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Arranged Seating... this is a dumb question and I know it.

bsn1752bsn1752 member
Seventh Anniversary 2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
in Texas-Dallas and Ft. Worth
OK - so my FI and I were talking last night about having assigned seating for the reception... and I'm not even sure how it gets organized.  I know that we decide on the seating arrangement, but then how do people know where they sit?

Thanks in advance, and sorry for the dumb question!
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Re: Arranged Seating... this is a dumb question and I know it.

  • fallbride1109fallbride1109 member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    You do escort cards with their name and what table they are sitting at if you are doing assigned tables.

    If you are doing assigned SEATING, you have both the escort card that the person picks up, and then a placecard at their actual seat.  Hardly anyone ever does this anymore though unless it's black tie, plated dinner with advanced meal selection, etc.

    ETA:  Yeah, you can do the chart too, like Renee says.  I liked cards better--to me the chart was more confusing.  Alot of girls do them though.
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  • rcpm44rcpm44 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    You can do one of 2 things.

    1) Have escort cards (a little more formal). There would be a table around the entrance with the cards on them. On the cards would have your guests names and their table and or seat assignment.

    2) Seating chart (less formal). Have a HUGE posterboard or something (dress it up and make it look nice) with all your guests name is alphabetical order and off to the side of thier name it would have their table assignment.

    Does this help?
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  • AmberMarieTXAmberMarieTX
    1000 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I'm still unsure about this one for myself. I think I'm going to do reserved tables for close family and vendors and then the rest be free for alls. And then I will let all you knotties smack me afterwards when I complain about it. haha... I will have to mull this one over for the next few months.
    Disclaimer: Please excuse the above comment. I'm probably freaking out because there is less than one month to go. Thank you.
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  • bsn1752bsn1752 member
    Seventh Anniversary 2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    It would be assigned tables, and YES that helps!!

    I was so lost, I was thinking - do they just wander aimlessly looking for a table number??

    thank you ladies!
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  • rcpm44rcpm44 member
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    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_arranged-seating-this-dumb-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:102Discussion:985f4e2b-2c18-4759-b12e-c6afe86f8383Post:4e0bc3e0-107a-48a0-8610-fcfa0c0f7531">Re: Arranged Seating... this is a dumb question and I know it.</a>:
    [QUOTE]I'm still unsure about this one for myself. I think I'm going to do reserved tables for close family and vendors and then the rest be free for alls. And then I will let all you knotties smack me afterwards when I complain about it. haha... I will have to mull this one over for the next few months.
    Posted by AmberMarieTX[/QUOTE]

    Generally, seating/table (because there is a difference) assignments are used only for plated dinners or buffet dinners. If you're having a appetizer reception like I am there really isn't a need for this. Then, again I could be wrong in this thinking!
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  • bsn1752bsn1752 member
    Seventh Anniversary 2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_arranged-seating-this-dumb-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:102Discussion:985f4e2b-2c18-4759-b12e-c6afe86f8383Post:4e0bc3e0-107a-48a0-8610-fcfa0c0f7531">Re: Arranged Seating... this is a dumb question and I know it.</a>:
    [QUOTE]I'm still unsure about this one for myself. I think I'm going to do reserved tables for close family and vendors and then the rest be free for alls. And then I will let all you knotties smack me afterwards when I complain about it. haha... I will have to mull this one over for the next few months.
    Posted by AmberMarieTX[/QUOTE]

    I was thinking that's what we will do too.... and yeah, I will have to think it over alot too.  :)
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  • fallbride1109fallbride1109 member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011

    I loved my escort cards and table numbers--probably one of my favorite details about my wedding.  You can easily DIY them too though. 

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  • bsn1752bsn1752 member
    Seventh Anniversary 2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_arranged-seating-this-dumb-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:102Discussion:985f4e2b-2c18-4759-b12e-c6afe86f8383Post:6a15708e-773a-4dc1-83c6-c699c0558993">Re: Arranged Seating... this is a dumb question and I know it.</a>:
    [QUOTE]You do escort cards with their name and what table they are sitting at if you are doing assigned tables. Posted by stephiehall[/QUOTE]

    Ok - another question now (sorry)... escort cards.  You actually have ushers that take people?  Where do the escort cards come from? The usher or do people find their names?
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  • fallbride1109fallbride1109 member
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    edited December 2011
    No, you just have them stationed near the ballroom and people see them and take one.  Then you have the tables numbered and people find their table on their own.  I got my cards and table numbers from Etsy--but lots of girls DIY them. 



