Seating charts: yay or nay?

I'd be surprised if the caterer didn't require a seating chart. Besides that, I think seating charts are necessary. People get confused and it can cause a whole lot of issues on your big day, when you can just take an hour (if that) to create a chart.

Honestly I am going to make a seating chart. Mainly because I have certain people who can and cannot be sitting by each other. If you have a similar situation, a seating chart would be a good thing.

I was going to make a seating chart but we might just do escort cards. We have around 130 people as well, maybe a little less. I just don't want to have to pay extra money to revise the entire seating chart if people are taken out, things change, etc.

We will be doing a seating chart and we will be mixing up the tables so everyone can at least mingle a little bit

We are actually going to do a big plexiglass sign by the door that has the tables listed and the people who will sit at that table...so I guess I should say table chart we aren't actually going to pick the seats out.

I actually coordinate weddings and events for a living and trust me...it flows so much more smoothly with a plan. Even if you just assign people to a table and not a specific seat it makes all the difference. If you choose not to have a seating plan then you are going to have to plan to have more seats out (meaning more $$ and work) so that people can actually sit with the people they came with.

We skipped it and didn't need it. We had 60 guests. All adults and everyone was more than capable of finding a chair to sit in and no one was "stuck" sitting with anyone they didn't know. Its a know your crowd/personal preference but I say Nay.

Yay, table assignments not exact seats...

I'm having about 125 people and do not plan to do seating charts! I agree with you, big stress I don't need! People can pick their own seats! Not even assigning tables! Besides we are not serving a full-fledged meal at our reception, just snacks, like cheese and crackers and fruit so I really don't see the need for it!

So our friends got married a few years ago and had no seating chart. It worked out well for us but ONLY because we got to the reception early and I had people sit with (FH was in the wedding with his friends so it was SOs plus the parents of one of our friends lol)! Anyone who got there later had to just live with where they were seated (no one complained but I'm sure it wasn't 100% comfortable for them lol)

This made us decide to do a seating chart. We aren't going to dictate WHERE they sit at the table but each person will be assigned a table #. This ensures that we can either:

a. seat people next to people they know or

b. seat them next to people of like personalities so it's not as awkward.

Check with your caterer or venue if your reception is all-inclusive. Our venue required us to use escort cards with meal choice identified for each individual. Assigned seats seems a little much..but that's just MHO.

Definitely team seating chart. We had fun making ours. ^^

Yes! Do a seating chart! We did one and even though a few people moved here and there, it was no problem and everyone seemed happy with where they were. I painted two big windows and had escort cards that made the process easier

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That is a perfect idea! So the guest chose their meals when RSVPing?

We're having about 130 guests and not doing a seating chart. I personally hate going to a wedding and being stuck sitting by people I don't know or don't have anything in common with. My guests are all capable of finding a seat. I don't have large parties-mostly just couples...there will be plenty of seating. We are not going overboard and doing the 20% extra that everyone seems to think is necessary. It's a know your crowd thing, I think.

View Quoted Comment Yes they did!

I would say yes to the seating chart it will keep you organized & relaxed

Definitely have assigned tables! I HATE being a guest and not knowing where I'm supposed to go. The worst was when I flew in from out of state to be one of 12 bridesmaids, and the bridal table was only for about 6 people. It was a 5 star wedding, with around 200 guests, and I didn't know more than 4 other guests that were not part of her family. Needless to say, I couldn't find them and ended up sitting alone at a table of randos that I'd never met before. It was awkward, and I paid a s**t ton of money to be there.


As a guest, it is so much less stress to be told what table I'm at.

If you plan on doing a plated meal I would 100% say do a seating chart. That would make it easier for your caterer and the staff/servers they bring with them to serve the food to your guests rather than guessing who is sitting where.

My FH and I are doing a buffet but we are still having a seating chart. We are having around the same number of people as you are and we want to make sure each table is filled and our guests are sitting with people they know.