A couple of thoughts that I have:

I would make sure that I asked about the wedding couple’s definition of “modern contra”. Their actual definition might help make your programming easier; of course, the opposite is also true! Does this mean no squares, no circle mixers, no sicilian circles?

I would also ask them about what their goals are for their dance. If it is mostly to please the contra dancers, that is important to know; but if it is to get the non-contra dancing families and friends dancing together, then you have a way in to get permission to do some programming with those desires in mind. 

Do they want gender role-free terminology used? Asking this may encourage them to think about their attendees.

As for “modern contras” that are a bit easier, I do have a few listed on my webpage. Do Si Three is a great way to get non-dancers used to dancing, as well as progressing. And since it was written not so very long ago, I assume it is defined as a “modern contra”   ;-)

After the concept of progressing, the most challenging part of doing “modern contras” is how to end a swing. So dances in which this is a bit easier to figure out might be helpful to you. An example is the dance below; however, you will need room up and down, since the P swing is across. This dance (like most contras), can be done as a sicilian circle; this formation is a great choice, as aefallon suggested in her note to you.  There are also a number of Becket dances that might be considered. I have included one below by Orace Johnson.

As for floor space: I saved some advice from John Sweeney and Martha Wild, when this question came up a while back. Here is what they each said:

And from Martha (this is a digest of what she shared):

20 feet across for two contra lines

Length of the hall, divided by 4 determines the number of couples in the line.

On Aug 1, 2016, at 9:01 AM, Rich Sbardella via Callers <callers@lists.sharedweight.net> wrote: