Seating Charts

09McSteph03 · June 2013

Hello Brides!

Have you all started thinking about seating charts? I know there's been talk about various ways to seat guests (some with assigned seating, some with only assigned tables and some with totally open seating).

I am looking for anyone who has thoughts on how to display a chart for assigned tables. I am not concerned about which seat each person sits in, just their table. I found some digital files for purchase from Etsy and I've emailed the sellers to see if I have to provide them with the guests names or if they hand over a digital file that I can enter the information on to. I worry about making a purchase and someone else not getting me a product in time for the wedding.

I'd like to see any ideas you ladies may have.

SewInLoveWithDMB · June 2013

What we plan on doing and is at basically every wedding we have attended is a little card with the couples' names and a table number. There are not assigned seats, but assigned tables. Then, after the cocktail hour when the main ballroom opens (cause cocktail hours are generally in a different room than the dinner) you walk to the table number that is on your card.

So, there is no chart made up, but just a table of name cards and numbers.

SewInLoveWithDMB · June 2013

The image on the bottom is an idea of what we are doing, although ours will be printed on a computer (pre-perforated lines) and all of the butterflies are the same (aqua and glitter) and will all be in the same location (upper right, probably).

09McSteph03 · June 2013

Great idea! I saw that I can buy perforated cards at the craft store - I can just print table numbers on them and call it a day. Would placing them on a table next to the h'ourderves be an appropriate place for the cards? Everyone could pick up their card when they grab an appetizer and a drink.

SewInLoveWithDMB · June 2013

D'oh. Would have been nice if I had included a link to my 2nd post: http://pinterest.com/pin/202310208233714508/ Yes, by the cocktail hour food is perfect. I believe ours will be at table near where they will walk in. Just something to see and grab in the beginning.

hardlyhannah · June 2013

Ditto Sew - that is what I am doing too. The cards will be on a table as they walk in. (though our cocktail hour/dinner/reception is all in one room so they will probably go right to the tables to put their stuff down)

mochietoe · June 2013

We are not having assigned seating but my friends wedding just had all the cards in rows on a table by the front and everyone figured it out.

09McSteph03 · June 2013

alisonmarie658 said:

We'll do assigned tables but not assigned seats. I already made up a Word document that lists the person/couple/family alphabetically and then lists their table number next to the names. I'll have them printed out on stationary paper and framed in 3 or 4 8"x10" frames. I have the entire guest list already in the document and will just need to delete whomever is not coming and change the letters I had as placeholders to their actual table numbers.

You are a wedding planning beast! I may try this out, I really like it and saves me from printing the cards. Thanks!

jenphotochick · June 2013

I think other then a reserved table or two for immediate family we will just be having open seating

SewInLoveWithDMB · June 2013

jenphotochick said:

I think other then a reserved table or two for immediate family we will just be having open seating

I think I would do all or nothing. In any situation, making some guests feel "more honored than others" is never a good idea.

jaenella · June 2013

I've also seen some of the online guest management applications (I think I will use the weddingwire one - http://www.weddingwire.com/wedding/UserMySeating) that lets you input your guest list, your space, your table size etc and gives you a map where you can put tables and assign groups to tables. I'm a super visual person so I like the ability to actually see where tables are, who will be near the bar/dance floor, who will be near us, etc.

[Deleted User] · June 2013

We'll have the "reserved" family tables, but that's mainly because our space is sort of split, and our grandparents and some aunts/uncles are considerably less mobile than our friends, so that's happening.

rkbo · June 2013

I saw a great idea that we will be using for our seating chart. We are a couple that really loves to go to concerts, so we are going to make a seating chart that looks like a concert poster. The names of the tables will be our favorite bands we have seen. Everyone will be assigned to a certain table, but they can sit in whichever seat they choose. Our wedding will be pretty casual, considering its at Orange County Mining Company here in Orange, CA. I will probably frame the poster just so it doesn't get damaged and so that it looks a little nicer.

[Deleted User] · June 2013

rhawndas said:

I saw a great idea that we will be using for our seating chart. We are a couple that really loves to go to concerts, so we are going to make a seating chart that looks like a concert poster. The names of the tables will be our favorite bands we have seen. Everyone will be assigned to a certain table, but they can sit in whichever seat they choose. Our wedding will be pretty casual, considering its at Orange County Mining Company here in Orange, CA. I will probably frame the poster just so it doesn't get damaged and so that it looks a little nicer.

I'm sorry... I don't know who you are. Intro post, please!

joellennitsche · June 2013

i am using vintage window panes and and in each pane it will have the table number and the guest sitting at that table. so it will be assigned tables and not specifically assigned seats.

joellennitsche · June 2013

i'm not having a large guest count so it should be ok!

jenphotochick · June 2013

SewInLoveWithDMB said:

show previous quotes

jenphotochick said:

I think other then a reserved table or two for immediate family we will just be having open seating

I think I would do all or nothing. In any situation, making some guests feel "more honored than others" is never a good idea.

