Seating chart - Yes or no?

I'm doing a reception style wedding in New Orleans and I will not be doing assigned anything. People are adults and can figure it out. Less stress for me.

I was originally going to do assigned tables because I think that is the best option, but I know that my family won't listen and they will just sit wherever they want. Lol

Please assign tables. A close friend of mine ended up sitting alone with her DH at a table meant for 8. ETA: words are hard

Also, guys this was the EASIEST thing I did for my wedding.

It's not an unnecessary stress. It's something NECESSARY for the wedding. And it really isn't stressful.

I'm having assigned tables but let them pick the chair

I'm definitely assigning tables. I get criticism from FH for it, he thinks open seating and everyone mingling is the way to go -- but I am in no way shape or form okay with that. I don't like the idea of telling people exactly what chair they have to sit in, but it's going to be a lot more organized if we assign tables. : )

I had planned on doing no seating chart, but my day of coordinator had said that out of all the weddings she's done, it has been less chaotic when there's a seating chart. She said you need to tell your guests what to do & where to go so it runs smoothly. She always mentioned that if people do not have an assigned spot that they'll try to quickly grab a seat & wont mingle or dance, they'll want to just stay in that seat. I totally get not wanting to do a seating chart, I didn't want to tell people what to do either, but it seems to help with organization. Maybe assign tables & not seats?

Just *please* make your seating chart legible and the arrangement logical! At my younger brother's wedding, last year, the names were all on bags of seeds (the reception was in a barn), written in fancy, hard-to-decipher-calligraphy. So, first you had to search high and low for your packet, then you had to figure out if the 'corn' table was next to the 'pea' table or the 'apple' table. Then, at my baby brother's wedding, they wrote out the seating chart on some glass-- it looked great in the sun, but when they brought it inside, it was nearly illegible. People spent a lot of time squinting at at before finding their names. Luckily, the tables were numbered, so once you found your name, you were good to go. Most recent wedding had names simply printed-- looked like computer paper stuck to poster board-- plain print, easy to read, the tables were numbered.... it wasn't cute, original or themed, but it was easy for guests! Please go that route!

I'm conflicted here as well. My reception is 1/2 indoor, 1/2 outdoor so I feel like people should be able to choose if they want to be inside or outside. I asked my wedding coordinator and she said don't do a seating chart- rarely anyone does there.....

I've actually never seen assigned seating but 99% of the wedding I've attended have assigned tables. I went to one that had zero seating arrangements and honestly hated it. My date and I knew no one but the groom and we had to awkwardly wander up to a table of people that "looked cool" and ask to sit down. One couple did end up being fun, but years later it remains a bad impression from that wedding.

I am assigning tables. It makes things less awkward, easier for guests, and keeps couples or families together.

Assign tables for sure! Especially if you are having a plated meal with options, the servers need to know who ordered fish and who the vegetarian meals go to. We were a wedding recently that the servers and venue captain had no idea who got what food because there was not indication of seating or table assignments.

I will be have assigned tables as well as a table for those guests who show up that did not RSVP.

All the weddings I've been to have been no assigned tables and it's been fine. I'm not doing assigned tables because we have seats for 130 and our guest list won't go over 100. I am reserving four tables for family though so friends won't get stuck sitting next to my crazy family. If I only had 100 seats I would assign tables though. I feel so much better knowing there are extras.