Capacity is the question that decides whether the station feels like a highlight or a bottleneck, so we plan it with actual numbers rather than optimism.
Throughput by method
- Pressed letters and names: under a minute per piece. One lane sustains roughly 45–60 pieces per hour with a staged queue.
- Embroidered monograms: 8–12 pieces per machine per hour, driven by stitch count and hooping time. Slower — and that slowness is part of the show.
- Letter patches: two to three minutes per piece including the guest's layout choices; the choosing is half the fun, so we give it its own table space.
The take-rate reality
Not everyone visits the bar, and that is fine. Across corporate receptions we see 50–70 percent of the room stop by, skewing higher when the station is announced from stage or printed in the program. So a 300-guest party usually means planning for 180–210 pieces — which a two-lane mixed station handles across a three-hour window with waits that read as buzz, not punishment.
Sizing cheat sheet
- Up to ~120 guests: single mixed lane, two crew. Intimate enough that embroidery can lead.
- 150–350 guests: two lanes — pressed for pace, embroidery for the premium tier — three to four crew.
- 400+ guests: double-sided station or twin stations, additional machines, and a dedicated line host. This is where run-of-show choreography matters most.
Tell us your headcount and window in the quote form and we will send back the exact station configuration we would run.
Ready to put initials on the agenda?
Call (562) 614-4800 or send the brief — we’ll scope the station in one reply.