Seating Charts

I personally always enjoyed know as a guest where to go. I’ve heard it’s less stress for the bride if you don’t do seating chart. Totally your call!

Because my biggest pet peeve is saving seats and no one ever shows up or wonders else where, I am a huge seating chart fan. Nothing worse than Gramps ending up in the back and having to walk longer distances and huge gaps in the front and the camera captures it. At least assigning tables would help with 75 guests or less. After that seats are best I believe.

I’m having about 80 people and I’m not doing assigned seating. I prefer it to be more casual. (I’m a Midwesterner originally from a small town) but it’s mostly family and close friends. I will only have a head table with the bridal party (and possibly only the only surviving parent). Extra tables with room to pull up a chair or move around.

Honestly I am going to make a seating chart. I want to have certain people at certain tables.

I have only been to one wedding without a seating chart and people decided to ignore the two tables reserved for family. The grooms family sat in the very back because they didn’t want to cause an issue at their sons wedding. So if you’re going to have no seating chart just make sure the two family tables are very clearly marked.

I dont think its taboo! We arent doing a seating chart either. Let the people sit wherever they please. One less thing for you to worry about! Besides if you're worried about someone not having someone to sit with, make sure you only have 1 or 2 seats extra.

I don't really understand how this is "stressful" for the bride/couple. Between you, you should know everyone coming to the wedding; you are the one common denominator between all the guests. Just cluster people in groups of 8 or 10 or however many your tables seat. It literally took us about 30 minutes, at the most, and ensured that people who knew each other got to sit together and that one awkward couple who knew no one else was seated with totally cool people who daughter knew they'd like, and that no one got stuck sitting with the set of parents and their four kids under 10 years old -- a table to themselves was an excellent choice! Having table assignments helped us make sure that groom's divorced parents, who do NOT get along, were on opposite sides of the room, and relatives who traveled from Australia were seated with the family members they'd most want to catch up with. It let us put the six tables of family members in close proximity to each other, so even if they weren't sitting at the same table, they were close enough to pop over without having to cross the room. Is a seating chart necessary? I guess not, but in most cases I don't think it's the one detail that is just going to put a wedding planning couple over-the-top in terms of stress.

Assigned tables are definitely a must in my book, especially if you have a large guest list. I don't care what seat they choose at their assigned table because there will be a spot for each person assigned to that table. I can see where if it was something small and intimate the need wouldn't be there for assigned tables.

View Quoted Comment I've been to a ton of weddings in the South and I have honestly never been to one with assigned seating. Some huge, very upscale weddings. I do believe it depends on your location. I will say that the venues always had plenty of seating and there were no awarkard spaces, as others have seen. My one peeve is if there is not enough seating and one is expected to stand. That is ridiculously poor planning. Don't stress. You'll be fine. 😊

It's not stress-free for the guests. As a i guest I would much prefer to be told where to sit and have home base vs. trying to scramble to find seats together with my group or family. And with no seating chart you'd have to have about 25% more seating than people to accommodate odd numbers of groups and ppl not wanting to split up.

You at least need assigned tables.

This will eliminate over crowded or 1/2 empty tables.

I put people that had something in common together (i.e. Church, family, friends, work, etc...)

Its definitely becoming more popular to not do one but i would suggest doing it. only because sometimes things get crazy quick. people squeezing in on tables that won't fit and leaving spaces on other tables. also some venues might charge more for waitstaff in that case - just double check on that with your venue.

I didnt assign seats but I had a table chart. It's easy for families to get separated without one.

I agree with most of the comments on here - people don't typically seat themselves well or there's awkward gaps or people are sitting alone. I recommend at least assigning tables to limit the chaos - it also helps people feel more special and thought of.

Good luck!!

We didn't have a seating chart or assigned tables, the only thing we did was reserve a table for my immediate family and his. We had about 60 guests and it worked out great!

I think this idea is perfect

I assigned tables and was happy to do it. I have friends coming who haven’t seen other friends in years. They told me they are happy I placed them together so they could catch up.

I feel the same way, I’m not sure I’ll be doing one or not either. I’ve been to both and honestly ones without did not go as bad as the previous comments. I really think it all depends on what you want and how many people you have

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Me too! People can just sit where they want! I will be out of it anyway so why should I worry about it? I'm not doing assigned seating or assigned tables either.

I would definitely recommend at least assigning tables. I hadn’t planned on doing a seating chart either... then I went to my cousin’s wedding. She didn’t have a seating chart, and it was pretty awful. Families were separated and sitting at multiple tables, sometimes alone with people they had never yet. I think it’s better for your guests to assign seating so they can enjoy your reception with their families.