Emin Photography
Forgive me readers but this is long. Real long! I have separated this article in two posts. This is part one. Make sure to read both posts to get the full story. Here we goooooo…….
Although I happen to get one big buzz from planning special events, my least favorite part of party planning is deciding how the tables are laid out and who sits where. If you do not have an architect’s, interior decorator’s, sociologist’s, psychologist’s, caterer’s, entertainer’s and party planner’s mind all captured in your very own head, here is a little help for you:
Room layout/ Floorplan:
Hopefully you’ll have some professional guidance here.
* If you are having your celebration at a popular wedding location, their events coordinator will likely have very practical wisdom to share with you. Definitely ask if they have samples of different room layouts for you to take home and mull over. Ask the event coordinator which layout they think will work best with not only the amount of people you are having but the type of entertainment, activities, and decorations you have planned. If you are having a 16 piece orchestra they will need more room than a solo DJ. If you decide to bring in 22 lighted Christmas trees for your Winter Wonderland themed event, this is going to take more room than the two Ficus trees already there.
* Head table or no head table – Choosing if you want a Sweetheart table just for the two of you or if you want your entire wedding party sitting with you, is a huge issue to decide before you lay out the design of your room. If you hate people watching you eat or just not comfortable with being in the spotlight all night long, you just may choose to eliminate a head table all together. If that is your choice, make sure your table has “Hugs room” – so that people can comfortably come and extend their best wishes.
* Room design and table arrangements need to be a collaborative process with all professionals that will need some space during your wedding. Someone needs to call the DJ, orchestra, caterer, etc. and ask how much room their set-up takes and do they have any other special requirements for their installation. I remember one wedding I attended that the bride laid out her own space and put the DJ and the food buffet in a space where there was no electricity. This was not a good beginning of this poor bride’s wedding day!
* Make a list. Start writing down all the things you think you will need space for at your event. Do you want a dance floor, cake table, gift table, and hostess/guestbook/place-card table? List, list, list and share, share, share with everyone involved. My cousin forgot to place a cake table at her wedding, but then again she had forgotten to order the cake until two days before.
* How many guest tables you will need will be determined by so many factors. How many people do you want at each table? Does your location require a certain amount of guests at each table (some do for space and staff budgeting)? I like people to have lots of elbowroom so I like to see how the actual set-up will look like before I make my mind up. Take a look at how close the tables are placed near each other – is there room for people to get out of their chair without hitting the person sitting at the table in back of them? Ask your event site if you can come take a peek when they have set up for someone else’s event that would likely be similar to yours.
Stay tuned for part two – Who Sits Where?
Tags: brides know best, DIY Weddings, reception floorplan, reception floorplans, wedding advice, wedding design, wedding floorplan, wedding planning, wedding reception, wedding wisdom
My daughter is getting married in about 3 weeks, and the venue is outside with one a wood structure that is 20 by 40 ft it has 2 opening on the 20 ft & one opening on 40 ft side – overlooking a lake, & about 40 ft away another white tent open on all sides, and places to put tables outside of the white tent area.
She thinks of putting the live band in the 20 by 40 wood structure, which would be fine except the amount of people is 200.
I think it is way too small, and will cut the band off , the venue is Bride Vail lakes in Or
Debbie
Your daughter’s wedding venue looks beautiful – absolutely beautiful. I am sorry that I am unfamiliar with it (I am in Southern California).
The first thing when I inspect a new site is i check in with the site coordinator to see if they have any samples of the typical layout for an event of your size. I also will see when the next event of similar size is happening and will come take a peek at it before the event begins. I then go and talk to caterers who have worked there to get their recommendations and their practical insights about what to be prepared for – the good, bad and ugly.
I agree that when you have the band separate from your dining tables you do lose energy of an event. However you have to rely on your best hostess “presence” to encourage people to follow your party lead. Be happy, be jovial, and encourage people to follow you to the dance floor after dinner. And I assume someone will be playing at dinner in the tent or will be wiring in dinner music? Make certain that your entire family and wedding party are table-hopping so everyone feels very connected to the party. Make sure there are places for people to sit at the pavillion when others are dancing and be sure to visit with the non-dancing guests there as well. Ultimately it is the party attitude you and the wedding party create that will keep your guests happy and the energy high and festive – no matter how awkward the lay-out is.
Enjoy this moment – don’t let anything get in the way of the joy of this.
Kathy
Brides Know Best
Kathy -
Thank you for your upbeat response, and putting the focus on what is really important about the wedding.
Debbie
My pleasure Debbie. Believe me I know how hard it is not to be stressed just three weeks before your child’s wedding – just ask my son – he would have some BIG stories about my stress level before his wedding. Try to do what I say, not what I did!