest book and such. I don't plan on having seating arrangements, but I'd like to obviously have enough seating figured out for everyone (and so I can place my order for rentals and such soon)....We were gonna do food buffet line in dining room (people can walk around the table) and it is right next to kitchen so it will be easy to refill food. 

I want it to be fun and casual and use the space well. I have a call in to the lady who owns the place and see if I can take another tour and get some more specifics so I can plan better. 

Avion22

Does this venue do a lot of weddings?  If so, as them for suggestions.  They should be able to tell you what people usually do.   Your caterer can help if they do a lot of weddings at this place.  Also, scope the websites of photographers in your area who may have photos of other weddings from this venue -- you can see pictures of how other couples have decorated and used the space.  

insanityofamom

This venue was booked solid most of 2012 by May. we got lucky to get in this venue because there was a cancellation... I think a lot of the weddings set up tents on the property, but it is not something that is in our budget.  

We are not using a caterer. 

I actually got a hold of someone else who is having a wedding their two weeks later than I am (and I just found out she is a wedidng planner) haha, but I have not been able to find any pictures except of a wedding with a large tent outside and some tables set up on a side porch. 

itzMS

Is the venue OK with food being eaten in the "living" areas?

I can't imagine they'd want food and drink in every room of the manor. Seems like a recipe for disaster if a guest spills on the carpeting or upholstered furniture!

insanityofamom

Yes. We can eat food in living areas. We can also move/rearrange furniture.