open seating plan??

[blkladylaw]

I wasn't going to do one and then a couple weeks before the caterer sent me the table set up and I decided to plot a chart out using theknot.com tool to plan each table

 

I definitely wanted immediate family together at 1 table near our own sweetheart table. It was kind of fun determining which friends would best mesh and have things in common. I put similar couples together and mixed up my friends so they had someone at the table they knew and also some of his friends that they did not know so our friends could get to know each other better. I also tried to place single with some folks I thought they'd find interesting and tried to match age groups so there wouldn't be an older relative at a table with a bunch of 30 year olds. I've been at weddings like this ...being the only young and single person sat at a table full off older relatives and their spouses...horrible evening. My matching did work out well for the most part....everyone enjoyed who they were seated with though a few guests did reseat themselves elsewhere using some empty spots from people that didn't show up. I had a single guy seated with some single women and then he brought a date (only RSVP'd for himself) and I noticed he had moved to a table where there were 2 seats because another couple had not shown up. I just had a number on each table and my cousin had a list of names and where they were seated and just told them as they entered the yacht. I didn't make placecards and all that...totally unnecessary for a 60 or less group. Looking back I could have just had an immediate family table and let everyone just sit where they wanted....I doubt it would have mattered much but I think my 'assignments' let to some new connections amongst our friends especially those that had things in common and may not have chatted much if I hadn't placed them at the same table...everyone would have just gravitated to sit with who they already knew. I'm glad I did have a seating plan. The biggest pain for me in the process was trying to plan seating when I did not have final confirmations of attendance for many people.

 

 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamaicaBride2009 FI and I are hoping to get buy without assigned seating at the reception. We are having approximately 60 guests, so we figured it was one less thing to deal with... after all, we went with a destination wedding so it would be easy.   I do like the idea of having a table reserved for parents though. We might consider that!

[Jess]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yari It totally might be. It is very interesting. I wonder.

weird- every wedding I've been at has been assigned seating also! mostly West Coast, 1 New York though

[Genevieve]

wow, for me its the opposite, I have always seen seating plans, and have decided to go for one myself because I am scared that it may get chaotic without one for our 160 guests