Small wedding: Seating chart or open seating?

What’s the formality level of the wedding? I’m personally always team table assignments but I think if the wedding is pretty casual you could get away with adding a few extra tables if you wanted to.

Its semi formal. Summer dresses and suits. I was thinking 3 tables assigned. (Mostly family).

Maybe one table that's a group of 3 from out of state, a misfit that knows the other 4 I put there but not well. 2 friends carpooling, and a couple they know.

Beyond that everyone knows each other and see each other a lot.

I think you either need all assigned or none assigned.
I'm having a similar style and sized wedding and not bothering with a seating chart. But my venue doesn't charge extra for tables and chairs so it really doesn't matter to me.

It'll cut down on guest confusion and save your guests time finding a place to sit if you assign tables. You can totally skip assigning seats though, but assigning tables is usually a big convenience for your guests, especially if you've already started to work one out

You can assign tables but maybe not seats and then have an over flow table or something that people can mingle at after dinner is served

I'm team table assignments. It just really streamlines things, in my opinion, and then you don't have to bother with extras.

I have 41 guests coming and opted for assigned tables still! Like others have said, it just helps people get to their seats. If a couple want to move, so be it, but at least most don’t have to awkwardly stand around a table to see, etc lol

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I think that should be fine. We have 4 reserved table for family but everything else is open

I prefer assigned tables. The problem with letting people chose is you may end up having 1 seat left at multiple tables and a couple that can't sit together. Another issue is someone sitting down and then deciding they want to move after several minutes. I just feel like assigning tables completely eliminates any issues.

I had a small wedding too - with most people up and moving. Even so, I really think that assigned tables is the best way to go no matter the size. A lot of things happen when you just open seating: a bottle neck as people are confused and look for people they want to sit with, groups getting slit/separated because there aren't enough seats together, people end up sitting next to/near enough to each other that drama ensues.

Even with a small wedding, at least do table assignments if you don’t want to do seat assignments.

I always prefer an assigned seat personally. I also think having some assigned and some open sounds like it will cause more confusion than it is worth! (People still checking the chart, people spreading the word that it’s open seating and some of the people with assigned seats presuming they’re free to sit anywhere). I’d also personally feel a little awkward to see a seating chart at a wedding and then not find my name on it!

I would say table assignments because people can’t be trusted to be efficient about seating themselves. Seeing as your wedding is semi formal it would make more sense and also make it easier on guests. People will move around anyways but having an initial seat is very helpful for everyone.

I'm a fan of assigned tables no matter what size of wedding you have. This way you save the money on the extra tables/centerpieces as well as save yourself a lot of chaos of people trying to find a seat even if it is only 60 people. Especially if you have a lot of guests who know each other they are all going to want to try to squeeze into one table and leave another table with barely anyone. I would do assigned tables but then just put all the people that know one another at tables right next to each other.

People like to know where to go. I would do a seating chart. You don't want a table of 5 people then a table of 3 because people don't know each other so feel weird to join tables.

Definitely don't do half and half. If you're going to assign some tables, just assign them all. It will be far less confusing for guests.

I'm team table assignments unless its a suuuuuper casual wedding.

I vote seating chart! It makes everything go smoothly.

I’m having about 30 people in a pavilion that seats 88 (yeah, long story), casual beach wedding, so I’m not doing table assignments. If they can figure it out with all that seating then they deserve to stand, lol.

*can’t figure it out

I would do table assignments if I were you