Reception in 2 rooms

marip123

My daughter's wedding is in September.  Having about 150 guests.  Were going to have the reception in a restaurant where the reception will be in 2 rooms.  One room where everyone will be eating and another room for the dancing and bar.  I like this a lot.  The only thing I'm concern about is the room where the dance floor is in.  This room is smaller than the larger dining room.  No way can it hold 150 guests.  Has anyone did 2 rooms and like it?  Was the dance floor room smaller?  I would think most people will probably stay in the dining room.

melb2013

So I haven't ever attended a wedding like this, but several of my friends who are in very active wedding bands have played weddings like this.  This issue is that the dancing never gets going.  People tend to stay near their seats and if they can't see the dance floor from their seats, they don't feel drawn in to dance.  How open are the two rooms to one another?

kmmssg

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_reception-in-2-rooms?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:55b799eb-04e2-474d-a9a1-3688606f3b3ePost:bc1fac41-792a-4f99-9658-17145a355ab2">Re:Reception in 2 rooms</a>:
[QUOTE]Honestly, as a guest I hate this kind of set up. Those who don't dance are segregated off from those who do. H and I don't dance but we like visiting with others and watching the dancing. I would probably leave after the meal in a situation like you're describing.
Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]

I have to echo this sentiment.  The dancing (i.e. party) moves to another room and if you arent' a dancer (DH never ever dances, I do a bit) you aren't in the heart of things.  I'm a 3 time MOB, 1 daughter to go and this is a scenario we would not arrange.

What are you going to do if the majority of your guests do decide to dance and the room isn't big enough?

Spunky414

I rejected a venue I otherwise loved because of that kind of set up. Either the dancing never gets going or it's uncomfortable for those that don't dance. 

HobokensFury

Ditto PP. As a guest I would hate this set up.  As a bride I would not pick a venue that did this.

AddieCake

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_reception-in-2-rooms?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:55b799eb-04e2-474d-a9a1-3688606f3b3ePost:bc1fac41-792a-4f99-9658-17145a355ab2">Re:Reception in 2 rooms</a>:
[QUOTE]Honestly, as a guest I hate this kind of set up. Those who don't dance are segregated off from those who do. H and I don't dance but we like visiting with others and watching the dancing. I would probably leave after the meal in a situation like you're describing.
Posted by StageManager14[/QUOTE]



This. I would feel like I was cut off from half the party.

libby2483

We had a venue like this, and it actually worked really well. There were several factors that made it work well, though.  

1) The room with the bar and the dance floor also had several tables which guests who didn't dance sat at after dinner.

2) There was an outdoor patio where many guests who were not dancing mingled because the weather was very nice.

3) There were huge french doors that opened up between the rooms, so it really flowed more like one space.

4) Our guests were big on dancing and the DJ kept the party moving all night.  Our dance floor was never empty from 7:00 to midnight.  Literally no one stayed in the room with tables where dinner had been served.  They were all dancing, at the bar, at tables in the room with the dance floor, out on the patio, or using the photobooth.

So in our experience, it worked very well, and no one was cut off from the party.  I can't speak for you or your guests, but it worked well for us!

ljsquintz

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_reception-ideas_reception-in-2-rooms?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:5Discussion:55b799eb-04e2-474d-a9a1-3688606f3b3ePost:216d1ada-c8cb-475f-8599-2dad070834aa">Re: Reception in 2 rooms</a>:
[QUOTE]We had a venue like this, and it actually worked really well. There were several factors that made it work well, though.   1) The room with the bar and the dance floor also had several tables which guests who didn't dance sat at after dinner. 2) There was an outdoor patio where many guests who were not dancing mingled because the weather was very nice. 3) There were huge french doors that opened up between the rooms, so it really flowed more like one space. 4) Our guests were big on dancing and the DJ kept the party moving all night.  Our dance floor was never empty from 7:00 to midnight.  Literally no one stayed in the room with tables where dinner had been served.  They were all dancing, at the bar, at tables in the room with the dance floor, out on the patio, or using the photobooth. So in our experience, it worked very well, and no one was cut off from the party.  I can't speak for you or your guests, but it worked well for us!
Posted by libby2483[/QUOTE]
My sister's wedding had a very similar layout and flow to what you're describing, and it worked well. It was not the flow I would have wanted for my own wedding, but the venue was very suited to their personalities and it made the party interesting.

Jager1219

I attended 2 different weddings.  IMO, one worked nicely and the other didn't.

The one that worked:
This was a stationed/cocktail style wedding.  Station-style food was available with tables in one room for the entire reception.  There were no table assignment so you just ate when you wanted to and sat wherever there was a seat.  There was no issues with finding a seat ever.  In addition, apps were in the larger "dance" room.  A bar was in both.  The reception had a "normal" timeline (first dance, parent dance, general dancing, and then cake cutting).

The one that didn't work:
First was dinner held under a tent outside.  Introductions were made, then toasts, then dinner was served.  After, we all went inside for dancing and desert (couple's first dance happened first here and then general dancing).  I didn't like how this flowed because, well, it didn't IMO.  It was very segmented and like PP said, when there was dancing, there wasn't anything for those who didn't dance to do (aside from sit at small cocktail tables and watch).

NOLAbridealmost

We had a wedding similar to what Jager described in scenario 1.  Several points:

1) We had a station-style reception.  Part was in a large room with the bar and about 4 stations and dance floor.  Almost no tables were in this room.  

2) The dancefloor/bar room was surrounded by a very wide porch with multiple double doors that remained open the whole time connecting the dancefloor/bar room to the patio.  There were an additional 6 stations on the porch.

3) We had no assigned seating.  We had about 3 chairs available per guest in attendance so people could freely move around. 

It worked out great.  Older folks and people who didn't want to dance hung out on the porch where it was slightly quieter.   The dancing crown spent most of time inside on the dance floor. 

I don't think this set up would have worked in a traditional plated dinner sort of reception. I also don't think it would have worked in two truly separate rooms. I don't think the outdoor portion of our space felt all that disconnected from the  indoor.  I've got some photos for reference:

From outside towards the end of the night. 

From afar

From inside.

marip123

Thanks everyone with your comments.  The room with the dance floor does have a large dance floor and does have some tables and chairs.  Probably would be enough tables and chairs for the few people that do want to watch the dancing.  The entrance to this room is right across from the entrance to the dining room with a large buffet area in between.  What I like about this set up people can talk in the dining room where the music should not be so loud.

36798099

we are doing DD's reception in two rooms. there are very specific reasons for this as it is a compromise position for the grooms family and the wide age difference of some of the guests. the rooms are connected by several sets of wide french doors. you will enter the 1st room at the start of the reception...drinks and appetizers will be here...this is also the room where the bar is and the DJ and dance floor are set up in this room. at the start of dinner the french doors will be opened up to the atrium where the dinner is and the cake table. the grooms family is very against drinking and to some extent dancing. so splitting the activities was the obvious answer. as to have it all in one room would 1) drive his mother batty and 2) require some of the tables to be removed. i'm hoping it will flow well because we are out of any other ideas to make his family happy.

Jager1219

I should add that like NOLA, the one that "worked" were two adjacent rooms separated by french doors.  The one that didn't were 2 totally different locations.  Imagine a mansion/inn with a tent out back for dinner and then you needed to enter the house for the reception.  Once you were in the reception, they broke down the outside tables so you were forced to be indoors.

marip123

It's funny when I asked this same question on Project Wedding website all the posts I got thought it would work out great.