Seating Chart. Why or Why not?

We are doing one because we both have a larger extended family and we want to allow our guest the comfort of knowing they have a place to sit with people they already know.

I also have friends from college that do not know our friends from home so I want to make sure they get to sit together.

They can move around as they want but it's our way of letting our guest know they have a place and won't be the odd one at a table

#2 would be my reason to have a seating chart!

You do them to make sure the people who will want to seat near each other can. You don't want people to have to scramble to try and find seats together, and you *really* don't want couple/families to have to be split up.

It's particularly important in a situation where family drama could arise. You want to make sure to keep people who could have some issues as far away from each other as possible.

Because I've been to a wedding without one, and it wasn't pretty.

I have never been to a wedding with a seating chart not have I ever heard of one until WW. Grown adults should be able to sit where they want. If someone really wants to act up they will do it regardless of where they are sitting.

Reason #2 should be your biggest reason for having a seating chart! It is one of ours.

Also, reason #1 falls flat. We're intermingling people at the tables so there won't be groom/bride sides. For most people - when there isn't a seating chart, gravitate to each other. With the seating chart we can keep couples/families together and mix up the tables so everyone mingle with.

It just makes life easier. Its a complication to create but makes things easier in the end.

If you've never heard of one before WW then maybe in your neck of the woods they do not happen very often. In my area, I've only been to one wedding without one and it sucked for a multitude of reasons.

It's a mess - like a middle school cafeteria on the first day of school. Loads of circling around and families and couples having to split up.

I don't see it as the couple being controlling or not treating me like an adult. Rather, I see it as the couple being considerate, and making sure DH and I can sit together and are among people we'll like.

I have never been split up from my fiancé during a wedding due to seating. We just do everything a little different in the South. It is more laid back and I love the fact I can roam the streets with a drink in my hand, buy liquor 24/7, or drive through a daiquiri shop for a drink. A little off the subject, yes.

Just because you have a seating chart doens't mean you have to follow the "standard seating".

My FH and I have the same circle of friends and are not going to ask them to sit "bride side or groom side" We will sit our friends together.

Both my parents and my FH's parents are divorced. 3 of the 4 will be bringing their new significant others. This is the main reason we are having a seating chart. Instead of bride and groom sides, we will be doing mother's side and father's side, with friends mixed in.

For the ceremony we are having people sit anywhere. For the reception we're assigning tables but not specific seats.

Given what you said, I see both of those as reasons FOR having a seating chart. That way you keep the people apart who might have issues with each other, and you keep your friends together.

We are not doing a seating chart because we are having an outdoor ceremony and reception on a ranch. It is very casual, kick back, kick up your heals and have a drink kinda wedding.

If adults can't figure out where to sit, then I really feel for them.

I can't make my dad sit at a table in the back, he's walking me down the aisle. I don't even know where to begin with where I'd have him sit. My mom will want to be surrounded by HIS siblings. And then I worry about seating my sister and her kids with my dad and that upsetting my mom because my sister isn't with her but then not knowing who to sit with my dad as to who's gonna be okay with it..... I'm so worried about drama that day but I want my dad's girlfriend there. It's great to see my dad finally happy.

I guess my thought with no seating plan was that I could turn a blind eye to where to people sat and not feel responsible for awkward pairings.... FH and I have both decided that if someone tries to start drama with my dad and his gf I would be telling that person to GET THE F*** OUT even if that was my own mother.

Shannon's right. I mean, I know my mom will NOT want to sit with her ex. So, if we had no seating chart at the reception and there's only one seat left, which leaves them at the same table? I don't want to see that...

For the opposite of Rebekah - I've never been to a wedding without one. Unless it was a laid back, backyard style reception, I would find it odd.

@Suzi - as of right now we are not have assigned seats. It may be a regional thing, but I have only been to like 1 wedding out of many that had assigned seats and since it isn't typical here, or with my family it is quite ackward.

If you don't want a seating chart, then don't have one. I have read the pros and cons on here, and honestly not having one works best with both of our families.

In my case my FI parents are going through a divorce right now, and while I would hope no drama would happen. I feel it is more preventable with a seating chart.

What if I didn't have a seating chart and the only two seats left was where FI mom and dad had to sit? It would be hell.

Our seating chart will have everyone intermingled and meeting new friends and sitting next to old ones.

"If adults can't figure out where to sit, then I really feel for them."

It's a little different at a wedding where you don't really know anyone, there are barely enough chairs to go around, and every table you go up to is like, "these seats are saved, these seats are saved" until we basically had to walk around the room three times and beg for seats before we could locate two seats together.

It was SO AWKWARD and really started off the evening on a negative note. If brides must ditch the seating chart, at least make sure there are more than enough chairs so your guests don't feel like Mary and Joseph on a donkey.

During ceremony folks will sit wherever (exceptfamily reserved seats up front). We have a ballroom reception with 160-170 guests. The timing is tight between cocktail and when the bridal party enters the reception. I will assign tables so people can sit easily. We will have tables of 8 and will have at least two couples at each table that know each other (example- 2 people from FH work and 2 of my friends). After dinner they can get up and mingle as they please....

Never been to a backyard, farm, or picnic wedding. I went to one in January and they spent around $30k just on reception and no seating chart. No one was wondering around looking for chairs. To each his own.

I would consider mine laid back. All one building (vfw hall) corn hole set up out back free beer, cash bar for liquor, hot dogs and hamburgers to eat.

@Shannon my invite list is right around 190 and I will have seating set for 200

So then How would I go about deciding who sits with who??