Assigned Guest Tables vs Open Seating

I had open seating. It was fine, but we had a unique venue with built in benches that lots of people lounged on in addition to food trucks instead of a sit down meal. We also had more tables/seats than people. So definitely assigned if you only plan on having as many seats as butts, otherwise you have some liberty.

Your dilemma sounds a lot like my friend's wedding a couple of years ago. She decided to do assigned seating as a result of the family drama and her seating chart ended up causing more problems because the groom's sister refused to sit by her step-mom!

We are doing open seating at our wedding and most of the weddings we have been to are as well. I have never seen problems because of this! This will allow people to sit with who they want and avoid those they don't want to be around!

We are just assigning tables not individual seats, that can help keep the "warring" parties at bay (hopefully lol) our parents are all divorced but they all get along just fine luckily. Fingers crossed for your big day being drama free!

Assigned tables

Definitely assign tables!

I don't want my grandma stuck at the back alone or with my friends who are ready to party!

I think assigning tables is fine, but I don't know that you have to go so far as to assign seat.s.

From personal experiences, I am doing assigned seating. Open seating left me (a guest that RSVP) without a seat because people that didn't RSVP showed up.

*assigned tables

We are assigning tables because some of our families can't play nice with each other. Sad, but true. Add alcohol, and it could get worse. To avoid this, everyone is seating strategically as far as possible from their source of conflict.

@FutureMrs I can totally relate. For whatever reason my mom is kind of fiery about the seating as well. We're doing a seated, played dinner so I feel it'd be smoother to assign tables, but my mom is adamant that I not do this. It's goofy. I have no clue why she cares so much about it.

Assigned seating

I went to an open seating wedding that had 250 guests and it was awful. Luckily it was only my FH and I, so it wasn't hard to sit together. There was alot of people wandering around looking for seats and it was a total disaster.

Assigned tables all the way! Even though is hard on us (bride + groom) since you have to assign people, but open seating is truly a mess!

Assigned tables! It will be less hectic.

Same as @FutureMrs.

I have been to many wedding with open seating and there weren't any issues. We will be having open seating at our wedding. Our whole family are friends and everyone gets along great and also super casual and laid back.

Most definitely assigned. It's confusing and awkward. It can feel like you're back in high school looking for a place to sit in the lunch room!

Definitely assigned tables. My brother & SIL had their reception in the same location, and had open seating for 300 guests. Not assigning tables was the only thing my brother would've changed. With our large guest list, including every type of family drama you could think of, assigning tables is the only way to go!

We're doing numbers not seats.

I would be sure to do assigned seating. Even if you don't have family conflicts, you could end up with significant others not being able to find a seat next to the person they came with. It's actually easier for guests to not have to worry about it and for you just to assign it for them! If your wedding is pretty casual, people will be up and mingling anyway, so they will just be in those seats for the meal portion.

Hope that helps!

My situation is similar to yours. Lots of family conflicts. There will be assigned tables! Lol