No assigned seating - do I need place cards?

angiehaley12

I am not having assigned seating at the reception, so do I still need place cards?

bsims726

Finally, someone who isn't doing assigned seating. A majority of the related posts I've read all swore by seating charts. I think it'll be unncessary for my guests & an extra stress factor for me. But to answer your question: No, you shouldn't need place cards for free-will seating (I'm not planing to use any).

Avion22

Are you assigning tables, but not seats?   If so, then I would recommend doing escort cards that will direct guests to the correct table (they will say something like "MIss Jane Doe, Table 7")

If you aren't assigning tables OR seats, then I would recommend having about 10% more seats available than you have people attending so that parties don't have to split up from each other.  Realize that you will probably have 1-2 empty seats per table.  

jannamcf

No assigned seating = no place cards.

SparrowSong

Yes, print "Hurry, so you can find two seats together!  And in smaller print below that *not responsible for anyone stuck sitting by themselves or next to my crazy uncle Wayne" on them. 

kitty02kat

we're not doing assigned seating but i'm still doing place cards.  we have muliple options for dinner so the place cards will help the waitstaff identify what they're having for their meal.  we're having a fall wedding so depending on where the fall leaf foil sticker is on the place card will identify what what meal they're having.

angiehaley12

Thanks everyone- I will not do them. I think adults can manage finding two seats next to each other when we will have about 37 tables to choose from!

alithebride

place cards show a guest where they are to sit. if you're not assigning seats why would you need place cards? did i miss something?

clcranda

I was at a wedding where the had open seating, but they did have cards with just the guest name on it.  This way as people found their seat, they put their card down so people knew that seat was taken.  It helped in this case, because there were stations already open while people were finding their seats so you could go get your drink and still have your seat when you came back.

beaniep

I like the idea of having name cards that guests can place at their seats once they have picked them. The one wedding I attended without assigned seating was very chaotic - guests were tipping chairs inward to indicate that they were taken so their groups wouldn't get broken up when they left to go to the buffet. That experience made me a big believer in at least assigning tables to lessen the rushing around at the start of the reception.