Seating chart question

I would do a seating chart and if people don’t want to listen to it or want to switch cards, then just let them. The seating chart is actually supposed to make things easier for your guests... mostly so big groups of people will be sure that they’ll all get to sit together, and so people who come alone will know that they’ll be selectively seated with people who you think they’d get along with. But if guests don’t want to listen to it then oh well, at least you’ve done your part trying to make things better for them!

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I honestly wouldn't care if they did... the problem is not having enough seats for the people who were supposed to sit at that table and having their spots taken. :/

As a guest going to a wedding with a seating chart is sooo much less stressful than being at one without one! I think if you seat people with who they know and are closest to they should abide by that.

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That's how I feel too. Would you recommend by table number so they can see who they sit with? I know alphabetical is so much easier so they aren't looking for their names out of 170 other people!

I've only been to 1 wedding without a seating chart. All the others had seating charts & no one ignored them.

View Quoted Comment Personally I prefer cards with each guests name on them, and then you can lay them out alphabetically. It’s more work, but that way for example, say two guests from the same table know they wanna sit next to each other and they can set their cards down together to “claim” those seats at the table. Then they can walk around and mingle and know they have seats to come back to.

All the weddings that I have been to has had seating cards. Everyone used them for dinner, some people moved tables after dinner to socialize, but it has never been an issue.

I think having guests assigned to a general table but not a chair is a good compromise and easier. It's not as strict so people are more likely to follow it.

I'm so glad someone else has also only been to one seating chart wedding.

I might recommend escort cards. With a name and a table number on them.

Also now I'm worried about this too. Lol.

Seating charts are definitely a good option. This way it will lessen the chaos of people trying to figure out where to sit. If there's not a seating chart you could end up with people pulling chairs from one table to another and having one table will barely anyone and another jammed packed. Hopefully people will respect the fact that you put the time and effort into the seating chart and sit at the table they were assigned. If they didn't I think that would be very rude of them.

In my culture people completely ignore it.
You can give them table assignments and some can still just ignore it.

Okay, so I'm definitely doing a seating chart, but now after moving things around the way the venue will be placing tables, all of our family tables will fit on the main floor except one, and one family table will be in the loft. The rest of the loft seats are friends, but they also include my MOHs three daughters (one who is an infant) that are sitting with her mom. Is it bad to put children up there?!

I've been to two weddings I really recall (most recent) and one was my SIL and my Brothers wedding and they had a seating chart. Pros: I had a ncie seat and got to see the new couple and be close to my family over some strangers I have never met before (they had a big wedding. Cons: Not for me but propbably were some people out in the crowd that would have liked to be closer and more involved but it was such a big event they were so far away they really didn't get to partake. We all ended up mingle at different tables after we ate so it worked out though. The other wedding was on of my bar regulars and they did open seating. Pros: I got to sit wherever I wanted and with whoever I wanted too (I knew most people at the wedding) although it was awkward at first until people I knew started showing up. Cons: people I wouldn't really want sitting with me did because I was the only person they knew there besides the couple so we ended up adding chairs so some friends could join that table as well.

I have contemplated this so much because seating charts are stressful. My family is rather large so its being broken between tables and I find it hard to choose who is at what table because I don't want anyone feeling less important because they have to sit further back. My FH has a big family but its all aunts and uncles mine is all siblings (who expect to be very close) we want it dispersed fairly so its stressful. BUT that same thought comes through if we did open seating... plus I'd have to set up extra tables in case odd numbers because of people they wanted to sit with. Ultimately we decided on a seating chart but its nonetheless stressful.

I love seating charts and I personally think they are necessary due to my small budget. If you don't assign seating, it's always a good idea to over budget for tables, chairs, centerpieces, linens, and place settings because you will need more to accommodate groups. If you assign seating and you have 8 settings at a table, you can pair parties of 3 with parties of 5, 4 couples, 2 families of 4, ect. Which will condense your rental order. In an open seating situation. a party of 3 will just go sit wherever they'd like and won't go to a table that they see 3 open seats at, leaving any parties of 4 or 6 looking for an empty table outta luck. Therefore you need extra seating. I hope that makes sense. Go with what you prefer, but be sure to add extra tables if you choose open. Also a good idea to talk with your family. Sounds like you are getting an idea of how they feel which is good! Grandma knows best right?

When I first started planning and saw that dreamy pinterest worthy wooden chair rentals are $12 a piece I wanted to rent nice chairs for the older folks and $2 plastic chairs for the young folks. My mother said absolutely not you cannot do that to people hahaha. Now that I think about it she was right. Opinions from your family, the people who will actually be the guests, can bring good insight!

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Yep, that's what I did!

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I only did escort cards for the wedding party that will already be placed at their seats at our king's table. I went ahead and got a seating chart display!

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I don't have to budget for tables, chairs, or any of that. The tables and chairs are part of the venue, I DIYed all of my centerpieces, and found tablecloths super cheap. No rentals here! There's no way I'd afford any of that.

I've never been to a wedding with a seating chart, and my mom has let me know that 500 times since we got married. We decided not to do one for other reasons, but had we used one I would NEVER hear the end of it. I think that's mainly due to it not being popular around here though, I personally think they're a good idea if necessary.

I went to 2 weddings in Oct that had completely different vibes. One was very Wedding-Vibey and there was a seating chart that told you which table to sit at, not which seat though. I LOVED it. I was worried that I'd get separated from people I knew bc my fh was a groomsman and this was his family. I was seated with his grandparents and stepdad. After dinner, when dancing really started, some people just put their drinks down on random tables to dance and people started sitting by their friends or other people they knew. But I feel like after people eat, it doesn't really matter.

The other one was in a barn and VERY relaxed. Like people had coolers and were cracking Bud Light during the ceremony. There was no seating chart. It was a CLUSTER. Like no one knew what to do or where to go. People kept pulling up chairs to sit with their friends/family at whatever table. This probably says more about the actual wedding than the fact that there was no seating chart but it felt like if I got up for a drink or snack, someone was going to take my seat or take my chair. I'd MUCH rather have a seating chart. And this was my family who I'm comfortable around. It was still weird.