It won't be necessary for my wedding at all since we are having a buffet reception. Truthfully, it looks like a real chore to put up with. But I do like how some people are going about setting them up these days:







I don't think I've ever been to a wedding that had assigned seating, even one that had seated dinner. There were assigned tables for the bridal party, the parents, and maybe the kids, but that's as far as they went and everything still ran smoothly. Then again, Ive never been to a wedding with assigned seating.

Has anyone been to both assigned and free seating weddings? Which one did you prefer?

Personally and professionally, I've been to both. I like doing seating charts and I think it's important too. Just think about it this way. If someone doesn't get along with another person, how do you keep them from seating next to each other? How about if that person was running late and the only seat available is the one next to the person that he/she had beef with? Now what? By doing a seating chart, you control the environment of your reception and besides it's good to mix your single friends with your couples so they don't feel out of sorts.

By the way, those are wonderful pictures.

We have a great article on Seating Charts that you should read. It will really help. We have over 400 articles on this site that answer a myriad of questions.

i will be doing a seating chart,i signed onto the knot and that is one of many features you can use when you sign up also i need to keep track of whose sending back responds cards so that they can be added to the seating charts,and those whose names dont appear on the chart will not be seated at tables until dinner they'll have to be seated in the bar.

I'm doing seating charts. It will be given to me by my reception venue. If you guys are doing seating charts, it would be a lot easier to request one from your venue.

I am definitely split on this one....I think that if you have the patience for it, it may be worth it. We did a partial one for our grndparents, siblings and parents, and his aunt got upset cause she wasnt seated at her parents table, but we sat both our parents there. My didn't care though, but the thought of someone not happy at my wedding upset me a little. But that was it. I was able to let everyone else sit next to whoever they wanted to, and she sat at the table with her sisters in the end. But it almost got ugly. Plus with the many no-shows we were able to see how many we had and then the extras filled in the extra tables since the guests just filled their tables anyways. So it worked out. We really were just too lazy to do it cause it takes time....But like I said it could be worth it, and people are up mingling and walking a lot anyways so its not a big deal....I guess I ultimately say think about it, and do it if its important to you. If not, have some system in place to help make seating go smoothly. We had a little hitch, but that was it, it went smoothly....We even watched the video of the reception and no one was complaining....we felt like spies a little bit But it was fun!

It's hard to keep up with who has conflict with whom in my family. LOL. I think that it would be best for me to just assign a few tables to us, the bridal party, the parents, and the vendors. The rest will be free seating plus maybe an extra table. Just as Bumblebee has said, it might just be a few minutes of "musical chairs" and mingling, but it never bothered anyone in the past few weddings I had been to.
God bless those of you who are detail oriented enough to do this. As for me...*throws hands up*

You're a riot Butterbean.

I like assigned seating. I like knowing there is actually space for me. With crashers and no RSVP trifling such and suches I know I will be seated by my hubby and all will be well. I can ignore the nasty or the boring with my funny hubby by my side.

Rosie, you've got me in stitches!!!

That's too much work. Me and my avatar are tuning you and Ginoue out:



See?

haha