Standing capacity

The number of guests a room holds for a reception without seating, about 0.6 m² per person.

How it works in practice

Venues quote standing capacity because it is the biggest number they have. A loft that holds 500 for a cocktail reception might seat 220 for dinner with a dance floor. Those are two different events, and the gap between them catches people who book from a website listing.

Standing capacity also assumes an empty room. Bars, buffet lines, food stations, a DJ booth, a photo booth and cocktail rounds all take floor space. Take them out of the area before you divide.

In Ontario and the GTA

The Ontario Building Code allows 0.40 m² per person for standing space in calculating occupant load, and the posted occupancy load set by the fire authority is the legal maximum regardless of what the floor area suggests. In practice, 0.40 m² is tight: guests cannot move, and servers with trays cannot get through. A comfortable reception is typically planned at about 0.6 m² per guest, more if there is a lot of furniture or food. See crowd density for what happens as numbers climb.

Worked numbers

The lower of your planning number and the posted load is your number. Remember that staff, performers and vendors in the room count toward the posted load too.

Questions to ask

• What is the posted occupant load for this room, and can I see the certificate?
• Is the quoted capacity for an empty room or with bars and furniture in?
• Do exits stay clear with this layout?

Related tools

The venue capacity calculator does the arithmetic for standing, theatre and banquet layouts, and the venue matchmaker filters rooms by realistic numbers.