Seating Chart - Yes or No?

I highly recommend assigning at least tables. I had about 100 guests, and I assigned tables due to space restrictions, and everyone mentioned that they were really appreciative of the thought I put into placing people with other guests that they knew and were comfortable with!! It just really helped keep things non-chaotic, and for people with any sort of social anxiety, it helps them know they have a place to sit. I always appreciate a seating chart, or at least assigned tables when I’m a guest myself.

We have around that number too. I think people like some direction. I recommend at least assigning tables. You dont have to assign seats.

Group people you think would get along. But dont do a singles table. haha

I'm always for team seating chart

As a guest, I always prefer having an assigned table. That way i dont have to scramble to find seating for my family, and groups don't have to split up based on how many seats at a table. I would also do all assigned, or none - it's super annoying as a guest when family has a place and the rest of us have to scramble.

At my wedding we groups families together as much as possible, had a couple tables of cousins, grouped friends etc with other people they know. (I strongly dislike putting strangers together for the sake of "mingling"). It worked out really well and we didn't need extra seating.

If you dont' do a seating chart you'll need ~20% more seating to account for different sized groups.

I did one. I did a wedding party table, immediate family table (parents, sisters brother grandparents) and a second family table for aunts uncles and other family, which in your case you should probably have two family tables for the divorced parents. Then we have them separated by groups like neighborhood friends, firehouse (FH is a fireman), extended family, my work friends, people who work EMS, and different things like that so people knew people they were sitting with. We had a couple odd balls but we fit them in where we thought they would feel comfortable and with people we thought they would get along with. I am not going to stress too much about it because I am hoping most people are only sitting for dinner and are up dancing and hanging out the rest of the night.

Definitely assign tables. It'll keep any family awkwardness at bay, and it's so much less stressful as a guest, especially one who doesn't know many people or only knows you and your family/wedding party.

If you’re having a plated dinner or a traditionally structured reception, I would recommend a seating chart.

Where open seating works best is if the attendees mostly have a common connection / know & generally like each other AND if the event is somewhat unstructured. We did this and it worked out great but we are an older, second time around couple; our event was at a club where many of the guests were members and know each other, or they were related to the groom; and, we had food stations with no real appointed “dining time”, and no traditional things like dances, bouquet toss, etc where people had to really stay seated. So, people could mingle, eat when they wanted, dance when they wanted, etc. It was casual and completely fun and we knew it would work well, but this is a definite “know your crowd” kind of thing. I think the vast majority of weddings probably do better with assigned seats or at least tables.

I recommend doing a seating chart by table.

At the very least, I would assign tables. This cuts down so much potential chaos and confusion!

Team seating chart!

I am team no seating chart. I hate going to weddings & people make me sit with randoms. My family does not get along & I just told them don't sit by each other. It's a big venue.

I definitely recommend having a seating chart, especially if you have more than 100 guests. We're currently working on our seating arrangements.

In your situation I’d definitely do a seating chart to prevent problems with divorced parents and others.
As for me, I have seating for more than double the number of guests (beach pavilion, picnic tables bolted down), so I’m not gonna worry about it. If my mother and father can’t figure out how to stay away from each other with that much space, it’s really not my problem.

I am having a small wedding of 50 people all we did was a seating chart putting people at a table but they choose where at the specific table to sit . It saves on the name place cards at least.

I have about 80ppl and will have a seating chart but the chart will be organized by who knows/likes who

Definitely at least assign to tables! It's SO much easier on you and guests in the long run.

I would assign tables, it will make the seating at the reception go more smoothly, and be less chaotic.

We did table assignments, and just an example - my cousins would have obviously wanted to sit together, but had I not assigned the 9 of them to a table (8-10 seats), they probably would not have found one together.

we grouped people with similar interests, or that we knew through similar experiences together. It took some time, but I’m sure guests will enjoy the thought.

I'm planning on doing a seating chart. Ideally I'd like to have a few long tables with dinner served family-style. I thought seating charts were silly at first as well but the more I think about it the more I like the idea of pairing my friends with coworker with the same interests/sense of humor/etc. I'll probably keep family together.

I’m having a seating chart but I’ve seen some couples reserve tables for the main family, then have the rest be a free for all.

Seating chart for sure. You run the risk of groups being split up because people leave a seat between them and the next person. Or like a PP said, if you don't go with a seating chart make sure that you have extra seating available to accommodate for the single empty seats here and there.