How to set up a Cocktail Reception

kat16 · Happily Married Joined: 10 May 2007 Posts: 679

Does anyone have photos of how to set up for a cocktail party as your reception????? This is now what we are thinking of doing and would like ideas please.....
_________________

Married the love of my life on 18-04-09

BethO · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 4:59 pm Post subject:

I don't have any photos, but I can suggest you do have several tables and chairs set up around the edge of the room for the oldies/girls with high heels! Speaking from a guests' point of view, this is absolutely essential! If I were doing this, I'd probably make sure there were a few tables round the outside, with the dancefloor in the middle so people can mingle on either side of it...

Have you picked your venue yet? Just make sure as well that the room isn't too big - a cocktail-style function takes up a lot less space than a full sit down meal, and you don't want your reception to look half empty!
_________________

Oenone · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 8:02 pm Post subject:

We're having 5 tables and 50 chairs. That's enough for half our guests to be seated at once.

We're also having a smaller table for my fiance and myself, a cake table, a candy bar/favour table, a wishing well table and a guest tree table.

I figure with that many tables the room won't look empty. I haven't decided on layout just yet.

I'm also going to have some uncovered chairs stacked up outside the door, so that if we need more chairs later in the evening we can grab them.
_________________
Our Wedding Site

MrsWelch · Posted: Sat Jan 17, 2009 8:31 pm Post subject:

We had a cocktail style function and we set up our tables and some chairs around the perimeter of the room.

We had two L shaped tables in two corners of the room (made up of 2 1.8m trestle tables), these tables were mainly for cold platters of food to be put on. We then had 6 round cake tables placed randomly around the room with floor length table cloths. These were mainly for our decorations and also for groups of people to sit around, or if people wanted a hard surface to eat from or for people to put down their empty glasses.

We hired 70 chairs in total so each of our guests had a chair available if they wanted one. Only 35 or so were inside and they were placed along walls of the room. We still hired chair covers and sashes and they looked great. The remainder of the chairs were mainly outside and we didn't do covers for those chairs.

We also hired a small stage for speeches. Makes it a lot easier for everyone to see those people giving speeches and the MC.

I have dozens of photos of our room set up and I also did a mock up plan in a Word document that I'm happy to email you, although our room was square and if yours is different, then my plan may not be of much assistance.

I'll upload some pics for you shortly.
_________________

Louweez · Posted: Sun Jan 18, 2009 4:42 pm Post subject:

a couple had their wedding in katanning where i live, and a cool idea was placing wine barrels around (with a small posy of flowers, or candles in the middle if u like) for ppl to put their drinks on. Even if u are not from the country i think they would make a great talking point and are original! Smile

_________________
Ceremony at Cottesloe Civic Gardens
Reception at Matilda Bay Function Room

millyb · Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 6:08 pm Post subject:

mrs welch.... could you email me your photos of how you set up your reception - we are planning on having something similar and I am dying to see what yours looked like
_________________

soinlove · Posted: Wed Mar 10, 2010 6:11 pm Post subject:

the bluewater has a nice private dining room that is nice for a cocktail function. The doors open up to the outside area.
_________________

ms_pravda · Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:55 pm Post subject:

ask your reception venue to email you a map/drawing of the layout. mine emailed it to me as a powerpoint where i could move around the tables and chairs, it was great. I had the menu for the cocktail & canapes on a a1 posterboard on an easel as people walked in (as I thought paper menus pretty silly for cocktail reception) and had a 'december 12' and some large seashells on the left, and then on the right had a floral display and the wedding favours in a big seagrass basket...next to those along a window bar had my dessert bar set up. I kept the foyer area clear of tables completely, there were some tables outside on the balcony as it was summer and a hot day, and the other tables were curved around the opposite side of the room, near the toilets (easy for oldies to access) the area in front of the bar was clear. Next to the bar I had my cake set up and wishing well. We had about 6-7 tables for guests, I erred on the side of having 2 more tables than I thought I would need because I knew the oldies would stay seated most of the night and I wanted people to be able to sit down for a bit when they needed a break from dancing. the middle area was a big dance floor. I regret putting the wishing well near the cake, I should have put it near the wedding favours. I also regret where they positioned my wedding cake, because it was near the bar you could see the coke fridge in the background of our cake cutting shots! At the back of the room was a fireplace with a mantlepiece. I put the other floral display there and photos of deceased grandparents who I wanted to be at the wedding in spirit. I really liked the mantlepiece, it made them feel part of my day.
_________________

MrsD2B · Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 7:25 am Post subject:

All these Cocktail receptions sound like so much fun to set up and GREAT parties to attend! I really really LOVE the idea of a cocktail reception, its more of a big celebration everyone mingleing and i'de assume you could invite more people?? GREAT CHOICE GIRLS! might suggest this to a few brides to be that I know...

Betho, oenone and MrsWelch all have the rite idea - i was going to suggest similar
_________________
Love is all you need....

Our Wedding Web Page
http://www.bridalfever.com/users/0707/leahlovesaaron2010/index.php