No seating plan!

I was very dead set on having seating chart for AT LEAST Family and bridal party but after reading this I'm thinking I should go with my first intentions of having a full seating chart! I've never been to a wedding with one, but when my brother got married I had an awful experience with them not having one.

My FH was in the wedding and I was not (don't get along with SIL, anyways..) I helped out right after the wedding with stuff and by the time we got over to the reception there were NO SEATS! My brother and his new wife were sitting at the front, and the rest of my family sitting up close near them... But my FH and I literally had to sit at the very back of the place with a table full of her family that I'd never met before in my life. That day I told myself that nobody at my wedding should have to feel the way I did at their wedding reception.

@Michelle W, did they wait till the day of the wedding to do their table assignments??? I don't even have all my RSVPs back yet and my table assignments are half done. I may have a little juggling to do to finalize it, but it's not that darn hard!

Do you think Great Aunt Minnie really wants to sit at that table closest to the DJ? But she has to, because you were too lazy to make table assignments and make sure she's comfortable and by the time she manages to get into the room using her walker, that's the only table with open seats. You don't have to do assigned seats, just please, for the love of your guests, do table assignments! It's called MANNERS and being a good host.

I would at least assign tables

I'm not doing one...we're doing reception style in New Orleans. We will have less seats then people there as is the style here. I'm having approx 75 people, all adults, they can figure out where to sit.

I'm having reserved for family tables but that's all. In this area, people don't do seating plans generally.

ETA: I've been to five weddings in the past wedding season. None had a seating chart. One had "assigned tables," but people switched anyway. I've never seen any of the problems that others are bringing up occur. Adults can seat themselves appropriately and every one I have been to people are courteous of how they know the couple. Small town Iowa has it's perks, I guess.

FH and I are going to reserve specific tables closer to us for family and bridal party. The rest of the tables anyone can sit where they want. I want my guest to be comfortable. Pretty much everyone knows everyone so it won't be too much problems.

Tanisha what does that mean?

Reception style in New Orleans???

I wasn't going to have a seating plan. I hated the idea of micromanaging my guests and thought it was pretty lame. And then I went to a wedding without a seating chart... and it brought out all sorts of anxiety. I'll definitely have one now.

"We're doing reception style in New Orleans. We will have less seats then people there as is the style here."

No. I've been to weddings in New Orleans. Please don't blame it on New Orleans that you don't want to provide chairs for every guest.

Been to a ton of weddings, none of which had assigned seating. If folks can't get along or find a freaking seat they shouldn't be there!

Our guest list is about 175 and we aren't having a seating chart. Just 3 tables reserved for immediate family.

We are reserving tables for family/wedding party, and that's it. It's a buffet and dancing. People really just use tables to hold their purses and coats at weddings down here. They're up and dancing the whole time!

Bump for poster asking this same question.

Tisgr8ness it's not just about getting along or finding a seat. My 88 year old Grandmother with mobility issues shouldn't have to walk across the whole room trying to find a place to sit, going from table to table, because the bride and groom are too lazy to assign names to tables.

I'm not blaming it on New Orleans... and good for you that you're an expert on weddings there. However, the weddings you attended chose a different style. There are multiple options and I spoke to many different venues, all which suggested this particular style. I prefer it as It encourages people to mingle.

Https://blog.juliahohne.com/2013/04/24/southern-traditions-reception-style-dinner/

Reception style dinner sounds like what a lot of people call "cocktail style reception." That blog says 60-80% seating.

People do not mingle during dinner. They claim their seat asap, put their stuff on it and park it. I see people looking for their escort cards when they enter, before the ceremony even starts.

Julia has a lot to learn, IMHO.

Any dinner after a wedding is a 'reception'. It's not a 'style'. And you can't seat 80% of the guests.

That is ridiculous.

I'm not having assigned seats or tables, I'm also expecting 120 but will have 20 tables that seat 8 people each so that everyone isn't forced to sit in a certain place.

@ gonna be, first I am far from lazy and I have manners. I have a child with a disability and work in the disability communty. I am very aware of the needs of those attending our wedding. venue is set up our food and dj is in a different section. Th eery didn't wait until the last minute to make a setting chart, the person in charge of putting numbers on the tables didn't do it. All other weddings I have been to did not have setting charts and we were all able to find seats with out a problem. Just because I think differently than you does not make me lazy or a bad host.