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  • rcpm44rcpm44 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Escort cards are placed on the table near the entrance to your reception. Generally, in alphabetical order and people find their card with their table assignment. No one physically takes or guides or escorts the guests to the table. The guests just find it themselves. That's why it's important that you have clearly visible table numbers and have the tables in a logical numerical order.
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  • LizcatLizcat member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
     I remember seeing at one time a website that had a seating diagram you could work with..Does anyone remember what it is??  We are black tie, so I am doing escort cards with the names on the envelope and then just a table number on the card inside so that they can be changed easily until everyone sits down should the need be!
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  • appletango85appletango85 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_arranged-seating-this-dumb-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:102Discussion:985f4e2b-2c18-4759-b12e-c6afe86f8383Post:96963650-2a8c-4f17-877f-a17f86a8213c">Re: Arranged Seating... this is a dumb question and I know it.</a>:
    [QUOTE] I remember seeing at one time a website that had a seating diagram you could work with..Does anyone remember what it is??  We are black tie, so I am doing escort cards with the names on the envelope and then just a table number on the card inside so that they can be changed easily until everyone sits down should the need be!
    Posted by Lizcat[/QUOTE]
    I used weddingwire.com
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  • mistyleonmistyleon member
    10 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Kind of a related question, but we are thinking about "naming" our tables based on our favorite cities/travel destinations.  However, I don't want people to have to wander aimlessly around a ballroom looking for the "Hawaii" table.  I have thought about either (a) still using table numbers and including both the table name and number on the escort cards and the marker at the table (i.e., the "Hawaii" table would also be table #8) or (b) putting up a nice seating chart with a map of where all the tables are.  Does anyone have any thoughts on the best way to do this?  Thanks!
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  • TexanTreasure08TexanTreasure08 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Misty,
    I was thinking the same thing! I saw a "Four Weddings" episode where that was a problem because they had a TON of tables! I guess it depends on how many tables you have?
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  • rcpm44rcpm44 member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_arranged-seating-this-dumb-question?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:102Discussion:985f4e2b-2c18-4759-b12e-c6afe86f8383Post:4000d569-a93f-4c91-a62b-a8808f369710">Re: Arranged Seating... this is a dumb question and I know it.</a>:
    [QUOTE]Kind of a related question, but we are thinking about "naming" our tables based on our favorite cities/travel destinations.  However, I don't want people to have to wander aimlessly around a ballroom looking for the "Hawaii" table.  I have thought about either (a) still using table numbers and including both the table name and number on the escort cards and the marker at the table (i.e., the "Hawaii" table would also be table #8) or (b) putting up a nice seating chart with a map of where all the tables are.  Does anyone have any thoughts on the best way to do this?  Thanks!
    Posted by mistyleon[/QUOTE]

    The problem with this, and I suppose with any table assignment chart, is that you get loads of people clustered around the chart.  Then you have to wait until everyone looks at the chart/map figures it out and then goes to their table. I just feel like it might end up being a huge cluster f. If you know what I mean?
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  • fallbride1109fallbride1109 member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    No one will wander aimlessly--they still have to search for their table whether it's Number 8 or Hawaii.  They'll find it--it's not that difficult.  I like the idea of naming tables with something that is special to you--it's yet another way to make the wedding unique to you and your FI.

    Yeah, I don't like the seating chart thing, but that's just me.  Cards are cuter.  :)
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  • llc2011llc2011
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    We're doing table names.  Unless you're having like 30 tables, I really don't think people are going to get that lost.  Our friends named their tables and we had fun walking around reading their stories/ looking at their pictures before and after we found our table.

    ETA: Also I found that it helps that the escort cards for my friends wedding were (as well as ours will be) outside the reception room and the guest picked them up during the cocktail hour.  That was enough time for people to pick up and mingle and not have everyone at the escort card table at the same time.

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