Renting chairs when planning a wedding on a budget
Our ceremony & reception will be at the same site. There will be about 80 guests there. I am having issues with the chairs. We will be renting everything. Our reception will be under a tent & the whole formality will be semi-formal. The ceremony will not be long (about 15-20 minutes) believe it or not I do not like to be all eyes on me even on my special day. So the sooner I can get away from the direct attention of 80 people the better. However I do think that 80 people is a large number of people expected to stand. I have been to outdoor ceremonies where with the exception of elderly & such, guests stand. I feel there is nothing wrong with this when the wedding is smaller it makes it more intimate. My Mother thinks 80 is a small # "compared" to the average of 200+. I still think 80 is a large # to stand. While trying to figure out which number is too large I ran into the headache of only needing 80 (plus a couple extra) chairs but yet since it will be at the same site should the chairs be moved or should we rent double? 80 for ceremony+ 80 for reception under tent? that would be 160 chairs. Or do we just rent 80 and after the ceremony while we are taking pictures do we have assaigned people move the chairs under the tent to the tables? I would much rather spend money on wine or champagne to serve guests while they mingle "cocktail hour" a few feet away while chairs are being moved and we are posing for photos then to spend money on 80+ extra chairs that will end up sitting there not being used. My fiancee' & I are in agreement with both sets of parents & the MOH thinking that either decision is tacky. No one can really figure a way to resolve this issue. 80 chairs just sitting there is costly & not pleasing to the eye, but having guests stand around a few feet away while people are moving chairs doesn't feel very "appropriate" either.
very frustrated....
(This post was
edited by TWQadmin on Jan 25, 2008, 7:08 PM)
We tend to think of our guests in the abstract when it comes to making these types of decisions. But what we really need to do is always ask ourselves how we would feel if placed in a similar situation. For instance, how would you feel if you arrived to a wedding that is taking place outside and found out you will need to stand up? Keep in mind there is usually a 30-minute prelude to the ceremony, then a 15 - 30 minute ceremony and maybe a cocktail period before the reception.
Guests could be standing anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. I know I would not like it, and more than likely, elderly or not, 80 or 160, your guests will not either. The comfort of your guests needs to be considered, along with the cost of making them comfortable.
You should rent 160 chairs, 80 for the ceremony and 80 for the reception. If you cannot afford to have that many, then reconsider reducing your guests to a number you can afford. This is not a waste of money as it is your guests' comfort that you would be paying for in addition to the chairs.
Lastly, it is never a good idea to turn over a space while guests are present. It can be obtrusive and tends to look like the event is unorganized. However, when it is necessary, so be it.
Cheers! Rhonda Allen, Bridal Consultant New Beginnings Weddings
(This post was
edited by expertplanner on Jun 25, 2007, 10:22 AM)
My fiance and I are also having our ceremony and reception at the same site. I was originally going to have everyone stand(fewer than 50), then move over to the tables. Then I started thinking about my 99 year old great grandmother. We've decided since then to situate the tables in a "U" shape with everyone facing the middle, where the ceremony will take place. This way, everyone can be seated right away AND we don't have to do any re-arranging. During the reception, the dancing can take place in the middle, too. Plus, it's kind of a horse-shoe shape, which is considered good luck.
Renting chairs when planning a wedding on a budget
Re: [bridew6] how many chairs?
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