It's not really an honor thing, but parents and grand parents have reserved seating at every ceremony and reception I've been to. Maybe that's a local thing around here.... But I wouldn't want grandparents and parents to be stuck in the back because they may get there shortly before start time due to pictures or helping with ceremony clean up.

LMichels2013 · June 2013

We're doing assigned tables. Using couples from our favorite books/movies as the table names (maybe) if we can come up with enough of them! I still haven't decided how to set out the table assignments though....

ashleynhobby · June 2013

Since I'm having a travel theme, I decided to get a luggage trunk and have luggage tags as the escort cards, they will also double as favors, and put them inside the trunk. My venue needed to know how many of each entree will be needed for each table, so I'm just putting the table number on the card and they can choose which seat. I'm thinking of somehow indicating what their entree choice is on the card but haven't figured that out yet.

Hourd43 · June 2013

I am doing individual cards for every person attending the wedding. They are called escort cards. (found the idea on TK and Pinterest had some great ideas/pics too) I made them all myself and they will each say the person's name and their table number. No specifically assigned seats per table here.
I am using labels (like what you would put on an envelope) I have a wine theme so I have black paper with a red bow (our wedding colors) with this label that is then inserted into a wine cork with the bottom flattened out sot hat it stands up on it's own.

Hourd43 · June 2013

@ashley my venue is just using different colors "jewels" on the escort cards.
So if some one wants beef I am putting a red "jewel" (a stick on glitter thing I got at the dollar store that I think people put on their phones to bedazzle them, it had like 5 different colors lol)
If someone wants veg it will be a yellow "jewel" etc. Or you could change the color of the writing on your escort card (you would just need the printing/writing to be pretty prominent so it is easier for the waitstaff to see which is which)
You don't have to put one on every card either. Mine will only have a jewel if it is an allergy or a vegetarian meal. (just so you don't have to buy a whole bunch)

Hourd43 · June 2013

@alisonmarie658
I didn't know I had to do that lol I have never posted on a blog here before so I didn't know there were rules

, all done now.

Hourd43 · June 2013

@alisonmarie658 --I totally get it

Makes perfect sense! Thanks for the heads up I appreciate it!

[Deleted User] · June 2013

@alisonmarie658 I think it should be a rule. And if you have furbabies, you better be posting pics of them. Intro posts are happy things.

[Deleted User] · June 2013

@alisonmarie658 me too.

Stina51286 · June 2013

@Hourd43 - its under the "Attention Newbs" sticky towards the top of the October 2013 board.

Hourd43 · June 2013

@Stina51286
-yep I got it

alison pointed me in the right direction and I have it all filled out now

fur babies will be posted when I get home from work

[Deleted User] · June 2013

alisonmarie658 said:

@lplions -- what I really want to get is a bunny. FI doesn't really like cats and we do not have the space/time for a dog right now. But bunnies don't really "do" anything other than be fuzzy.

what about a chinchilla??? they're AWESOME. FH wants one.

[Deleted User] · June 2013

alisonmarie658 said:

show previous quotes

lplions said:

alisonmarie658 said:

@lplions -- what I really want to get is a bunny. FI doesn't really like cats and we do not have the space/time for a dog right now. But bunnies don't really "do" anything other than be fuzzy.

what about a chinchilla??? they're AWESOME. FH wants one.

Maybe. I think I could definitely get FI to get me a bunny --- because he calls me "bunny."

(Insert "awwww" sound here.)

Just not a ferret. They stink. And are, from what I have heard, mean.

ETA: A roommate of mine had a bunny she let explore the (fully furnished, temporary living arrangement) apartment. He DESTROYED the wood baseboards, the little........ Luckily she was super nice and didn't make me or the other roomie pay for the damages.

shaylagirl · June 2013

lplions said:

@alisonmarie658 I think it should be a rule. And if you have furbabies, you better be posting pics of them. Intro posts are happy things.

I hit the "Love it" button SUPER hard on this! I'd hit it twice, except then it just removes them. BLEH! We need "SUPER LOVE IT!" buttons.

Just kidding...but yeah...fur baby pics STAT with an intro post.

hardlyhannah · June 2013

lplions said:

show previous quotes

alisonmarie658 said:

@lplions -- what I really want to get is a bunny. FI doesn't really like cats and we do not have the space/time for a dog right now. But bunnies don't really "do" anything other than be fuzzy.

what about a chinchilla??? they're AWESOME. FH wants one.

I kind of want a chinchilla.

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