"pick a Seat Not a Side" alternatives?

Pinterest has some wording ideas, try searching for “no assigned seating sign”. Here is one example.
We are having no assigned seating ceremony, also around 75 people & we won’t be using any signs, except for “reserved for family” for the first row.

Thanks! I think I like the idea of just labeling for family- do you think people default to sitting wherever or is there still the "brides side/groom's side" mentality when it's not specified? I kind of feel like open is the norm now...

Hi Sunny!
Here are examples of a few other ways to word it!
We'll be doing this as well. No need to split everyone up.

View Quoted Comment Yes, open is definitly the norm where we are (NYC). Every wedding we’ve been to people just find a seat with other people they want to sit with. Nobody really looks which side bride’s or groom’s family is sitting on. But all my friends / family are having non-traditional, more contemporary weddings, so maybe it’s different for a more traditional crowd (although 2 church ceremonies we’ve been to recently had the same seating arrangement). For our guests it will definitly not be confusing at all!

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I think it depends on your guests. A lot of guests from the older generations will probably still have the bride side/groom side mentality, and sit accordingly. But I think the younger generation won't feel it matters. So, it really just depends on the age and experience of your guests.

I’m not using a sign. I think ppl can figure it out.

Thanks for the insight, much appreciated!

I feel like this must be one of those regional things, where it matters some places and doesn't matter at all in other places.

In my experience, no one worries at all about where to sit for the ceremony, barring the usual one or two rows at the front marked reserved (for close family) that everyone knows to respect.

I am aware of a long ago custom of bride's side/groom's side (maybe from the movies?), but I don't think anyone (in my experience) worried about that until Pinterest started convincing people they needed a sign.

So now we see signs so often that people worry that if they don't have a sign, guests will be confused. Guests will not be confused.

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I think you're spot on, Maggie! I'll probably skip it.

I have only seen those signs on pinterest really, none of the weddings I have been to had them. I think it's a silly cliche for sure. Why does it matter at all where people sit? I never go to a wedding thinking about sides I just pick one and sit lol. I am only going to have reserved signs for the first rows however many necessary for our immediate family/grandparents.

Our entire wedding was open seating starting with the reception and the ceremony was a pop up two hours in after everyone had been eating and drinking.
We had a sign for the program that said "stand where you like, sit where you wish"