Fuming and Upset.

swingaloo

Would like opinions on this please as Im feeling really upset at the moment.


Im due to get married in 2 months and have booked the room at the registry office. I was given a leaflet saying it held 'x' amount of 'seated guests'. I didnt enquire at the time about standing room as I didn't expect to reach the total allowed.


I am still 2 people under the 'seated guest' allowance for the room however having just rung the office to check on something to do with the music the number of guest was mentioned.


Now it transpires that they count the bride, groom, witnesses and even the registrar in this number.


I hadn't counted myself or partner or the registrar and also hadn't added the 2 witnesses or little bridesmaid as I was informed they would be standing with us during the ceremony and so didn't consider them 'seated'.


So now I am 4 people over the number allowed in the room and feel very misled as to me 'seated guests' means just that. I don't consider myself or my hubby to be to be a 'guest' at my own wedding and wasn't aware that I needed to include the registrar as a guest.


I know its probably fire regulations but its a ground floor room with French windows and I really think that it should have been explained properly when we were shown round. It states the number of 'seated guests' on 2 separate letters we have from them, not, people in the room.


do I have any comeback or do I just have to accept and choose who must wait outside?

highguyuk

swingaloo wrote: »

do I have any comeback or do I just have to accept and choose who must wait outside?

What comeback do you have? Ulitmately, there is a max. size and you are over it compared to their regulations and you need to choose who must wait outside.

Extremely annoying though. Personally, I think you should have included your witnesses in your numbers but most certainly not bride/groom and registrar.

swingaloo

Thank you for the reply. Thankfully all is sorted now as they have rung me back to say that they are willing to put some extra chairs in the room so all my guests can be in. Apparently the fire regs say no one is allowed to stand in the room but as long as they are seated they can be accommodated. Seems strange but more chairs solves the problem.

WestonDave

I don't think it unreasonable to understand from the term "seated guests" that this was "guests" as in the normal use of that term which would not be the officiating registrar or the couple who would be "hosts" rather than "guests". I think to be fair witnesses and bridesmaid are really guests in that context. On that basis a polite complaint that their use of English would not win any "plain English" awards would in my view be justified.

That said with it being a local government venue regulations will be regulations and no more will be allowed in that room and it still leaves you over the numbers so you will need a bit of creative thinking or hope someone can't make it.

ETA - too slow!