Cake and reception tables set up questions!

1) I relied on my baker to assist with cake sizes. I told him we were having a max of 150 people and we ended up with a two-flavor, four-tier cake (and saved the top tier) with 121 guests. Some guests did say that they didn't get to try both flavors so make sure you tell your venue/cake cutting people that you have different types. We did have some leftovers which they packaged for us, and I'm sure shared with the staff.

2) Try to get the exact dimensions of the barn if you can. Are you having a dance floor? You're going to want your sweetheart table and your DJ more central. The people closest to the entrance will likely feel left out and the people closest to the DJ will have to walk a very long way to get to the bar.

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Yes we are trying to have a dance floor just don't know how to make it all work. It would essentially be the empty space between sweetheart table and guest tables. I was just going with how others looked like they did it in the past. The bar and food as to be towards the right since that is where the kitchen area is if they would need to keep extra supplies or items back there. And I've been told that the DJ is always set up in the left corner. Just trying to figure out guest table wise so that the dance floor space is available without having to move tables after dinner. I thought about swapping the cake and bar tables but I didn't know if that would be too crowded when people are trying to get food and then strait to the bar for a drink.

1) haven't done this yet so no suggestions.
2) I like picture 3 the best, seems the least crowded. I would just try not to have such a gap between the sweetheart table and the beginning of guest tables. I was at a wedding like this once and it felt like they were so far away, almost separated from the group. Have you considered doing all the other tables (not guest tables) along the 2 long sides? I like the pictures with the head table where you have it. But it might flow better if the head table was on the wall opposite of the food in the case. Just ideas!

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Have you tried putting the dance floor in the center of the room? The bar and food placement makes sense then. I think the only way you'll really get to see the set up properly is if you know the exact dimensions of your barn and the support columns.

We didn't have a buffet, but this was our floor plan. 6 and 7 were bridal party tables, but ended up being on either side of us where 5 and 8 are.

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I like the last picture too it's just we would have 8 to 10 more tables than what is shown in the picture. The only reason for the gap is a dance floor area. Don't know how else to get around it without having people move tables after the fact. For picture purposes I would like to leave the Sweetheart table towards the back. The beams on the side would make it hard to have it across the food I feel. Also if the ceremony has to be moved inside we plan to use our sweetheart table back drop as the ceremony back drop so it we just would have to move the sweetheart table and it would be ready for the ceremony space. (This is a very very worse case scenario. I don't plan to have the ceremony indoors.)

I think there is only so many areas to where the DJ can actually set up. There is also a door in the 3rd picture that I don't think we can block it if we were to have tables set up along that side. The only reason the cake, food, and bar is on the right side is because that is the side the kitchen is on.

1.) Our baker helped us determine how much cake to get, but honestly if you have left over cake guests can take it home boxed up, family members can take some etc. I'd plan to be able to serve 1 piece of cake per person. We are doing a 4 tier 2 flavor per tier cake. Top tier is ours to save.

2.) AllSeated is AMAZING and works really well if you have room dimensions. Our venue didn't know the room dimensions so I physically had to go to the venue and measure the room myself, but for my sanity it was worth it. For us, our DJ goes up on a little stage but you want him centrally located to the dance floor and away from as many guest tables as you possibly can. We also wanted the sweetheart table to be a center of attention but we didn't want to be too close to food or DJ so people would most likely (hopefully) get the hint and leave us alone. It also helped us to mix long tables and round tables to make everyone fit, not seem too crowded, and gave the room more dimension.

I'd definitely make the dance floor the focal point, so most of everyone can see your first dance comfortably from their seats. Having exact measurements of everything including tables will really help. We have our table arrangements already done 6 months out, we will start assigning tables to guests once RSVPs roll in.

My cake served 100 people but we only had 66 the day of the wedding. I was told we could make the cake smaller or switch with cupcakes and I said NOPE! I still wanted a 4 tier cake that we paid for. Didn't want to exchange that value for cupcakes and a smaller cake. We had a lot of left overs that family took home. We took a big chunk that lasted our entire honeymoon. I have zero regrets keeping the bigger cake despite having less rsvps than expected.

Our baker was in communication with our decorator in terms the of the layout as well as for flowers for the cake. In my case, they knew each other, and they work together a lot through the year. The cake ended up being on a taller table behind the sweetheart and looked really cute! I liked that it wasn't far from us.

View Quoted Comment Hmm I see your predicament. What if you added a 5th row to the far left of picture 3 (under the walkway). I also think If you are having food under the walkway to the right, as long as tables aren't part those beams it would he fine. The beams give a nice separation point. So kinda like picture 2 but with 5 rows instead of 4. Then just space the rows out evenly?