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Just Said Yes May 2023

Lounge seating and no sit down dinner

Zandria, on June 20, 2022 at 11:23 AM Posted in Wedding Reception 1 8

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Hi! Okay so I need some help! We are doing a backyard wedding at a friends property! It’s a huge space and we will have roughly 125 people attending. My fiancé and I really want it to be laid back with a mix of all the classics as well. With that being said, we don’t want to do a sit down dinner. We will be having food trucks for our food and then I’m going to make a bunch of lounge areas as well as cocktail tables scattered around the entire property! We will have a dance floor and bar as well. My question to you all is does anyone have any advice on how to do this smoothly? I have read all the forums where people say not to do it and why not, what I need is problem solving and different ideas on how to achieve this because we really want to pull this off!
(Just some more info, I am source all the lounge furniture from estate sales, thrifts, and Facebook marketplace to lower the cost. I have found amazing pieces for way cheaper than what sites rent them out for!)

Our main reasoning for us wanting to do this is we don’t like the idea where people are feathered to there seats and tables for 1.5 hours eating! We want everyone to be up and about and dance and talk like an actual party and of course the lounge seating will be there for anyone who needs to have a seat!
Please let me know your thoughts or ideas! Lounge seating and no sit down dinner 1

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8 Comments

Latest activity by ti, on June 22, 2022 at 4:05 AM

VIP August 2021
Michelle · on June 20, 2022 at 1:12 PM
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Hi Zandria. Best wishes on your engagement. Are the food trucks pulling into the backyard? If not, your guests may be standing in lines in front of the property than seated in your backyard vignettes. It may help to have catering servers bring around hor d'ouevres to keep some guests in the area. Otherwise, you may have to dismiss tables to line up for the food trucks just like you would a buffet.
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Master July 2022
Imani · on June 20, 2022 at 2:28 PM
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How many food trucks are you all planning on having? It could work, but like Michelle said, they’d spend a lot of time waiting in lines. For 125 people I’d think you need at least 5-7 food trucks. Most times the food is made to order. I think it’s a good idea, but logistically it might be a challenge to pull off.
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Champion November 2054
Jacks · on June 20, 2022 at 2:49 PM
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Food trucks for that many people is tricky. Say the people in the truck take only one minute to serve one person. If you have one truck that's 125 minutes. Two hours for the people at the back of the line. If you're committed to this format it might work better to have food "stations" positioned throughout the space serving various items, like a carving station, a salad station, potatoes etc. The tables look low there, I would have at least a few "normal" tables for people that can't use the low tables. Also you'll need a seat for everyone, because even in this setting you may find that people just find a seat and "camp" there to hold their place.
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Champion December 2022
Michelle · on June 20, 2022 at 2:58 PM
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I’ve been to many receptions like you are describing. They are popular among some church groups who don’t have a full dining room accessible, so guests either have to hold their plates while standing (and juggling a drink, a purse and a fork) or they can sit in a chair and have to balance the plates and drinks on their laps or pray that no one kicks the drink over on the floor. Many times, guests leave much earlier than planned due to this inconvenience. When there are limited chairs, the people who need them often don’t get to sit down and you can’t tell by looking if someone has mobility issues, so all guests to be seated equally.

You can do this type of reception seating with desserts only. But it’s not recommended for a full dinner. Even if it’s not a plated dinner, you still need enough tables and chairs for everyone.
Also make sure the food trucks serve more 2 people at a time because it’s common for them to have some guests finished eating already while others have not been served yet.
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Super October 2023
Kelly · on June 21, 2022 at 7:48 AM
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Definitely make sure there are enough cocktail tables. Even if I'm not sitting, I'd want to eat at a table. It sounds like you'll also have plenty of places for people to sit, too. Will you have staff bussing the tables? I've been to weddings where to cocktail tables were unusable because people left trash or empty cups.
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Super May 2022
Sloane · on June 21, 2022 at 11:17 AM
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I can’t imagine anybody telling you not to do this I absolutely love the idea. I like how you’re creating an atmosphere of lounging and relaxing instead of the traditional wedding vibes. Good choice!
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Super November 2020
Natalie · on June 21, 2022 at 12:20 PM
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I agree with others who say there needs to be a seat of some sort for everyone. Women in heels are not going to be comfortable standing and walking around for 4 hours and are going to want a spot to set their purse. Men also tend to take off suit jackets throughout the night and typically leave them at their chair. Those who are older or have physical limitations will also need to be ensured to have a place to sit throughout the night without fear of losing their seat if they get up. You don’t want guests awkwardly walking around with all of their belongings in hand, along with a plate of food and drink, waiting for a spot to come available!
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Dedicated July 2017
ti · on June 22, 2022 at 4:05 AM
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Whilst I understand people's comments about the number of food trucks you would need to realistically get everybody fed in a short window of time the comments about seating and eating whilst standing are a little wild to me.
I'm not sure if its a cultural difference but here in England people have absolutely no problem with this type of arrangement and it is exceptionally common to go to parties or BBQs where there aren't enough seats for everybody to sit down.
If there's a concern about heels, you can choose to purchase a bunch of cheap flipflops and leave them in a box for the ladies to grab when their feet start to hurt. This is super common these days and I always think its a cute option - the box is always empty by the end of the night so they must be well appreciated!
Anyway, I think this sounds super fun! Some seating options are definitely necessary, but I don't think you need a seat for everybody - especially not so they can leave their jackets or bags there (you'd be better off buying a cute vintage coat stand, lol)
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