Wedding Etiquette Forum

I have advice on seating arrangments

Don't forget to number your seating chart and tables! (but I am sure you all wouldn't forget)

It obviously slipped the brides mind at the wedding I attended on Saturday. Upon entering the reception room, there was a seating list chart. There were groups of names (10 names per group) 4 rows across, 3 rows down. The groups of names had no title, table number etc. The actual tables had no name or number. There were no names at each seat.
There were 120 guests, who had no idea where they were supposed to be sitting. We guessed (we didn't know anyone who was meant to be at our table, so couldn't really check). We ended up sitting at a table for 10, by ourselves, as I suppose all the other guests just sat with people they liked/knew.

It wasn't too bad - we did end up eating everyones chocolate heart favours haha!
To make it even more confusing, there were another 6 tables of ten for the guests only invited to the dance (don't get me started! The wedding was also outside, in the drizzle, strong winds, 10degrees C, no seats, asked for cash for gifts etc etc)

I did feel sorry for the bride, when she started to notice that some of the tables for 10 had 14 sitting at them, and some of the tables had only 2, but at the end of the day it was a good wedding, good food, good band, and good favours!

Another small thing that was very confusing, is the photographer did not have a list of who she was meant to take photos of. She had family names eg. Mc family & A Family (the grooms Mum is an A, the grooms Dad is a Mc). So the photographer would just yell out "Mc Family", but my FI is related to both (Great-Granddad is a Mc, Nana is an A) but his last name is S... we had no idea when we were supposed to get photos (wedding was a second cousin once removed type situation) it would have been much better to just have said "Now I need H, T, S and D for this family photo.
The photographer also stood everyone oddly for the photos, I would have assumed that partners would have stood next to each other, or near each other, but she just did it by hight, so I was standing on the other side with a few random family members, who were not with there partners/husbands/children.

Again, I am sure it is things you all know to do, but it is amazing how little details (seating charts and photo lists) do make a hugh difference to how the day runs, not just for the bride and groom, but also for the guests.
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