Ceremony at the Dinner Tables?

I'm also having my wedding and reception at the same place. I think the way my decorator is setting it up is having two rows of single chairs in set of two to make a more traditional aisle for close family (parents, grandparents, etc) to sit and having tables set up for the rest of the guest. I think it's a great idea that saves you from having to have someone rearrange everything after the ceremony.

It's your day! It has been done. Jut have to use the space accordingly so everyone has a good view!

Can you all tell me where you're putting the dance floor, if you are having one??

OP, you wrote, "They told me it would be possible, but the setting up of tables with the linens, centerpieces, chairs, etc would probably take over an hour." How much more than a hour? An hour and 15 minutes? An hour and a half? That's not ideal, but as long as you keep the apps passed and the alcohol flowing, it's hardly a pearl clutching moment. If you're talking about more than two hours, then you're in a different realm.

As long as you aren't hosting 300 guests, I think the venue team can flip the room while your guests enjoy a cocktail hour in another area (even if it is a little longer). I've seen rooms flipped, and honestly, the venue employees work quickly and efficiently in getting everything changed and set-up for dinner. In fact, I've never seen them work as anything less than a well oiled machine.

This is the option 80% of the possible venues gave us that we toured as a back up rain plan, and I honestly hate it, which is why we don't have a venue yet. I feel like the wedding becomes dinner and a show. Just my personal opinion, since this was an option that I've been given and have declined.

I've been to one wedding like that. It wasn't what I expected, but it wasn't unpleasant in any way. Also, the room was the place we all entered, had the ceremony, had cocktail hour, ate dinner (buffet just outside the room), and danced.

I did like that we all got drinks before the wedding though - so we toasted them during the ceremony at one point.

My ceremony and reception are in the same room. Not sure what your venue is able to do to help. We are using the main room which can actually be divided by a room divider. One side of the room will be set with tables for the reception already. The ceremony will be on the other side of the room which is where the dance floor is. After the ceremony is over the room will be easily flipped during cocktail hour. The room divider will be removed opening up the entire ballroom for the reception. So is there a place where you can have a cocktail hour while the area you want gets flipped?

Is the space too small to have both? We had both ceremony and reception in same room, but we had tables set out in the back and chairs for ceremony set out in the front half of the room. Cocktail hour was in a different space and that's when the staff flipped the room so that all the ceremony chairs were gone and tables were more spread out.

Ive been to wedding like that and olan to have mines like that...nothing wrong with it...it makes it easier for guests too

My ceremony and reception are in the same room as well. They will set up the tables ahead of time but all together towards the back of the room where they will pipe and drape it off for the ceremony and the chairs will be lined up. Then we will move a different room for cocktail hour and during that time they will pull the tables out. Can they do something like that?

I told the coordinator that I'd want to have cocktail hour in a venue across the way, which would give the staff an hour (or more) to set up the space. She said, that would take "a while, typically an hour or more," and continued by tell me that we should "think about having your ceremony in different space." I came up with this idea because the tone of her email is a "I highly suggest you don't do this." We're having 100 guests max, so it's not *too* many people, but I think the 5 rows of 10 chairs on each side would take up a lot of room, and not leave much space for the tables to also be set up. I've attached two pictures of what the space looks like.

I've officiated several weddings where guests were seated at their dinner tables for the ceremony. There were no problems at all. Your wedding is going to be great, Ashley. Best wishes!

My ceremony and reception are going to be in the same room. Caterers will flip it during cocktail hour. It's the norm for my venue.

I'm not sure how much space there is from the picture, but is it possible to have half (or a few) tables already set up during the ceremony, along with the regular ceremony seating? So then your venue has less tables to set up for the reception? That could be a possibility.

Our venue is like this.Ceremony and reception is in same room half the room is set up for ceremony and the other half is reception.the ceremony part is actually the dance floor and while the cocktail hour is going on the remove the chairs. Hint OPEN BAR TIME no one will even notice them removing the chairs.

I've been to one wedding like that and I couldn't hear or see a thing that was going on.

I'm having 100 guest and they will be sitting at tables during the ceremony.

I am not a fan of this idea. Ask your venue if they can preset the tables and set them out of the way and then just move them (preset) during cocktail hour. I have had venues do this without any issue. Bits worth asking.

I don't like that set-up. My brother's wedding was done that way, and it was awkward having to turn around in our chairs to watch the ceremony.

That is my "rain" plan. We are having a backyard wedding. We have a huge tent for the dinner tables, but we are hoping to have the actual ceremony outdoors, in another part of the yard. If it rains, we will move the ceremony under the tent, and it will be easier to just have everyone sit at their tables rather than remove the tables, then replace them.