Plated dinner question

kmorrisette

I'm leaning towards not having a seating chart but we are planning  a plated dinner and need to have little card "thingys" (not sure what they are really called) indicating our guests' dinner selection . Does anyone have suggestions for an easy/interesting way to present the menu selection cards to our guests to take with them to thier seats. Could I display them sort of like I would an escort card- sans table number? What are your thoughts on not having a seating chart?

Tasianab

We put a little sticker of either a chicken or a fish on the back of our place cards - we used rocks. You could maybe do something visual like that.

But, I would recommend having a seating chart, especially if you have a lot of guests. I went to a friend's wedding recently and they just let guests sit wherever and it was pandemonium. If people weren't standing around for 10 minutes deciding where to sit then they were moving chairs from other tables and trying to squish too many. It wasted a ton of time.

If a straight up seating chart isn't your thing, what about assigned tables? That way people can pick where they want to sit (although people move around anyway) but they know where to go. What were your thoughts on not having a seating chart?

hz80408

Agreed with pps...

We're having escort cards, which just assign a table number.

I'm using tying a ribbon bow on each card and the ribbon color indicated entree selection.

AbbeyS2011

I would have each table numbered, and have guests assigned to a table vs. a particular chair.  This way you know you have enough seats for everyone.

As to identifying the dinner they ordered, either use a ribbon (red for beef, blue for chicken, green for vegetarian), or a colored sticker, so your venue knows who gets what!

HTH

mysticl

I agree with the seating chart of assigned tables.

However, if you don't want to do that, this is what friends of mine did.

They had a placecard table at the cocktail hour.  It had placecards on it with each person's name and a sticker that indicated their dinner choice to the wait staff.  Just no table numbers.  We took them into the reception room and found an empty seat. 

PharmacyBride

I personally prefer assigned tables as it is less chaotic and it will relieve a lot stress for your guests.

For my wedding.. I am writing the word chicken/beef on the back of the card.  I personally like being reminded what I ordered and I am not really a fan of the coded system (although most people indicate dinner selection using a color code)

kmorrisette

I guess I was thinking it would be easier for all involved to just let my guests sit with who they wanted to sit wtih rather than having me tell them. I can see how with lots of people it might get a little chaotic though. And some people may end up stuck at a table where they don't know anyone.

I think based on all the helpful posts, I will just do escort cards with the table numbers on them and some  sort of color coding to let the wait staff know who's eating what. Thanks for helping me figure this out. 

Muffin'sMom

I went to a wedding where they passed out little toy chickens and cows that you were to put by your water glass 

Jeni35

We are having a small wedding; but we decided to use the cards because people might decide to sit with the bride and groom, whereas our mothers and my step-father will be at the table with us... that sort of thing. Also, I' won't sit anyone with someone they have nothing in common with or anything like that. You just don't want the pendemonium, as a PP said.