Wedding Etiquette Forum

Place Settings

I'm having my wedding reception catered, and I'm not real big on pre determined seats.  Do you have to have a assigned seats, I'm pretty sure I've been to weddings where it was open seating, but many of those where just fellowship hall receptions.  I figured people could sit with who they wanted and have 2 tables reserved for the bridal party and their families.  Do you HAVE to fool with escort cards and place cards and such?  What exactly is the purpose of place settings?

Thanks for any advice.
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Re: Place Settings

  • Nope you don't have to.  They aren't very common in my area at all.  We had open seating.  If you want to do open seating, just make sure you have a few extra spaces so people can spread out or sit with their friends/groups easily.
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  • You don't have to have assigned seating, but that's me saying that because we're not.

    We are, however having a reserved table for family members. Our situation is unique, because everyone we're inviting is paired off with someone, so the numbers are even. This means that there is no risk fo a table of 8 having 7 people at it, and a couple having to be split up.

    Just remember that when you plan your stuff out.

    Also, are you having buffet or plated/served dinner? If you're having your dinner served, you should probably make place cards. Even if you don't have assigned tables, you'll want to let the waiters know what dinner option each guest has chosen. This is best denoted on their place cards.

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  • I personally hate open seating.  But mainly because I'm the shy, picked last at dodgeball type of person, so it gives me major anxiety.  I feel like it just makes things easier for your guests and ensures that eveyrone is seated with people they know.  With open seating, you also need to have more tables/chairs because people won't fill in all the spaces at each table. 
  • I would always do assigned tables, always.
  • In the 7 or so weddings Ive been to in the last few years not one has had assigned seating. I am not going to have assigned seating either. Personally I feel that it would just add another headache, everyone wandering table to table looking for their name. Not for me. I like for people to mingle with each other.  We will reserve a  table for parents and grandparents though.
  • aragx6aragx6 member
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    I think it depends on the size and relative intimacy of your wedding. Big weddings without seating charts can feel like the first day of high school looking for a seat in the lunch room.

    Lizzie
  • I"m not doing assigned seating either. It's really uncommon in my area to and I just want to let people sit where they want too. We're just having a few reserved tables for family. One thing I just saw at a wedding that I liked was each seat had a blank placecard on it for each guest to write their name one. That way people knew if a seat was "claimed"
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  • Thanks for the help.  Its going to be buffet style and I'll check with the reception site and see if we can have extra places just set up or only the exact number since its per person
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