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Seating Plan or not?

sherripoiriersherripoirier member
First Comment
in Wedding Vows & Ceremony Discussions
Hey
We are having a dessert and champagne reception that will start around 9. We were originally thinking of not having a seating plan to make it less formal and more social.  We are not having a head table either.Do you think this will work okay? I dont want people feeling lost or anything?
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Re: Seating Plan or not?

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    fairy_divafairy_diva
    First Comment
    As long as you have enough seats for every person I think you will be fine.
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    future-mrsfuture-mrs member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    Ditto to PP, a seating chart isn't necessary especially if it's a little more lax.
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    trix1223trix1223 member
    5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    ditto pp. 99.9% of the time, I'll say you need to assign table seating.  But a champagne and dessert reception sounds shorter to me than a mealtime reception.

    You must, however, have enough seats for everyone to be seated at the same time.  Not that they will be, but if people sense that there are fewer chairs than guests, they'll grab one, and not leave it.  And your mingling, social thing goes out the window.
    "Trix, it's what they/our parents wanted. Why so judgemental? And why is your wedding date over a year and a half ago? And why do you not have a groom's name? And why have you posted over 12,000 posts? And why do you always say mean things to brides?" palegirl146
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    DalionCelebrationsDalionCelebrations member
    First Comment
    A nice combination would be round tables for guests to sit at as well as belly bars so guests can stand around and mingle. The "cocktail" receptions I've done work best when there are both seats and places to stand. As long as you have enough places for guests to set down their drinks or eat their desserts you should be fine.

    I hope you have a wonderful wedding!

    Briana
    Dalion Celebrations
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    mgreene404mgreene404 member
    First Comment
    I agree with all of the above!  If you are just having dessert and drinks and making it pretty informal, no seating is the way to go.  I would be sure your atmosphere and set-up encourages mingling as well!  You don't want people to feel like they need to stay in a seat once they choose it.
    "It's a long way down off of lover's leap, but falling's half the fun!"
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    sherripoiriersherripoirier member
    First Comment
    Thanks so much ladies!!!  Any ideas on how to encourage mingling?
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    trix1223trix1223 member
    5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    No, you really can't encourage "mingling".  If people want to mingle, they will.  People use wedding receptions as a chance to catch up with friends and family that they haven't seen in a while, and to chat. 

    Two of my three children are now married.  I was cordial to my kids' new family-in-laws:  "Lovely to meet you" etc.  But I can't say that I mingled with any of them.  Nor did they "mingle" with my family.  And everyone was perfectly happy with that.

    Forcing people to mingle by doing ice breaker type things, or trivia type things, or office team building type things just goes badly.

    Have good desserts, good drinks (something in addition to champagne which most people, IMO, don't drink) and let people behave as the adults they are.
    "Trix, it's what they/our parents wanted. Why so judgemental? And why is your wedding date over a year and a half ago? And why do you not have a groom's name? And why have you posted over 12,000 posts? And why do you always say mean things to brides?" palegirl146
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    jedanieljedaniel
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    I'm sure your are, but I would definitely offer other drinks besides champagne. I think people will mingle by themselves.
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    mrsweber11mrsweber11
    First Comment
    I am not having a head table or seating chart for my wedding and I am having a lunch reception.  I want people to make new friends...not to have to sit at a table with people they may know already!
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    princesspgdprincesspgd
    First Comment
    We're not having a seating chart, mainly because it's essentially just a large family get together. Our families already know each other pretty well, so there's only a few people who really don't know each other. We just feel like it would be easiest to let everyone sit where they want and with who they're comfortable around and let the mingling happen that way! Best of luck!
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    sherripoiriersherripoirier member
    First Comment
    Thanks everyone!!!
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