Do I need a chair for every guest?

[Yissie]

Casual ish wedding, outdoor mainly, food trucks, live music, we have a marquee that can seat 50, we over invited (it crept up on us..) and have 68 coming. I thought more people would say no as it's last minute

Anyway ceremony we've arranged 50 chairs, not a huge issue as we have rustic benches in the marquee and we could put some of them at the back.

There's no sit down meal, as it's food trucks and hopefully we will have good weather so people will be scattered around the marquee and on the hay bails around the fire pits. But dad and best man want to make speeches does everyone need a proper seat for this? Will it be ok to have benches in the marquee for 50, and if everyone does pile in there at once at some point does it matter if some are standing? Or could bring chairs from ceremony in? I'm stressing!

not providing enough chairs sounds the very definition of cheapskate and inhospitable.
don't invite them if you can't be bothered to offer them proper seating.

Please tell people its an outdoor wedding so they can wear appropriate clothing. We went to a lovely one but ended up leaving early due to the cold (not helped by us flying in from Cyprus for the wedding, but everyone was cold).

Then in the evening deffo not everyone will sit at tables to eat pizza

Well if there aren't enough places at tables then of course they deffo won't.

But they deffo will need somewhere flat to put their drinks down whilst they eat. Unless the pizza is only going to be provided one slice at a time with no box/serviette/plate

Is it going to be somewhere reliably warm @Yissie? Have you got heaters for the evening ? Otherwise people with definitely all come inside

Yes I think you do really. When I've been to outdoor weddings I tend to find your spot and stick to it so there's 18 people standing up all night holding drinks and handbags and trying to eat.
Plenty of sears near firepits too or you'll lose your elderlies by 7 in my experience!

You definitely need to provide somewhere for everyone to sit. Apart from being a bit rude and making you look like you planned poorly, you have no idea what hidden issues some people may have. I can't stand for a long time due to a chronic illness, but you would never know it to look at me. Just get enough seats, doesn't matter what they are

Without wanting to pile on, please please have enough seats with backs for everyone. I went to a wedding where it was benches for the service and the meal and hay bales outside. Despite being 25 and wearing comfy wedges, by the end of a 10 hour day (2pm - midnight) my lower back was fucking killing me. And basically everyone over parent age left straight after the meal, I assume for the same reasons. It’s a fab vibe and I love those sorts of weddings (I’ve been to a few) but feeling knackered by the end of the day is the sort of thing people remember - it’s like running out of booze or the food being shite. Most things can be forgiven for weddings - I barely notice flowers, music, decorations now - but at a bare minimum people deserve to be comfy, fed and watered.

Remember benches won’t seat as many people as they say they will because people don’t naturally sit rigidly side by side, so get a lot of hay ales if you’re relying on them. Get blankets to cover them though because people won’t want to sit on them in wedding clothes otherwise.

Scrapping the benches, added 20 chairs and an extra table and will then just move them back for dancing. Unless I can find a bigger marquee.. thanks for advice!

Is the ceremony room available all the time or just for the ceremony?

Ceremony is outdoors. I've found an 8x12 marquee we've switched to round tables and chairs to seat 60 (we have 5 babies and 3 toddlers out of the 68 guests that won't need a chair of their own) and still kept the full size dance floor so think I've sorted it. Biggest marquee I can find so let's hope it all works ok on the day.

I know I keep harping on @Yissie but what if it rains??? Also a toddler with very much need a seat

Sorry but the 8 babies/ toddlers definitely need a seat. I would expect a highchair or chair provided for any over 5/6 months. Where do you expect them to sit down and eat nicely? And no you can’t just stick a 2 year old on the floor if everyone else is at the table

We have a wedding this year. 8 age 9months-10 years. All will have seat with highchair for youngest 4, entertainment packs/ colouring/ stickers, and childrens options to eat.

Well one of the toddlers is my own who will probably cling to my lap the whole day but obviously I'm not expecting them to be on the floor. The babies are below 6 months so won't need high chairs but I have checked with their mums who are bringing them in slings. We've got more than enough highchairs and little toddler tables and chairs and teepees and toys in a little area too. I'm not an idiot! I just meant they don't need adult chairs, we can squeeze a high chair in at the table.

If it rains you chuck a gazebo or two over the ceremony area and hope it brightens up throughout the day. There's not much more I can do! I didn't say it's perfect but it's a last minute wedding and everyone knows what to expect. I do know the crowd that are going and they are relaxed and happy with the plans - even the hay bails!

Do you have gazebos? I’ve never seen large gazebos that can cover this many folks you just “Chuck up” usually it takes a little effort.

Are some people just here for an argument and to pick at my words?

Eh, no, you asked. Remember?

I asked about chairs, took the advice and found a new marquee, ordered more chairs and more tables. The thread is resolved and I am clearly aware you can't literally throw up a marquee, which you obviously knew I meant as well.

Good god yes. This isn’t even a question.

I assume you aren’t getting married in England

I think your new plans sound fantastic. Enjoy and congratulations!

(Our wedding involved a few guests helping to put up tables after ceremony, also friends that arrived early helped with table decorations - it was very relaxed and lots of people from different family and friend groups still say it was the best wedding they have been to. Having said that we are now divorced!)

I planned my wedding for a day when every year for 20 years before and every day since has been glorious weather. We booked a venue for the view, the gardens, music and drinks on the terrace etc. My wedding day it was blowing a gale. The glorious view want visible. We didn’t have a single photo outside. Luckily we had also planned for an indoor wedding. Everyone had a seat for the ceremony and the meal. Everyone had a seat for the milling about in between. Kids had a chill out room and high chairs and entertainment. Just as long as you have a wet weather / bad weather plan you will be fine. Don’t rely on the hay bale idyll.