We are having our ceremony and reception at the same venue. The service will be upstairs on the balcony floor, will hold about 300 people, and the reception downstairs in the ballroom, holds about 650+.
We received our contract in the mail yesterday, along with any information we may need prior to, we aren't getting married until Sept 2012. My biggest issue is picking a time frame, we automatically get 5 hours with the standard amount we are paying, plus an additional $100 per hour extra. We plan on having a very simple quick in and out ceremony with a friend of ours that is a magistrate. But I am still stuck on is 5 hours enough?...The premises is open from 1pm to 12am, but very highly doubt we will wanting to stay that late. Reception will consist of appetizers and cocktail hour, dinner, cake, dancing, etc. I have been to plenty of weddings, but I honestly can't compare timing because they ALL have differed greatly.
Also, they will be charging up an additional $3 per chair per person for the ceremony and will allow us to come in the night before to decorate any extra items aside from the lighting/tulle package we are already purchasing. Would it be wrong of me to ask a few friends of family to come in with me the night before to set up chairs to avoid extra cost? Regardless of attendance, the venue will be charging us for 150 people, so if im getting charged for 150, i will be trying as much as possible to have 150.
Who are you to judge the life I live? I know I'm not perfect and I don't live to be. But, before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean. -Bob Marley