Anybody NOT Doing Assigned Seating At Reception?

I had 100 guests, (89 that showed) and nope, everyone sat themselves, it was fine.

I'd do it. It's not weird, it avoids chaos.

I'm curious about this too. I mean besides the bridal party table we're having a table that is our parents and grandparents. Our siblings are in our wedding party. Other than that I was like crap I don't know if I should do any sort of seating chart? If you don't how do you let them know? Is it just like they see there's no place cards and they seat themselves?

Please assign tables. I've seen weddings where people move chairs, guests have moved tables half way through dinner to sit by other people, one where a whole other table had to be brought out because people couldn't distribute themselves correctly.

I'd still do it. Like Celia said it avoids the whole confusion and chaos of trying to get those people in seats and move on with the reception.

I've been to plenty of weddings without seating charts, actually all the weddings i have been to didn't have one. We all sat down just fine. It's never been Chaos

We are not doing assigned seating. We figure all of our guests are functioning adults they can figure out how to seat themselves. Plus we are doing a buffet for dinner so it just seems really unnecessary for a seating chart. We are only going to reserve a few tables for the bridal party and immediate family.

We're not doing any assigned seating for the ceremony (seats will all be together no aisle) or dinner (family style dining & most everyone knows one another).

If you allow for people to seat themselves, you'll need to place about 5-10 extra seats. This is probably what occurred at the weddings you went to, @MrsM, and you just didn't know. If you don't know everyone, it is common to sit with the people you DO know or even leave just one awkward seat between people, which can make it "chaos".

I would at least assign tables so that people have a direction to go in and you don't have to place extra seats.

We aren't doing assigned seating

Since we are doing a travel theme, each table is just going to be a destination city. We will be making an "arrivals" board that has the family name and their destination. Then they just sit at the table. It just made it easier for us.

I'm having sort of the same type of wedding but it's outside. I decided just to have "reserved seats" like for the wedding party (MOH, BM, Groomsmen etc) and our parents and brothers.

Everyone else will be allowed to sit themselves. To be honest, not sure how it will work but it's only close friends and family so it should be okay... If everyone is scrambling around trying to find their seats it would stress me out lol

We didn't assign seats, but assigning tables helped keep things running smooth. No one roaming around looking for seats feeling like a kid in the cafeteria. People generally prefer some structure.

Katie, of course adults know how to seat themselves.

They don't know how to manage a floor plan so there's an equal number of people at each table without wasting space, chairs, and settings, on the fly.

Don't be patronizing when you're wrong.

I assigned tables and I think it went well. It takes the pressure off of your guests of having to find their own seats, especially if not everyone knows everyone.

I'm not doing assigned seating (I'm having 60 guest) but I will be assigning tables.

From what I can tell it went one of two ways. First the hall could hold x number of tables/chairs and that many or close to that number were invited.

The other is there a hall that gets used a good deal in my home town, and I am pretty sure that the capacity exceeds number invited.

It is also pretty common for people to expect more people to attend than were invited.

I am not doing assigned seating because our reception is cocktail style. However if I was doing a traditional sit down, plated or buffet meal I would assign seating.

We're having just close family and friends for our wedding as well, maybe 60. There will be no assigned seating because I don't feel like it would be needed. Our day is going to be super casual and I'd rather not force those interactions and make my guests uncomfortable. Plus their all family now, they'll figure it out lol. So I think it depends on what setting you have. If it's in a nice restaurant I can see how you'd want that though. Good luck on making a decision

It has nothing to do with whether they are adults or not, as @m said, it is logistically and quickly trying to find room for 9 people that want to sit together at a table that only seats 8 without rearranging the room. Having a seating chart (not assigned seats, just tables) makes the whole process go quickly and smoothly enabling everyone to get started eating and partying that much faster. It is incredibly annoying to have to try and find more chairs, place settings and asking people to rearrange themselves on the fly when you are trying to maintain a timeline that keeps the night moving and dinner on time (and hot).