Sure, your venue might technically hold 100, but should you really try to squeeze all 99 of your guests into the same room for dinner? Not if you want them to breathe, move, and actually enjoy the space. The same goes the other way – 40 guests in a room built for 120 can feel sparse, and the atmosphere might suffer.
When it comes to layout, we believe it matters just as much as capacity. Think about flow: from ceremony to drinks, from dinner to dancing. Ideally, it should feel seamless — no awkward transitions, no bottlenecks, no dead zones where guests disappear for half an hour and miss the speeches. Talk to your venue and ask how the space is typically used, what has worked well in the past, and what really hasn’t.
It’s also worth asking how the venue handles seasonal shifts or changes in weather. Is there a decent plan in place for rain, shade, and ventilation if it’s 30 degrees or higher? Can the ceremony move inside if needed, and still feel just as special? You don’t need to let the weather rule the decision, but knowing there’s a solid Plan B will save you a huge amount of stress later on.