Mixing friend groups at tables?

We did a little of both. I grouped people that knew each other, but also added people that they would have something in common with.

A broke up co-workers a little so it just didn't become work talk the whole night.

I would much rather sit with everyone I know. I think if you had weird numbers (say you had 12 high school friends but could only fit 10 at a table) then I might mix and match so it's not like just a few couldnt sit at the table.

No forced mingling! If you CAN fit full groups at tables, definitely do so! Only if you can’t would I suggest the thoughtful mingling. Like if you have 10’person tables and a 12 person friend group, maybe I’d split in half instead of separating 2 people from the group.

EXAMPLE TIME- we have tables that fit 8-10 people (8 comfortably, 10 tight). We did our seating chart and had one table full with 10 people— 6 neighbors that all knew eachother, and the other two couples were ones that knew eachother and didn’t really
fit in anywhere else, but I figured they’d get along nicely with the neighbors. The week before the wedding, one of the nieghbors’ husbands (who had previously rsvped as a no) was suddenly available and asked if they could come afterall. I was willing to do the add on , but knew it would screw up seating — to add him in to the table, it’d be 11 people which was way too many. Naturally what would’ve been best is to somehow shift the other two couples elsewhere, but keeping them together was a priority, and since these people were the ones screwing up the chart, I figured they could move. So I separated them from their friends, and put them at a close table that happened to only have 7 at it. It was the easiest solution albeit not the smoothest/most ideal. This couple is sociable though, and I knew they’d have some things to talk about with the 7 person table — and they did and happily had a nice dinner. But after dinner they spent the entire rest of the night standing by the table they should have been at, with the rest of their friends. They weren’t complaining, they acknowledge their role in the seating situation, the point is just that people want to be with their friends!

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Yeah that's what I was thinking too! Our venue's tables can seat 10-12, and coincidentally most of the groups we're inviting are about 12-15 people so, assuming a few will not come, they each should all fit perfectly at one table.

I felt like it would be odd to have 2 separate groups of 10, but split them 5/5 so they could sit with 5 other people they don't know? Idk my mom said doing this would encourage mingling but I feel like as a guest I would not appreciate that haha

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Hahaha I totally agree. That's what I thought too. The thing is I've only ever been to 3 weddings, and 2 of them were restaurant receptions with 1 big table, and the 1 that was a ballroom setting was when I was 9 so I have very little memory of it...... so basically I was planning on keeping friend groups together but had nothing from my own experience to compare it to see if it was standard to do that or to split them up lol.

This is a great example, thank you!

View Quoted Comment I agree, I wouldn't want to be forced to mingle if I already know people. I would just think, weird. Why are we not sitting with our friends?

View Quoted Comment Haha thats what I thought too! Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing something 😂

View Quoted Comment I second this.

I wouldn't want to be forced to mingle and make awkward conversation with people I'll never see again. I don't need to "make new friends," I barely have time to keep up with the ones I've got. Your mom's idea sounds like a middle school ice-breaker game. Let people sit with who they know. The socially inclined will mingle during cocktail hour and after dinner, and the rest will be happy to hang with their established friends.

View Quoted Comment That’s what I figured, thanks!

I think maybe her experiences were situations where pps have said, like if the groups were too big for 1 table so they were split in half to avoid 1 or 2 people being left out.

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In that case, for sure. Say you have 11 friends...don't put 10 together and 1 all on their lonesome with your great aunts and third cousins. I wouldn't be able to drink enough...Split it down the middle and try to group with others they will get along with.

View Quoted Comment Yes of course. That’s probably the situation she was talking about!

I am doing tables by people who know each other, or if they don’t know each other who would be the best at getting along. But I don’t think as an adult I would force people to mingle with each other at a wedding.

I think it’s better to put people with their group for dinner. They will find plenty of time to mingle throughout the night if that is what they’re comfortable with.

If people who know each other can fit at a table, I would seat them together. Sure, it's fun to meet new people and mingle but I think it's more fun to hang out with your friends. I only mixed friend groups on our seating chart when people couldn't all fit at one table.

I was put into a "mingle" table away from everyone I knew at a 50th, and I HATED IT! ... There was enough people there that I knew that they could have done 1/2 a table with people we knew and 1/2 a table with people that we would "mingle" with! I think that is okay, but don't completely separate friend groups.

I definitely prefer to sit with people that I know!!

That being said, there will always be some weird half tables of friend groups that you'll need to navigate! We sat our guests with their friends, and when there weren't full tables of friend groups we tried to sit guests with who we thought they'd get along with!

We're not doing assigned seating--my DOC advised against it and said most people naturally gravitate toward the people they know. My best friend didn't do it and it worked out just fine... I think it's easier not to stress myself out with seating charts, most of my friends all know each other, and I am sure all my aunts and uncles will sit together, and then our work friends will most likely kind of gravitate toward each other, so it should work out. But now of course I am re-thinking this..LOL