Reception: Too much space.

Could you find a way to block off the part you won't be using - such as using artificial trees with a few long tables between them? Maybe even have that be your cake, card box, gift area?

I'm interested in responses if anyone has any- although my size is slightly different- my reception area can seat up to 600 and I have less than 200 people...

I'm thinking it will just be nice so that people have room to breathe... but I don't know how empty it will feel.

But are you having any dancing? Dancing can take up some of that extra space

Are you having a dance floor? If so, that will take up space, along with DJ/band set up. You will also need a cake table, gift table, and we also had a separate table for guest book and some flowers. Bar?

Do you have any pictures of the space? Our space supposedly sat 85 people comfortably. We had 45, and it was perfect. I honestly could not imagine that space sitting more than 60. In other words, I'm sometimes wondering about their estimates of how many people they can accomodate/

@Linda, Thats a great idea.

@everyone. The space for the reception is 139' x 50'

And we are leaving a big area for dancing. I'm playing with the seating chart app now to mess around with diff arrangements.

Do you have pictures of the space?

Empty

How someone had it set up. We dont need anywhere near that much seating though.

That is really pretty! Is ypur ceremony going to be there as well ypu could easily divide it on half perhaps... Half for ceremony, half for reception?

We also have a huge space. We are kinda dividing it into thirds. Dance floor/stage in the middle, tables on one side, and what we are calling the "activity area" on the other. The activity area will include the card/gift table, photo booth, wishing bowl, candy buffet, etc.

We are having rounds, so we thought we could spread them out so that everyone had plenty of room. But even after that the space was still massive...so we came up with the thirds idea.

Love the look! maybe just space out the tables more?

I like Jen H's idea. And that is a really pretty community center, wish ours looked like that!

We had our reception for 60 in a space that was 120' x 50'. (And that was just the space we used for the reception itself; we had an extra room we used for a fauxtobooth, and two other rooms we just blocked off.) It will be a lot less empty than you think. Put a few fewer at each table than the maximum it will hold, allow a little extra area around tables for people to get by, set up a large dance floor, put up a cake table, have a space for DJ or band, etc., and it will look quite full enough. When venues talk about the maximum the venue can accommodate, they are talking about stuffing it beyond the point of being comfortable for guests.

Well that is just for the Reception. It's twin on the other side is for the Ceremony. But great ideas all. I was just over thinking what it will look like. The more details I remember have to be added the less I'm worried.

This is the whole building. You get all of it with the rental.

It downloads as a pdf so i couldnt attach the picture, but this link shows without downloading anything.

http://files.georgetown.org/files/2009/06/community-cener-layout.pdf

That is an awesome space! Love the exposed beams and how light and airy it is!

Smaller tables or less to a table seating could help. It give guests more space and take care of the room issue.

Pipe and drape works too. I think by the time you add a gift table, maybe do a candy buffet or something, we have a photo booth, cake table etc. It will fill up fast.

I like the idea od the acitivity area, i think maybe this gives you the space to be alittle more artistic with the decor, maybe centerpieces that are medium to large, more spaced out seating is also good. maybe you could have a wishing tree as a guestbook, and have an area set up with some childhood photo's

I don't know if you have the budget for it, but I love reception areas that have some couch seating set up. Kind of a "lounge" area. I found a used couch and chair on craiglist for cheap that were setting up at our reception.

- Dance floor

- Candy buffet

- A wish tree center

- A table with pictures of people who aren't with you anymore.

- Couch lounge area

- A cigar lounge area

- Rented art

- Rented decore

-A signature drink table

Tabatha, don't forget photobooth!! with extra space, you could do some pretty cool things (like a couch to take pics on or something)