To have people standing at a wedding?

[itsallgravybaby]

More of a WWYD - hope you follow this long one

We're getting married on a budget and have hired a venue to DIY most of it. 70 guests.

For our evening reception we want to hire a marquee and the recommended size is 6x15 or 6x18 to fit some tables for 50 people and a dance floor. The cost of this is close to £2k but includes delivery, set up, lighting, flooring and dance floor.

The venue have now started hiring a 6x12m out that just goes on the grass but I don't know if it's acceptable to have less seating and just a dance floor and seating for say 30 people. It's only £500 though so a massive saving and we can DIY linings etc and they can also put a dance floor in for us too.

So my questions is AIBU to hope that most evening guests will be up dancing or mingling and not need seating for all 70 guests?

There's also some outside seating (July wedding) and will have lots of foldable chairs knocking about if they can squeeze in. We can't reduce the guest list unfortunately so that's not an option.

Raid everyone’s gardens before!

I'd be happy in the evening if I could move between dancing and chatting in a quiet room away from the dance floor. I really appreciate somewhere quieter to relax for a bit. Flooring is a must though; you can never predict the weather!

At most weddings I’ve been to (lots), for the evening do, at least half the seating is cleared to make way for the dance floor, and even then Only a handful of people have sat down. If you go with 30 though, go with the hay bales suggestion. But I’d stick with what the marquee suppliers recommend if you can afford it.

More seats !

I live in a rural area.

Hay bales abound at weddings here.

However if you hire they will cost you twice the price of hiring chairs.
They are not a cheap option.

I will coax frightened guests from their seats, promising they can return, onto the dancefloor in exchange for pizza.

I warn you I'm a greedy fucker.

@thecatsthecats you'll fit right in then! That's why I'm not having a corset dress so there's more room for pizza 🍕

No. Seating for 30 and inviting 70 is not good.

Standing on grass, outside, no seat, given pizza to eat at a wedding!

Sounds divine.

I would be declining for sure.

Hay bales abound at weddings here.

You also risk rats. I went to a big quite prestigious event, bunting, hay bales, pimms etc. Sudden rustling as people sat down and rats emerged from the bales.

Here there are loads of mobile fish and chip vans as it is a rural area. They only charge the standard price per meal for a wedding- but it is quite expensive as rural services are.

Problem with dominos- other than it being a very saucy pizza, is that people will just grab boxes and go off to sit and eat. To not do that you will need loads of people de-boxing and plating up. Any ordered for dietary requirements will just be ignored. They also willingly be hot for 10 minutes after delivery- longer if you keep them stacked up maybe.

Is there an oven at the venue? I would hire a student (I hire students for all our parties) and get them to heat up pizza express or something over a couple of hours. Bring them out in 4s already cut up on boards/platters ? Nice salads- waitrose do big packs which are quite reasonable and they will deliver to a venue. Loads of bread chopped up.

OP - depends where you are but have a look at pagoda tents. They can usually be done to a wedding standard (festoon lighting, linings and flooring) but from experience they’re significantly cheaper because they can be much easier to install.

@MamaMiapartytime no oven but I think I'm leaving more towards some kind of food van, esp as everyone might not be hungry at the same time as PP said. If a van is there for a couple of hours then there's less waste I suppose :)

Oh it was you that said it sorry @MamaMiapartytime 😂

@Spandang they are lovely thanks for the suggestion :D

I was at a wedding where there was a pizza van, which went down very well. They also had an ice cream van, unlimited mr Whippy was very very popular. I think your wedding sounds excellent.