Is Assigned Seating Best For A Wedding Reception?

No one enjoys making a seating chart for a wedding reception. Coming up with good combinations for each and every table is certainly trying. However, open seating often turns into a chaotic free for all. These are some tips on how to determine if open seating or assigned seating is better for your wedding dinner.

If your wedding is very small, you can probably get away without assigned seating. Small in this case is a guest list under forty. People will generally be able to work out where to sit under those circumstances, especially because most of them will be close family who know each other well. It’s a good idea to set aside special sets for the newlyweds, if nothing else. They could be easily identified by hanging something festive on the chair backs, like the wreaths with their initials. You can also consider setting aside a head table for the bride, groom, and their immediate families. This won’t be a great solution if your mom and dad are divorced and always argue, of course.

Open seating is usually not practical for medium to large weddings. Open seating rarely goes as smoothly as people expect. People end up reserving seats anyway, only it is the guests who have to do it, instead of the hosts. You also get into the dilemma of who can take the seats of honor by the bride and groom. It’s not pretty to see ladies in their gorgeous dresses and crystal wedding jewelry elbowing each other out of the way to try to get the best table for their group! For those guests who came alone, open seating can make them feel very left out – like trying to find a seat in the cafeteria when you are the new kid in school. This may result in some awkward moments for them.

Assigned tables is a lower key approach to assigned seating. With table assignments, guests are given a table number, but can sit anywhere at their assigned table. Many people find this to be a good solution. If you have taken the time to put a nice combination of guests together, where each person sits on at the table is going to work out fine. It also ensures that feuding relatives are seated across the room from each other. One thing that is nice about this is you don’t have to deal with making place cards.

Assigned seating is the customary arrangement for weddings. This has some positive features. The main advantage is that the hosts can take care to match up people who will make good dinner companions. Guests who do not know anyone else can be seated next to very friendly people who will be sure to draw them into conversation. Attractive singles can be seated side by side in a subtle attempt at matchmaking. After all, everyone looks especially nice at weddings with the ladies in pretty dresses and elegant wedding jewelry and the men in their handsome suits, and many a romance has blossomed over a wedding dinner.

To make their wedding fun for everyone, the bride and groom need to keep their guests’ needs in the forefront of their minds. A key aspect of this is thinking about the wedding reception seating. Figuring out the wedding seating might not be especially fun for you, but it can make your wedding a lot more fun for your guests.