Seating and children!

Seating plan allows you to know that families can be together and children can be on a seperate table if you wish. Alternative is to have the kids with adults they enjoy the company.

Pesonally its nice to have harmony over chaos. You don't need any problems that evening.

View quoted message Oh, I completely understand! It’s just both my mother and FMIL said don’t bother. Our wedding isn’t an overly formal affair so they don’t think we’d need one. Especially since most of our guests will likely just sit wherever they please anyways. I do have an extra table planned for just in case (and to keep the venue symmetrical). Im still not sure I won’t do one up, but we will see

I would always do a seating chart, it guarantees your guests will get to sit with family, it avoids confusion and awkward moments, it makes getting your guests seated a lot faster, and it really isn't too much work for you as the hosts.

I honestly like the idea of a seating chart just to direct guests to which table they'll be at. I find that at all of weddings I've been to that had seating charts, no one moved chairs around or disobeyed the seating chart. As for the wedding I went to that didn't have a seating chart, it was awkward and messy to find a seat and I felt very uncomfortable as a guest.

You know your guests better than anyone though, so you have to do what's right for your crowd.

I did a seating chart, but only to assign tables, as for where each person sits at the table, that much detail I just didn't care to plan.

Seating chart for me for sure! I feel it is much more organized and to be honest... it's just for the dinner! Once food is over people usually float around and sit in different places anyways!

As for the kids, I am having some as well! They will have designated seats again for dinner but I am setting up a kiddy corner in the hall for them to have an area to play or be entertained (I'm going to get little kiddie baskets for each with toys and colouring stuff) Just so they can have an area to be with other kids and feel welcome!

I'm doing a seating chart, and I think you should too. Unless you have under 50 guests, it will get confusing and people will get frustrated. It's also VERY helpful for service staff to know where people with dietary restrictions are sitting. Also, if there is any family drama, it's best to insure that those family members are seated away from eachother. You don't have to assign exact chairs to people, but certainly assigned tables makes everyone's life easier

That's just my opinion though. I think a kids table could be fun! Give the parents sort of a mini date night away from them

I definitely made a seating chart. I just wanted to avoid the chaos of people standing around trying to decide where to sit. Of course it'd be alright if it's a small wedding, and if people pretty much know everyone. I have 200 guests, so that's not gonna work for me. I got my parents and future parents in law to help me group their guests together. For kids, I prepared a small gift containing a small colouring booklet, crayons, lollipops and wipes to clean their hands. Also I got a rattle toy and biscuits for babies. Good luck!

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Just a thought... If sitting at home, with some time to figure this out, you are having a tough time... imagine your guests trying to figure it out on the spot at the wedding? Those tables that don't have enough room? Those people are going to be standing around, wondering who to split up, and who should sit with who, maybe pull a chair from X table... The tables with an empty chair? Give the seating chart to your venue, and they will make one less place setting at that table, so it won't be empty.

I would take the time to try and make the seating chart... it will take a load off your guests minds as they are trying to enjoy your reception.

I wasn't sure about this, but I realized that we have a lot of friends from different 'circles', and a lot of extended family coming (almost 200 people, which to us seems huge, given we only wanted 75 ish people originally!).

We are doing a seating chart, to help people quickly know where to get settled table wise but also so I can arrange to have 4 people from this group sit with four people from that group, two from this group with three from that group and three from another group, etc - this way there's some inter-mingling built in, it's not too awkward and hopefully more fun will be had.

Oh, also, this way I can make sure that couples/families don't get split up because there's no tables big enough to fit their group (I have several families of 5-8 people, or more).

As to an activity table - we are having small goodie bags for the under 10 crowd (colouring, etc) they can do at their seat. We are also hiring a babysitter and turning the coat room into a kids area - later in the evening, there will be air mattresses, blankets and pillows so little ones can sleep while the babysitter watches them and mom and dad can stay and enjoy the party.

I’m humming and hawing over this too! I wasn’t originally planning on having a seating chart. But to make sure I had enough tables, I started using the seating plan chart here on wedding wire and I just started placing people at tables. But then one table didn’t have enough room or had an empty chair, and certain people don’t get along so I should separate them, and our parents and grandparents should definitely have reserved seating anyways... and now I’m really rethinking wether or not I should do a seating chart...

I’ve actuually never been to a wedding with a seating chart and we’re not making one. Seems like too much extra work for me lol but I can see why people do them for sure! I like when I run into an old friend or maybe someone I just met during cocktail hour and get to choose to sit with them but it wouldn’t bother me being placed somewhere else by a seating chart. We also have a lot of children invited to our wedding. I’m not sure yet how many parents will choose to bring them or not we’ll find out when everyone’s rsvp’d but I just made a little crate of things for them to do with stuff like construction paper, crayons, I found little colouring books at micheals and I’ll probably put in some glow sticks. Then they can just go and grab whatever they want and sit with their parents still.

View quoted message That makes total sense! Thanks

Depending on the size of your guest list, I would definitely do a seating chart. Guests actually like the guidance, it saves the awkwardness of wondering which tables are for family, friends, parents, children...

Also it prevents the "stragglers" and last groups of people being "stuck with what's left", or sitting at tables with strangers or people they may not like, because it was the only seats left.

It also allows you to put key family members closer to certain people, or areas, like the dance floor or head table, or podium. That way Grandma can see better, or Uncle Bob with the bum knee doesn't have to walk as far to the buffet table...

I've never been to a wedding without a seating chart, and I'm glad, because guests expect to walk in and be guided where to go... it helps everything run much more smoothly, and avoid any conflicts.