Seating arrangement without placecards?

danyl87

What do you guys think of doing seating arrangements with escort cards to a table number instead of a certain seat?  My wedding was supposed to be a year away and had to get moved up..it is now 2 1/2 months away and by the time the RSVPs come back, I'm not going to have time to get names of guests and print everyone a place card with everything else I still have to do.  Would it be bad to direct them a table and then let them choose their seat from there?  What would you suggest?

fallbride1109

That's exactly what I did.  I still had escort cards that said Mr. and Mrs. Smith - Table 2.  Then when they got to that table they sat wherever.  So you would still be doing cards in that instance.

Some girls do charts that just have the names listed under the table name or number so you could do that instead.

SarahPLiz

I think that's fine. The reason for seating charts is that no one gets left alone at a half full table or a table full of strangers, just because they were last in the receiving line. Directing people just to a table solves this as well. I plan on doing it as well.

Lasairiona

What you are planning is fine and how most people organize it. They assign a table and let the guests pick the chair. However, if you are having a setup where the caterer needs to know the exact number of each different entree at each table, you will have to provide some sort of system for the waitstaff, which many caterers actually require color coded placecards. If you know a guest's name, then you won't be able to do that. You'll have a month to get the placecards ready since replies are due back 3-4 weeks before the wedding and you need to call up anyone who "forgets" to reply asap. If you can't get a hold of them by a certain date (no later than a week after the reply due date at the very latest), then count them as a no and move on.

quotequeen

That's pretty standard.  I've never been directed to a particular seat that I can remember.

gottahavashorti

I like when there is a table assignment.  You may still have to make escort cards, but that's less than both escort and place cards.

cukimerrydoll

We're having a seating chart that just says where you go, but probably won't go a hard-core escort card.

bellebride116

I don't think I've ever been to a wedding where someone told me exactly what seat to sit in. Table yes, but seat, no.

danyl87

Thanks to you all!  Just wanted to make sure that didn't make me look like a lazy bride. Lol.  All of the weddings I have been to have been pretty much all "hall" seating where there were so many tables that you could just go anywhere you wanted.  Wasn't sure how escort cards worked.  Thanks for your opinions!!