Como Zoo Conservatory Wedding

Re: Como Zoo Conservatory Wedding

• Steph0871

  

  April 2010 edited December 2011

  I think you need to cut your guest list to 90 people.... or find a different cermony site.  Sorry, that's probably not what you wanted to hear.
  We really loved Como, too, but had a guest list around 150.  So we realized that that location just wasn't an option for us, since we weren't willing to cut out any guests.
  
  Do NOT assume 30-40 will noshow.  Yes, that's the general advice out there, but what if all 130 show up? Where are you going to put them?
  

  
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• amberh0515 member

  

  April 2010 edited December 2011

  If you choose to have a two different invites, I would recommend that you make the ceremony immediate family and friends (20 to 30ish) if that's an option.
  
  Plan on everyone coming, that way there won't be any surprises! Good luck!
  

  

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• hkiesling member

  

  April 2010 edited December 2011

  I thought we'd have quite a few no-shows to our ceremony, but the church was packed.  I think just about everyone showed for both.  Don't count on people not coming, it'll be very awkward if they do. 

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• ef7310

  

  April 2010 edited December 2011

  My step brother had his wedding at the Sunken Garden with a reception in downtown Minneapolis afterwards. First, 90 will NOT fit in that space comfortably. I know they say you can have that many, but it will be so uncomfortable. If you've already talked to the people at the site, you know that guests stand on one side and the wedding party walks up the opposite side. There are no chairs, except in the way back, and that's only for a few people, like grandparents. You probably know all that already, though. So, what my step brother did was have only the family and very close friends attend the ceremony and then everyone else was just invited to the reception. I think if you had about 30 people at the ceremony, that would be best. More than that and people will be super cramped and won't be able to see. Keep in mind that everyone has to basically stand in a line, so those in the back will have to be peering around everyone else. 

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• ef7310

  

  April 2010 edited December 2011

  Woah! I just reread what I wrote, and it wounds super negative. I didn't mean it to be that way. Sorry! The garden is super beautiful, but part of its beauty is the intimacy. I think that might be lost if you have so many people. You have a tough decision to make. Good luck! 

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• MesmrEwe member

  

  April 2010 edited December 2011

  I was to a wedding that surrounded the water fountain in the center of the Conservatory...  I can say this, there's no way they really could have had even 20-30 people there comfortably, even in the sunken garden...  Where they get that 90 from is people standing up snug together, and no one wants to be standing for the entire ceremony time even if it's only a short ceremony because that place is HOT even in the winter.. 
  
  If you love the site for your ceremony, then yes, have it, but only do your BP and immediate families (GP/POBG/Sib's/IL) then the rest of the guest list won't feel "slighted" if they only get reception invites.  It also keeps things small and intimate which is really the beauty of the Conservatory for a ceremony. 
  
  One thing not mentioned is even if some people RSVP no to the reception, they will make time to come to the actual wedding.  We had probably 50 people who could make the ceremony but couldn't make the reception due to other events going on the same day.  I truly was glad for them to attend what they could even if not able to spend the whole day. 

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