Seating Chart or Nah

I think the only time a no seating chart situation isn’t stressful is if there’s a lot more tables and chairs than people. If you will have exactly 40 chairs and place settings then I would do a seating chart.

Seating chart. Even if everyone knows each other there tends to be cliques, popular people everyone wants to sit next to and less popular people everyone doesn’t want to sit next to, etc. People will sit and then claim the seats around them, or three people may be looking for seats together but don’t arrive at the right time so can’t find three together, etc. There are just so many pitfalls that can be avoided by a seating chart.


You don’t need to assign everyone a literal seat, but at least assign everyone a table.

I don't think it's ever a good idea to skip a seating chart. When a family of 5 sits at a table of 8 will there really be 3 people who just perfectly fit *and* want to sit there? It's unlikely. You only need to give people a table and they can arrange themselves within that table. But at least solve the jigsaw of groups at tables of everyone. Just the vibe I've been getting from the wedding planner/coordinator videos I've been watching.

Hmmm I would do one — we are having assigned tables but not the seats themseves

View Quoted Comment This is a great idea and would make it easier on me to come up with as well! Thanks for all the feedback, ladies!

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I agree! Assigning tables at the very least is a great idea

People aren’t great at seating themselves, no matter if they know each other or not. I would dona seating chart.

If nothing else, do table assignments on place cards. This eliminates last minute changes on a table chart, but doesn’t specify the seat.

Seating chart is much less chaotic day of reception- I’d do one