Seating Chart Hell

REBECCA · 10-15-2006, 10:13 PM

Hi all,
I was hoping someone could help me figure out how to do our seating chart. At first we had a sweetheat table for Marc & I, 4 rounds of 8-10 and 2 rectangles of 11.

Well, My Fi decided he wanted us to sit with both our parents since they don't know each other very well.

Both our parents are there with there friends and are sort of on vacation too. I have a feeling they would rather sit with their friends. So my FI is taking that like I think my parents would be uncomfortable with his parents.

Also, we need more tables if we do it this way and we have to put some younger people with some of the older people. I just think everyone would be happier and have more fun with the first seating chart.

Anyway, in the end of the "discussion" he said "your right we'll just do it the original way" (sweetheart table). But I feel like he was just giving in.

What do you plan to do? And what did you do for those that already got married.

Sorry for the long post...thanks!!

Janet · 10-16-2006, 06:28 AM

So....I may be making a big mistake, but I am leaning against doing a seating chart. I'm just not sure all the hassle is worth it. I only have 55 people, don't you think people can arrange themselves however they want? I plan to have seven tables of 8 each. We might reserve one table for us and our wedding party. Then have a table for each family. But basically let everyone sort themselves out. What do you gals think -- smart or stupid??

KARLA · 10-16-2006, 08:08 AM

Rebecca - We have the same situation, sort of....
In Guatemala the tradition is that the bride and groom sit in the head table with their parents and their godparents. We don't have godparents, so our head table is 6 people, us, both sets of parents. We put all of our parents friends all in one table... time to mingle amongst themselves!

Janet - I thought about not having assigned tables like you, but decided to go ahead and do assigned seating because I was afraid that some people would be left out. We have tables of 8 people, and we have a whole group of friends that are 12, and then 4 others that are not in that group (sounds so high schoolish, doesn't it? ha!). I knew that 8 of them would be at one table, 4 mad that they didn't sit there, and 4 people would feel left out. So I just went ahead and assigned seating, and stirred them all up, yet they would be happy enough because enough of them are in each table. Same with my FI's group of friends. Also, there were some people that are just random and I didn't want them to feel like they were in secondary tables, so I made sure they were mixed in there also. Does that make sense?

MARIAELM · 10-16-2006, 09:12 AM

I'm a seating chart girl. I went to a wedding over Labor Day where there was no seating chart. That left gaps at some tables and not enough seats for groups that wanted to sit together. I think some people ended up standing - not pretty. In my personal opinion, I think people like to be told where to sit. It provides less confusion / anxiety for them.

We're doing 8 tables of 8 seats each (64 seats) for our 53 guests. This leaves empty seats at most tables which my FI will use to go sit down and mingle thorughout the evening. We're having a head table for just my FI and I. We sat our parents with their siblings / friends and sat any other guests important to them at a nearby table. We thought they'd enjoy the wedding more this way. I didn't think our seats matterred too much since we'll be mingling almost the whole time anyway.

Just my 2 cents....

REBECCA · 10-16-2006, 10:08 AM

Janet, I think you should definitely do a seating chart. I don't know about you, but for us, we have a lot of people going that didn't bring a guest. So if coulpes get there late, and there is only one seat available per table, or something, they may have to split up? Or, like Karla said, groups of friend that want to sit together may miss out because a couple, that maybe doesn't know anyone, will just happen to sit at a table that maybe your friends wanted to save for their friends. (Am I making sense?).

We are just going to make name cards with the names and table number. They can decided where to sit at the table.

REBECCA · 10-16-2006, 10:09 AM

I wish we could do extra chairs. Dreams charges up per chair!

Tammy Host · 10-16-2006, 10:51 AM

you definitely need to do a seating chart r the stragglers end up sitting at seperately or in the back...teutst me on this...i am not one for traditions or etiquette but this is a biggy.

i have attached my seating chart (if you click on pic a bigger version comes up).

i did tables of 10...sat with the parents and steve's grandma. put steve and his brother at one table with his family...my sisters(show they are sitting with us but they moved) at another table with fun freinds (they had the best table) and steve's other gm who is sober with some other sober people.

NOTE: i did namecards with the table numbers on them but did not order these until 2 weeks before the weding because we had people RSVPing that late in the game so our table arrangement actually changed a little and we had to add another table but you get the idea.

Tammy Host · 10-16-2006, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REBECCA

I wish we could do extra chairs. Dreams charges up per chair!

rebecca, dreams didnt charge me for extra chairs. they just had tables with seats for 10 and charged for how many people were there. they dod charge for chairs at the ceremony....at least for me.

Christa · 10-16-2006, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JANET1111

So....I may be making a big mistake, but I am leaning against doing a seating chart. I'm just not sure all the hassle is worth it. I only have 55 people, don't you think people can arrange themselves however they want? I plan to have seven tables of 8 each. We might reserve one table for us and our wedding party. Then have a table for each family. But basically let everyone sort themselves out. What do you gals think -- smart or stupid??

You know Janet, I toyed with this idea as well. However, I have decided to do a seating chart (even though we only have ~40 guests) for many of the reasons cited already. Mostly, I want everybody to feel comfortable & not have to worry about where to sit - especially since our families don't know eachother. I'd like to group people w/others I think they would be comfortable with, as well as sparking some great conversation! I certainly don't want any of my guests to feel left out.

I think in the long run you're event will go more smoothly if you put a little effort into this one...sorry :)

Janet · 10-16-2006, 12:25 PM

ahhhhhhhhhhhhh so you girls definitely have a consensus on this one, don't ya!!! :)

I totally hear all of your arguments, and you are starting to sway me... but...

Both my sister and my best friend had their weddings with no seating charts, and they both worked out totally fine. And this was 100+ people. I swear I am not making that up. I do believe it is possible.

Also, we have no family drama or anything where I worry about "X can't sit with Y" and that kind of stuff. Everyone gets along.

But based on your very strong recommendations, I promise to re-think this... I don't know why I am so hesitant? I think I just want to minimize the "extra stuff to do".