When planning the all-important wedding reception floor plan, there is so much more to think about than simply which guests should sit with which other guests. Sure, that is important (after all, you want your guests to feel comfortable and not stuck with someone they don’t particularly get along with), but there are logistical things to think about too for your wedding reception to be successful.
Wedding Reception Floor Plan
1. Placement of the older guests
It is very frequent for couples to place their older guests right in the same corner as they place their DJ or band. Older people tend to be more sensitive to noise and will be the first to complain about the music. Think about placing your older guests as far away as possible from the source of the music. This way everyone will be happy.
2. How big is your dance floor?
Less is more! That might surprise you coming from a professional wedding entertainer, but it’s true. Venues will frequently try and sell you on a big dancefloor (because they can charge you more for it). However, the major problem with a big dancefloor is that it looks empty. The more empty a dancefloor looks, the less likely guests will be to get up and dance on it. Instead, choose a smaller dancefloor that you would think necessary and it will look packed. A packed dancefloor is much more inviting to get up and dance on as people don’t feel as isolated. They can lose themselves in the crowd of a smaller floor and feel comfortable.
3. Where is your dance floor and DJ/Band?
A very frequent mistake is to see bridal couples put their entertainment off to the side and completely away from the dancefloor. This means that the entertainer has to crank the music louder so it can be heard on the dancefloor, to the annoyance of the guests seated near them. (We have even heard of having a DJ in a completely different room to the dancefloor!) When possible, place your entertainment as close to the dancefloor as possible.
Personally, we have a solution which means we can be placed in the corner if you wish, but we can still have our speakers on the dancefloor area due to wireless technology we have invested in.
4. Where is your Photobooth going?
If you are having a photobooth, think carefully about where you place it. If you are having it in another room, this really kills the vibe in the main reception area as you have guests leaving all the time. Our advise is to defintely keep the photobooth in the same room as the rest of the activities. Preferably, place the photobooth as close to the dancefloor as practical. This keeps all the activity between dancing and photobooth users in the same area. The “party zone” of the room! This will give much better photobooth results too as people will feel a sudden urge to get a photo and if they are standing in line waiting can keep dancing in their spot while waiting for their turn.
We hope this article has giving you some insight into the importance of choosing your layout carefully for your wedding reception floor plan.
