To Reserve or Not To Reserve Tables...

I vote assigned tables. It's just easier for everyone. Especially if you are already reserving for family and bridal party anyway.

My situation might be weird but i think it may help.

For my ceremony people will already be sitting at their tables. So when the people start to come in, the ushers will say bride's side or groom's side the usher will guide them to the right side and start by filling in some of the front tables. everyone will kind of choose where they want to sit though,

and also, since a lot of the groomsmen and bridesmaids have families instead of having a head table they will all be able to sit with their families at a few assigned tables at the front for them.

Assign tables. If you don't you will need to have extra chairs and extra tables or people may not be able to sit together. That may also mean extra favors too. And I agree, I hate not knowing where to sit especially when I don't know many people at the wedding.

Assign tables, it works out so much better. Any wedding I have been to that didn't was a mess - people crammed at one table, stole seats that were in use, groups split up.

I don't see how assigning tables would cost extra it should save since you can use an exact amount of chairs and not need the extras. Time wise it really won't take you THAT long to figure out a seating chart and do escort cards.

It depends on the guest list, but assigning tables is never a bad idea.

It really doesn't cost any amount of money that matters.

Just so you know- WW has a seating chart tool. You can export the table lists to Excel and then just make a large seating chart display board. You can just assign people to tables, not a particular seat at the table.

Well, we'd have to make table numbers and place cards, so therein lies the cost. It's not a lot in the grand scheme of things, but every little bit of savings helps! I wouldn't reserve individual seats - just assign ppl to a table. I'm more worried that either I'll forget someone on the list, or they'll ignore it anyway and make the hassle of doing it totally not worth it.

I've seen weddings work well both with and without reserved tables - that's why I'm so torn.

I saw the seating chart tool, I may have to play with that a bit. Maybe once I dig into it I'll decide if it's too much hassle or not. Thanks!

I say assign them.

It's always so confusing as people come in and race to tables, then there's an extra seat at one table but someone walks up and needs 2 seats.

It will cost a little, but I think it would be worth it just so its not a big mess.

I was tossing back in forth wether do to assigned tables but now reading your threads, I think I might do the same for my reception..

THanks

You don't really have to do place cards, just a seating chart and table numbers. I did mine DIY and with 170 guests and 22 tables, total cost was $40.00. Its all the way you look at it and how creative you are!

Im having a small wedding, of mostly family and close friends so i've decided against seating arrangements, instead I'm gonna put this sign up

I like it Olivia, very nice

I think for the smaller weddings you would not need assigned seating, but for the larger ones I would think it would make everything run more smoothly.......IMO.

We're having 150-175 attend, so I'm probably going to err on the side of assigning tables. I like the idea of just a seating chart, instead of place cards...thanks for the suggestions!

That many people honey you need table assignments - its not the cafeteria where all the cool kids sit together and the geeks can just figure out a seat somewhere. The table assignments ensure that everyone is socializing correctly.

Assuming you'll be seating 8-10 guests to a 60" round table that's 18-22 tables at your reception with people walking around saying Excuse Me are these seats taken?

We did not assign tables. However:

• We had only couples and singles, not people with large families. Thus, there wasn't the problem of a couple coming in with several children and not being able to sit together.

• We had enough extra chairs that we didn't have to worry about only single seats being available at tables.

• We had only heavy hors d'oeuvres, not a full meal. Thus, it was easy for people to move from one table to another.

• Virtually all the people invited to our reception knew each other. Thus, even without assigned tables, grandma wasn't going to be seated next to someone's frat brother, and no one was going to be at a table where they didn't know anyone.

If your situation is different, assigned tables may be helpful.

Assigned! Who wants their guests to have to spend time looking for open seats or for couples to not be able to find two seats together?

Also, if you go with assigned, make sure that you have place cards for ALL of your guests. I went to a wedding recently where one of the guest's place cards was missing. He wound up awkwardly going around to almost every single table to see if there was an open seat. He still didn't have a place to sit when they started their toasts.

Our venue requires a seating chart for meals. are you guys doing a buffet?

I would just do the seating chart. You can just have a list of people with their number table and call it a day if you are worried about the cost.

Assigned tables unless you have a very very small guest list

We assigned tables (used the WW feature Meghan mentioned) and that is one comment we got consistently. Everyone LOVED the table they were assigned to. It took some thinking about who would have a good time with who, but guest were coming up to me on the dance floor telling me how much they enjoyed their dinner table mates! They even did some networking and made at least one business deal. So I say do it if you can at all. It helped make the evening more fun (not to mention all the other good reasons listed above).

Our dinner is a buffet, so seating is important, but not as much as if it were a plated meal where they've all sent their "chicken/steak" requests. Our friends/family are all pretty social, and most would end up getting up to mingle or dance anyway - that's why I lean towards not. But then I see definite benefits to assigning tables and lean towards doing it. Thank goodness I have 7 weeks to think about it!

It's so funny to me that this is the one thing I've been super-indecisive about. Everything else was a very quick decision once I saw what I liked. I bought the 1st dress I tried on, we booked the 2nd venue we saw...

Woah! 150 people! I would assign tables for that many people. I personally hate walking into a wedding with no assigned seating. I feel like that lost kid in the cafeteria during lunch. You can do it for very little cost and it will save a lot of confusion. Use the WW feature it is the best!