Help! Reserved seating for Informal reception?

I would do a table chart on the way in for everyone. So everyone has a table. I wouldn't do actual seating plan. Make sure everyone has a table, that's not too formal but will make sure that everyone has a seat and grandparents aren't stuck to sit on a high top table.

I've been to several of these types of wedding receptions -- and they were fabulous. Yes, I know exactly what you're talking about when you mention the conventional, eight person tables vs. the high tops.

The way it worked at the family weddings I attended that were formatted this way was easy and everybody understood. You'd know as soon as you entered the room that not every guest had a reserved seat. The immediate family were seated at regular tables, of course, and so were those who were seniors or had a physical issue that prevented them from standing (or sitting on tall stools) at high top tables. The conventional table guests had seating place cards at their tables. The rest of us sat on furniture or stood at the high tops. I believe the event manager handled everything, but if you want to present a table chart at the entrance to your reception, go right ahead. Nobody (who has any integrity) will bat an eye -- in fact, they'll feel fortunate that they are young enough/healthy enough to attend a cocktail style reception without feeling pain, fatigue, or the need to leave early.

Oh, and if you do the table chart at the entrance to your reception, you don't need to put place cards on the table -- an escort card is just fine.

People on WW are very negative about mingling receptions without assigned tables. Everyone here will tell you to always have a seating chart.

I will be having a similar reception with 15 different heavy apps at buffet stations and a 60/40 mix of seated tables with cocktail tables. I say this so that you don't disregard my advice as a purely negative nancy opposed to the concept. I love the concept and am spending double in catering as a seated dinner but I greatly dislike your FMIL's idea.

You absolutely cannot assign some seats and not others. It is exceedingly rude to the people not assigned. You have to embrace your concept or get rid of it entirely and assign everyone to a table.

Considering your description about your FMIL, I am concerned about you accomplishing your vision. If your guests are used to and will expect an assigned seat, they will likely camp out and claim spaces regardless of assignments. In the south where I am, strolling receptions are actually an older tradition for weddings than seated dinners and people are familiar with them even though it's not that common anymore. To help prevent squatters, I am spreading the word through my guests that there is no assigned, seated dinner. I want guests to be inside the restored Victorian with the bourbon tasting, Photobooth, and dessert bar and also dancing outside with the band and all the food and main bar.

I have to ask about how many tables and chairs you are having as compared to guests. I admit to not having a rental chair for every butt, which has gotten me some rude comments on here. However, anyone needing to sit down can also go into the fully furnished large house. But if you are in an event venue without additional seated surfaces, you absolutely need to rent more chairs than people to deal with gaps at tables.

Those are both extremely helpful comments--but now I'm torn!! We will have enough seats for 90% of our guests so if for some strange reason we have a lot of ppl sitting, I figured at least 10% will be up and mingling (in actuality I know many of the guests, more than 10% will be up and mingling so I'm not worried). I could have seating for everyone but that would go against the informal vibe I am going for. We will be right on the lake in a tent at the Country Club. There will be a patio area outside of the tent with seats, wine barrels with seats, high tops and regular round tables.