Why are seating charts a thing?

Please do a seating chart. You may have family members who can't stand each other, the one relative who wants all 18 family members to sit together and so on. With a chart, you can plan this out ahead of time.

Last summer I went to a wedding by myself. I get social anxiety, and I only knew the bride and MOH at this wedding, who were busy. I hate meeting new people by myself. Having something to do/somewhere to be really helps. The bride had seated me with some of her friends from grad school and the groom's friends from college, so we were all around the same age and had something in common. We introduced ourselves and talked about how we knew the couple, and then moved on to other topics. It made it so much more comfortable for me, even though I didn't know anyone.

Until I joined WW I had never heard of people NOT having a seating chart. Even after PP's list that it apparently was no big deal at weddings they attended, all I see is it being one giant cluster fuck of people fighting to sit somewhere. I would be so upset if my elderly guests couldn't sit with the rest of the family because they weren't quick enough into the reception room.

If you don't want a seating chart you need to have extra tables because people tend to spread out and leave a seat in between them. That mean more tables, table cloths, centerpieces, chair sashes exc.

I added it up and it cost $100+ in decor with each table I add.

Assign tables, not seats. It's chaos when people are scrambling for enough seats for their party or to sit by their friends.

We are probably not doing one either. We've talked to multiple people who are invited and they have said they'd rather choose where they sit. Ours is pretty causal so I don't see the need. We have too coordinators if people do need done direction

Seating charts are extremely important. If you do it the right way, everyone is sitting by people they know. It also helps ensure that Mom, kid 1, and kid 2 aren't at one table while Dad and kid 3 are at another.

Extroverts are people who are energized by interactions with other people

Outgoing people love meeting new people and have no trouble with being around strangers

Introverts are people who drained by interactions with other people and draw their energy from alone-time

Shy people feel uncomfortable meeting new people.

I am a shy extrovert (which it sounds like you are). My mom is an outgoing introvert. A lot of people mix introversion with shyness. In reality, they are very different things. An introvert needs to go home and rewind their batteries after spending the day with friends. A shy person may have an amazing time out with friends and feel energized by the experience. An introvert may be totally comfortable meeting new people. A shy person will feel extremely uncomfortable and out of their element.

All people have qualities of both extroversion and introversion, but most tend to lean to one side or the other. What you are describing is someone who loves being around friends, but is uncomfortable around strangers - a shy extrovert.

Because manners.

I think you should make a seating chart. It will help to prevent chaos.

At least assign tables. I went to one of my dear friend's wedding over the summer, really small about 40 people. So they didn't assign tables. Everyone was wandering around not knowing where to sit and someone from our group had to rush and "save" seats for the four of us. It was weird and awkward. Assigning tables prevents that. And while I'm sorry for your experiences, honestly, that's what this is supposed to prevent.

So a wedding we went to didn't have one. We only knew two tables worth of people. There was only one seat available as they left a chair between couples. We took a chair from another table so we could sit down. So then the table behind us was short two people.....do you see how this adds up to needing more tables? Assign tables at least. You know your guests. Seat them together. Make sure every couple/family is together.

My wedding planner told me to skip the seating chart. She said it worked out way better and she does weddings at my venue on a weekly basis. Worked out fine. I also have liked weddings I have been to without seating charts (all but 2 have been free for all) much better than when I have been to ones and have been (awkwardly) seated with people they *thought* wed want to sit with. If anything, maybe have your wedding planner reserve some tables for family of bride of family of groom or maybe "aunts and uncles" or people you know are at risk of being separated by their friends/date/who they know. Also, if I went somewhere where there wasn't a seating chart and I ended up somehow separated from my husband, I would get a chair someone isn't using and move it.

I wasn't going to have a seating chart, but now after reading all of this I'm definitely going to be having one.

I have been to one wedding with no seating chart, and my purse was lost. I put my purse down on the table to hold my seat while I got food, when I came back it was missing. Another guest felt the need to place it some where else so they could have the seat.

Plan ahead so it is less stressful. If you go into the mindset that 100% of attendance, create a mock up. When you get RSVP no's back, move it around then.

I'm having a seating chart to keep my liberal gay friend group and conservative straight extended family from fighting and taking the attention away from my and my FS's day.

Ok, so i've read all of the comments here and while i have been waiting for the OP to post (hoping i didnt just miss her reply back too all the 50,000 comments...lol) i have a question. I have a seating chart made already BUT I am having a buffet set up (there will be order to this), and i am also only having 70 people including my bridal party. I wanted to ensure that i sat people who were couples and who i knew would enjoy chatting during reception....is a seating chart ok for this sort of reception or am i "doing too much"? LOL

I hope it's not rude to ask a question on someone else's post.

Bump

You need one with 70 people. You're definitely not doing too much.

Did OP even come back? Why does this thread keep getting bumped?

CMC I bumped it because I asked a question and wondered if someone could answer it. Was that ok?

Typically people would just post their own thread