Seating Arrangements at Reception

Without a seating chart, you’ll need to provide, on average, 20% more tables, chairs, place settings, etc. since guests won’t seat themselves efficiently. It’s also just much easier on your guests to not have to find a place to fit.

Please don’t do this. Other couples have said as a guest or at their own wedding this caused guests to be separated from people they came with, created confusion and took longer for guests to sit for dinner. At least assign tables.

I agree you will want to have assigned seats or at least tables, that's what we are doing. The tables are assigned but you pick what seat at the table.

View Quoted Comment That’s something I didn’t think of. Thanks for your help!!

I think it greatly depends on the setup of your venue. I am doing an outdoor country wedding and we will have extra seating available so with that factor we will not have assigned seating. We will only have a couple of tables reserved for family. My brother and SIL just did this and it worked out without a hitch

I'm personally against seating arrangements and say let people sit where they want. I was at my cousin's wedding where they had assigned tables and my sister and I were supposed to sit with people we knew but they didn't show and it was just us two at this large table for 10 people. We got a laugh out of it but guests may be more comfortable sitting with those they know.

I wouldn’t do assigned seating because that’s just so much more work and I wouldn’t want to be told exactly who to sit next to

If you’re doing a plated dinner served to the guests, you’ll want to have tables picked for guests with place cards that show their name and meal choice.

I think it depends on the types of guests that you will have. I’m assigning tables only because a lot of the RSVPs aren’t in yet and it’s an effort to prevent damage control.

We are assigning tables but not assigned seating at our guest tables. The head (king table) will have assigned seating as we want to sit our bridal party and their guests in order and together. It's up to you but I have always liked an assigned table over guest choice as guest's do not seat themselves organized at all.

I read through a lot of these posts to make a decision on this topic. We are having a plated dinner, so the venue requires it. I will have an alphabetical seating chart posted and at the table place cards with name and meal choice. I bought really nice templates off Etsy. I had the seating chart printed on 20X30 poster board at Walgreens and it turned out beautiful. I'll be printing the place cards myself (Avery tent cards 5302). THAT is the last thing I need to do before the big day on 3/14!

No having an assigned table gives me anxiety as a guest. You also have to have more tables because people will leave open seats if not told where to sit. You also risk families being split up.

Definitely assign tables! It is chaotic if you don't (I've been to several weddings with open seating and it was a mess each time).

I actually just met with our venue coordinator this past weekend and they said to at least assign people to tables. I am having reserved table for parents and grandparents and was originally going to have open seating for everyone else. The coordinator said sometimes that causes people to be separated so if I don't want to assign individual seats I should at least consider assigning parties to a table which makes sense so now I am going that route.

We assigned seats for 50 ppl in a private restaurant room because we wanted to make sure that his family sat together and my family sat together. We also wanted the handful of friends to sit together. We had a U-shaped set-up where we were at the head with our kids.