Wedding help needed?

Question

My fiance and I are planning on getting married on Feb 24th 2007. The only place we could get with short notice is a local Elk's club which is really nice and a lot of people in our small town use for receptions. I am thinking about us having our ceremony there too to save money. The only problem is I would like our tables to be set up when the guests arrive, instead of having our family members set the tables up after the ceremony with the guests there. Do you think it would be weird to have guests sit at the tables while we say our vows? Do you have any other suggestions? Thanks in advance

The club isnt that big. We might be able to set the tables up where no one has to turn and the tables wont be set with dinnerware just centerpeices.

Answer 1

I have been to weddings were this is done, and if it is done right it can be very nice. Here are some tips:

1. Do pictures first - that way, the guests don't have to wait for hours to eat.
2. After the ceremony, take 20 minutes to yourself in another room as a couple. During this time, the guests can use the washrooms, stretch their legs, enjoy some punch, etc before the food is served. If the menu is a buffet, this also gives time to set up the buffet.
3. If you serve anything before the reception - limit it to punch and coffee, so that guests are paying attention to the ceremony and not their plates.
4. Hand out the wedding favors after the reception - this gives you a chance to interact with the guests, and keeps the favors from becomming a distraction during the ceremony. The less you have on the table the better.

Answer 2

I really wouldn't have them sit at the tables during the ceremony. You can certainly have the tables set and use the chairs (from those tables) and organize them in the area that you'll be married, in a classroom setting with an aisle down the centre. After the ceremony, you could encourage your guests to follow you outdoors for photographs and have a group of people (who are designated to do so) move the chairs back to the tables that are already set while everyone else is outside. Tell those people to make certain that they don't move the chairs to the tables until everyone has left the hall. That way, when everyone returns to the hall after you've had you photos taken, the room will be setup and ready to go.

Answer 3

It's not the least bit weird at all. Your idea is very sound, and it has been done before. I been and done several weddings with going on. If you are having food for reception, please do a buffet. That way you don't have to be worried if the silverware is on the tables and who is going to do this.

Place large plant or trees around the room, when the cermoney is over and the reception begins turn those on. It will make a big difference in the atmosphere and the look of the room. Place the tables as close as the wall as possible to leave room for you and your bridesmaid. You could even take fake columns and make a aisle and drape tulle, if you aren't going to have music and dancing. If you are you could always slide them out of the way.

I think this is a wonderful idea, and practical. If you aren't a member of a church and you would have to pay for a place, this is the best solution. That money you are saving could be used else where. And if it isn't then add an extra day to the honeymoon.

Honey, you just have the most special and wonderful wedding days possible. 'many many years of happiest.

Answer 4

You could even have the tables alll set up on the sides of the building by the walls and have the chairs arranged like you would be at a church or somewhere. This way you still have your center aisle and all the attention. lol. After the ceremony just have the dj or whoever make an announcement that everybody can move their chair to a table and pull the tables away from the wall. You could even do away with the whole announcement and just appoint one person to do it first and everybody else will follow. My cousin did this at the American Legion in our small town. It was no big deal. But even if you leave the chairs at the table I think you should be fine and it will not be weird and if somebody does think it's weird I doubt they'll ever tell you. But Good Luck and Congratulations!

Answer 5

If the room is big enough you could have a separate area for each - the ceremony and the reception. If not, maybe you could have part of it set up and then just set up a few tables afterwards. I think it would be a bit awkward to be seating at a table for a ceremony - it will also open up a lot of distractions - like people drinking from glasses of water or clanking silverware. The best would be if there was a separate bar area where your guests could hang out after the ceremony and then have hired staff or elks volunteers to set up the tables so your guests don't have to.

Answer 6

I've seen this done, and it is wierd. It makes it seem like your vows, which really are the star of the whole show, are just dinner entertainment. Guests are very likely to talk during the ceremony, and many of them have to turn around in their seats in order to see.

Perhaps you could have the place set up with aisles, and then usher the guests to another room while the tables are set up for dinner? Or perhaps the club has two separate rooms that can be used for the ceremony and the reception?

Answer 7

I have not been to or done a wedding where the guests were sitting at dinner tables for the ceremony portion of the wedding...even though the space isn't very large, you can still set it up in such a way that would accommodate the ceremony and reception. Think about hiring someone to come in and partition the space in half...have the ceremony on one side and set up for the reception on the other. It sounds far-fetched, but I've done it...it works wonders!

Answer 8

I kind of like the idea of my guest sitting there at the tables during the ceremony. It would be great to have a few nibbles for them during or even a glass of champagne. I wish I had thought of that. I am always hungry during the ceremony. Too often traditional can mean mind-numbingly boring.

Answer 9

that's what my cousins did they rented a huge fancy hall with a built in bar and everything but we all just found our seats at our tables. the only things on the tables were the center pieces and the gift a chocolate lolly-pop with that hands holding a heart with a crown over it symbol on them ? the tables were set up to have a path going down the middle for them to walk down and say there vows. then they disappeared out back door into a back room for a few minutes and the came back and the reception started. i thought it was wonder full. good luck. ~*~Blessed Be~*~

Answer 10

My sister got married at the local Legion hall and it was really nice. Everyone got up and stood by their table anyways, as the ceremony was not a long one. I have been to many weddings and hers one one of the most intimate and everyone had a great time. Good luck if you choose to go this route!!