Seating chart?

Tygirljojo

Are you doing one?  If so, what are you doing?  I'm on the fence.  I wasn't planning on it, but my DOC recommends it.  If we do, it wouldn't be down to the seat, just the table so at least people can choose where at the table they will sit.

jennyann28

I can't answer this!  I am leaning toward...  I just think it will keep people more organized & keep FI's cousins in line.  But FI really doesn't want to.

dreamwinds

Assign tables. I don't find it stuffy, but that might be all weddings I've gone to have assigned tables (though not seats).

Part of this, for me, at least is that there are several 'groups' of people we are inviting and some members of these groups overlap into other groups and I feel the following could happen.

* People might start pulling up chairs to one table and suddenly I have 4 empty tables cause everyone's converged at 3 tables, leaving the remaining 4 tables sparsely filled.

* People might not pull up chairs, but will congregate next to those they are closest to leaving people who they are only somewhat close to but don't know anyone else at the party feeling unintentionally (which is always worse) ostracized. (Stuck feeling like they're at the outcasts/leftover people table.)

I just like having some measure of control in making sure the initial mood until people get more comfortable and settled is at least inviting. If people want to move around later,whatever, but at least, initially, no one will feel a pang of loneliness or left-outness.

mudpuddlestomper

ohh...heck-to-the-no.  I refuse to do one.  no one would follow it anyways!

whatchamahu

We are doing assigned tables, but not seats. I just hate going to a wedding and getting stuck at a table with nobody we know, so I feel like this will solve that problem. I also don't want any of my friends getting stuck with my crazy family, lol. Instead of doing escort cards, we are planning on doing a seating chart board like this one on etsy.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/36392673/seating-chart-design-damask?ref=sr_gallery_3&ga_search_query=damask+seating+chart&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

therickson

We are going to assign tables but not seats. I think it will make it easier for everyone!

jennuinne

I plan to assign tables.  Mainly this is because when I've been to weddings w/ assigned tables, I get to sit with my friends and people I know.  When I went to weddings w/o any assigned seating (1) we were one of the last ones at the reception, it was totally packed our me and my friend ended up at one table, her FI and his friend ended up another, both sitting w/ family of the bride's that we had never met, or (2) room was huge, had no idea where to sit and we had to pick a few tables for everyone to sit together.  So, unless you have lots of extra seating, your guests will end up at random tables and it won't be as fun for them.

melissa82

I think it's all about the norm for your group.

I've never been to a wedding without escort cards, and I can almost guarantee none of my friends or close family have either. So people would just be talking sh!t, complaining and generally not know how to react if you didn't do assigned tables where I'm from. I could see how it could be the complete opposite somewhere in which people aren't used to it, though.

ETA: On the flip side, I've never been to a wedding with place cards (exact seats). I can't see people "listening" to it. If I'm at the table first, I would totally mess with the arrangement, lol. I like to face the dance floor, b!tches!

tvgal1971

Escort cards are the norm for where I'm from, as well.  I've been to only 1 wedding in Seattle and it was open seating and I felt it was awkward to make sure that me and my friends could find a table for all of us.  Luckily, we got there early enough to have our choice, but I felt bad for the people that came in afterwards.  It felt like when a family is split up on an airplane and has to swap with people.

A side note, one of my friends that went to that wedding with me and will be at my wedding overheard that I was assigning tables and she made a face.  She was like aren't you going to mix it up?  I simply said that she didn't have to worry, she'd be at a good table.  Then I got a little frustrated.  She wants to mix it up, but she's not a mingler and she'll sit with the exact same people that we sat with at the other wedding where we picked our own seats!!!  Now, I want to seat her with a bunch of FI's coworkers that she'd have nothing in common with!

I suppose I'll be nice, though! 

niq24601

Wow. I'm the only one doing assigned seats? I think we're going all the way to assigned seats as a way of (hopefully) dealing with our sprawling family structure. Not sure how well it will work...

Alo822

We're not doing assigned seats, but then again we're having an afternoon appetizer/cake reception, so I'm not anticipating people sitting very much. We're having more than enough seats for everyone, though!  There will be a reserved parents/grandparents table and the WP table, and that's it. 

trishaselby

I definatley think it depends on hwat you are use to. I have never been to a wedding with escort cards or a seating chart so I am not using one:)

ahuette

I'm doing assigned tables.  I went to a wedding last summer that didn't have assigned tables/seats and the venue ended up having to create 3 more tables as lots of people sat 9 to a table so couples would have to split up to sit at them.  Yes, not assigning can allow people to sit together, but then some people are at a table by themselves.  If you end up not assigning at least a few extra tables ready so the venue doesn't have to create more!

jennlin

i did assigned tables...i imagine a mad house of people pulling chairs from other tables, half empty tables, etc, if there weren't. on the flip, i've been to one with assigned seats..and it wasn't that bad...just too much work for the bride, IMO.

cupcakepirate

Depends on what/how you're serving food. If it's plated dinner w/ multiple entrees etc I'd assign tables. In my catering experience and the too many weddings that I've worked - even without assigned tables, I've not seen people play musical chairs or scramble about until dinner is over usually.

I guess I get assigned tables if you have an even amount of people. We had a couple of reserved tables for family and the rest was unassigned, and everyone seemed to like it.

BrandyL10

Originally FI and I weren't, though I secretly really wanted to. Then we went to a friends wedding where there was no assigned seating.
It was an Fing madhouse.
FI took one look at me and said "You can do your seating chart."
Mission Accomplished

irshis20

Most weddings I've been to have assigned tables, some assigned seats, and a few did not assign anything. The latter was completelly disorganized and awkward; not enough seats at tables for me and my date, people who don't like/know each other have to sit with people they have nothing in common with, etc. But mostly what I hate about unassigned tables/seats is that the scene becomes a free-for-all when people arrive at the reception. There is a rush to get to the reception and to the tables, and people run around saving seats for them and however-many-people have asked them to save them seats at the table. It's nuts.

It doesn't take long to assign tables, so that's what I'm doing. I always feel relieved to know that I don't have to do battle with anyone to find my seat at a reception next to my friends. This ensures that everyone gets to sit next to people they know or who I think they should get to know.