New and need some advice on seating at ceremony

saorisenyl

Hello everyone.  Just got engaged on the 7th!  Said yes and am overjoyed, but I have this one stupid question sticking in my head.  So hopefully you ladies can give me some solutions/advice and I can let it rest for a bit and just be happy for a while before all the planning really starts.  Here's the issue in my little bean...

FI has a giant family... I have basically none.  There wouldnt even be four people on my side to fill up my seats.  Now we havent picked outside or inside or church or anything really yet.  But ... the lack of family (they have all passed) is really bothering me.  Is there a way to "walk down the aisle" when there is no aisle? I dont want my 2-4 family members sitting on one side of the aisle when theres 100 on his side.  But I still want my aisle and my entrance

Can you ladies help me out? 

pooh8402

just have people sit on both sides of the aisle. there isn't really much of a "traditional" side of the aisle any more.

missy68

You can spread out the seating so it's even - it doesn't have to be all bride's family on one side, groom's family on the other. Plus, I'm sure you'll be inviting some of your friends, and they'll sit on your side as well.

btrflykate1230

Just don't do sides. Have the guests sit where ever. Done. Problem solved.

maggyruth

Don't do his side/her side.  Simple as that.  There's no law requiring that says people have to sit on one side or the other.

danieliza1127

Actually, most weddings don't do the bride side and groom side seating anymore.  People just sit where ever.  Just have your Ushers tell people to choose any seat they would like, and if guests say "which side is the Groom's side?" the Usher should say "oh there are no sides today, please sit where ever you feel comfortable".

That's what we did at our wedding and it was fine.

louisvillebride21

Are you doing family only? I had this same exact issue. We decided that since my 'real' family was soo small, we would allow me to invite just a couple of my very closest friends. Its still not even by any means, but I don't want to cry anymore when I think of my lack of 'support' I guess you'd say.

kkchisholm

Have an usher seat guest on both sides:)
Gongrat on getting engaged!

skippylouwho

Most people probably won't ask for bride or groom's side so the suggestion of having the usher ask where people would like to sit is a good one - and the 'we'renot having sides today" response is also workable.  But if someone does stipulate bride or groom's side, then the usher cand seat them on that specific side.

I do think balanced seating is much nice and in this case, people who might normally be stuck far back on the groom's side will probably have a much better view because they will be closer to the action on your side so that's a win-win.

saorisenyl

Great advice... thank you so much!  It is the lack of support thing, like louisvillebride said.  But now that I have a few solutions I can handle this when it comes up and it will no doubt  

Thank you everyone! 

MeaghanandMichael

Wow, I never knew the idea of having sides was so decidedly passe.
I mean, I definitely don't think it is necessary by any means, but I have honestly never been to a single wedding with out them.
Is this regional?

skippylouwho

Could be regional. I live in Central Ohio and the most recent wedding we walked up to the usher and as he greeted us just sort of said "bride's side" as our dd was MOH.  But the others we've been to recently, the usher just sort of stuck his arm out, I took it and away we went to our seats. And that was fine with me.

missy68

Meg, I don't know that it's so much regional, but that when the couple are expecting off numbers of guests.  I think back to my first marriage, and wish I'd done it. There were over twice as many people on my side. Of course, on second thought, he was an @ss, so no I don't.

I think lots of times, ushers aren't told to ask bride or groom's side, and things like that. At my brother's wedding, they sat our aunt behind a giant pillar. She promptly got up and moved. So, more things like that.