Seating Capacity of a Venue

Selecting the seating arrangement in a venue based on the number guests is as crucial as the dress you wear on your special day. The capacity of the venue is determined by the type of seating you have planned, which is also related to the theme and occasion. Below is a summary of the seating arrangements you can decide on based on the event – be it a birthday, retirement, mehndi, wedding or a corporate event

  1. Theatre seating: As the name States, this arrangement of seating is like a movie theatre. Rows of chairs arranged orderly with walkways to move around. It’s also very similar to the seating arrangement done at a church. This arrangement gives the maximum capacity of a venue. In this setup everyone has a view of the Dias and are comfortable seated at the same time. Make sure there is an alternate arrangement for dinner as this seating is not ideal for dinner. People need more space while eating and will also tend to move around more. So even though I this helps you fill up the venue you still need more space if you are serving a meal. This is also a very formal setup. It’s good for stage shows/performances where not much interaction is expected though the festivities.
  2. Casual seating:When you want your guests to be very comfortable and probably serve them while they are seated you go for this setup. This is usually used for small conferences and red carpet events for VIP seating. The arrangement consists of small tables around which chairs are placed. All the chairs face the stage. When compared to the theater style, this arrangement seats less than half the number of people but removes the need of having a separate dining area. Also the guests can be served at the table rather than requiring them going to a buffet counter.
  3. Cocktail setup: When having a dance and drinks party not too much seating is required. A few high tables are needed so everyone can place their glasses but the seating is limited to the far sides towards the wall and away from the dance floor. A separate area will be required for dining. In a cocktail setup the hall can accommodate 1.5 times the number of people who can be seated In a theater arrangement.
  4. Casual mix seating: All events will have a few elders who would have to be comfortable seated. The same has to be arranged even for kids. For this we have a mix of 70% theater seating and 30% of casual seating with round tables which are kept either at the front near the stage or at the very back of the hall. This setup is suitable for most types of events.

Apart from seating arrangements you also have to keep in mind the following

  • Games: If the MC plans to have a few games which requires audience participation make sure you have ample space allocated for that
  • Size & height of stage: If the stage is low plan for bigger walkways so everyone has a view of the stage that is no hindered.
  • Number of kids: If you have a large number of kids a theater arrangement will only cause a lot of irritating for others as kids tend to run around the venue