Insufficient Seating

Joining the "cut people or get a new venue" chorus.

Give your guests a magic potion that shrinks them down to half their size. Boom. Problem solved. I think Bed, Bath, and Beyond is having a Black Friday sale on their latest brew.

I wouldn't stress it. I totally see where these ladies are coming from but I've been to modern weddings recently and cocktail style/buffet seating was fine! Make sure there's activities they can do like a photo booth or something like that while they wait. If you have open bar that'll help cause so many people will be late and eat after they drink.

At least that's what happened at the weddings I attended! It was fine.

Giselle, it is not good. What about older people, pregnant women, people with disabilities (some of which may not be evident)? And NO, the solution is NOT assigning tables for VIPs. Tells everyone else, they are unimportant.

What also bothers me Is that even if this is legal, the venue is suggesting a "solution" that is not a good idea. A good venue should want every guest to be happy, and that should include a seat for every guest. This large a wedding, you need to assign tables for all.

Kristin, I did go to three weddings and they were great lol. I'm not saying it will necessarily work out for her but it worked for the weddings I went to! It was a lot of fun and no one ate at the same time. There was a 2 hour eating window. It was fun.

Giselle, maybe it worked for young people who want to dance. Did you think about others?

Not sure how you'll do it but, you really need to provide a seat for everyone.

Storytime: Recently FH and I went to a party my work threw at a very classy golf and country club. Unfortunately, they didn't expect as large of a turn out that they had and there were not enough seats. It was food stations but, the food was still difficult to eat standing (and balancing a drink, etc) while dressed up. People were sitting on the window sills, some of the grad students decided to eat on the floor picnic style, others went to the lobby to eat on the couches. Luckily FH and I snagged an actual table to eat but, we were stuck sitting with a group of people we didn't know and had nothing in common with. We left before dancing even started. It was an absolute shit show and people are still complaining. I'm still pissed I bought a new dress to attend this, I can't imagine how angry I'd be if I was expected to travel, buy an outfit and give a gift to attend a wedding like this.

Moral of the story: Treat your guests well. Don't let them suffer because you made the mistake of overbooking your venue.

I have no idea what her guest list is like. But considering it's at an art gallery and people will want to walk around and look at art, I would assume it would work. But hey, I'm one person. That doesn't mean she's gonna listen to me! She's gonna do what she feels is right

The weddings I did go to we're mostly younger people. The older people did have assigned seating and I didn't think it was a big deal. All I cared about was relaxing and having fun.

Giselle, having assigned seating for some people and not all is awful. Ask any DOC, they are the ones who get stuck having to tell people, no you do not get to sit at this table. What about the aunt who thinks she was family, and someone has to tell her, nope, only immediate family gets to sit? What about your mom's fiends? And do the VIPs get lobster and steak, and everyone else gets rubber chicken?

ETA, and what about a pregnant guest who cannot stand? Is she supposed to sit at the old people's table or just leave early?

Having an art gallery backdrop for a formal wedding is not the same as going to an art gallery. Your average wedding is 5-6 hours and that is far too long for anyone to stand.

As for partial assigned seating; some of our venues do this just for cocktail hours and there is grumbling even for that short period of time.

My cousin had around 75 seats for 150 people with stations all throughout the room. They hired a band instead of a DJ and they made the dance floor twice the size which meant less room for tables an chairs. In theory, he expected everyone to be up and dancing and socializing. That didn't happen and it was just awkward watching people stalk others that looked like they were about to get up so they could steal their seat. It was a 5 hour long reception and I pretty much stood the entire time (after driving 16 hours to be there.) It totally sucked. That was 12 years ago and it is still the only wedding I've ever been to that was done like that, thankfully.

I would definitely rethink going that route. Either cut your list or pick a new venue.

This will not work. You need enough seating for every guest! Either find a new venue or cut the guest list!

How would a venue even let you have more guests than it can accommodate? That's not going to work.

ETA: as someone who cannot stand for long periods of time, let alone while eating, this sounds miserable. I get livid when I go to any event and I don't have a table, and chair to eat at.

Oh no. Please heed the PP's advice. I always want a chair, even if I am not in it all times. It is a place to stash my shawl, my purse, my shoes if need be. It's not just a seat, but a dedicated home base. A spot to rest between dances. So yes, a chair for every butt is very important.

Either cut the guest list or get a new venue.

I went to a wedding with no seating plan & it ended with all the elderly people that needed tables not having one. All the younger folks were able to rush over and snag a whole table. A lot of people were standing/complaining.

Good luck

I've been to events at museums - maybe ask about the number they can accommodate. Is it because that's actually all the tables they can fit in the space? Or is it that that's all the tables they have (in which case you can rent the extra tables) or that's what the largest room accommodates (in which case can you do more tables, and the food stations or buffets in a different room), etc. etc.

When it comes to short ceremonies or cake and punch receptions I'm on team not-every-butt-has-to-have-a-seat. BUT for a sit down dinner, everyone needs a chair.

If you absolutely can't change venues and can't get more seating, at least see if they can provide the tall bar style tables (the small circle ones) that don't take up much space, so people who have to stand can stand around those and have a spot to sit their drink and maybe plate. Also if you don't have seating for everyone, you should be planning the menu accordingly and having food that's easy to eat standing up. Do you really want to limit your wedding food options that way? That means no sauces, nothing that requires a fork, etc.

Just imagine having to stand for hours in heels if you happen to get there late and all the seats are taken.

I am young, healthy, and love dancing, but the one wedding I went to that didn't have enough seats I left before the dancing even started. I was wearing heels, my feet were killing me, I was trying to eat while standing while holding the belongings I didn't have a place to put down. It was miserable. Later I heard how disappointed the bride and groom were that 2/3 of their guest list left so early into the evening.

This sounds miserable to me. My own guest list was made up some older people who would not have appreciated not having a seat. We had people up and dancing but not for the whole time and some of my cousins with mobility issues barely moved at all. They probably would have turned around and left if I did something like you were thinking of. Of everyone who responded to you, ONE poster thinks it's ok. Cut the guest list or find a new venue.