Personally, I am torn on this one. My number one piece of advice is, to follow the theme of your wedding. For example, if you are doing a formal black tie event, then you need to keep it formal with a seating chart. If you are getting married in a barn out in the country then you don't necessarily have to have one. But there are always a few exceptions too!
Here are a couple of things to keep in mind: 1. If you do not do a seating chart, then make sure to save a few tables for the immediate family, bridal party & their guest that will be taking pictures with you while everyone else goes inside to find the best seat in the house!! 2. If you have divorced parents or family members that can't stand each other, then do yourself a favor and eliminate that problem before it even starts. Helpful Tips: -Make your RSVP deadline at least 4-6 weeks out. This will give you plenty of time to track down & contact those guest that have forgot or misplaced their RSVP! -The best way to create a seating chart without creating such a headache is to assign people to a table. Don’t worry about assigning them to a certain seat. This is what I encourage my brides to do! However, if you are having a plated meal where guest have chosen their entrée, then you must assign them a seat with a name card. -If you choose to do a plated meal, then you must create a Key for the caterer to know what each guest is having. For example, you gave your guest the choice of chicken, steak or fish. You would use their name card to place the designated symbol on there (keep it big enough but not to big) for the servers to see it easily. I would encourage you to not use symbols or colors that are similar. This could easily confuse the servers and you don’t want to have to get stuck with an extra bill at the end of the night. -It is ideal to keep the immediate family closer to the Bride & Groom but keep in mind that parents may not want to sit at a table where a step parent is also sitting at. For example, if your mom can’t stand the ex-husband’s new wife, then you want to ensure they are at different tables and preferably with their backs to each other. -If you know that you have some friends that love to dance and will be the life of the party, put them closer to the dance floor! -If you have single friends, don’t necessarily have a table designated for the “singles” but maybe weave them through the crowd but make sure they are seated with someone they know. -Each guest at a table should know at least one other person at that table. -If you have a friend that you have been wanting to set up with another one of your friends then this is a great time to try and do so but make sure they both know at least one other person at that table or it will be super awkward for them. -Making a website is a great way to keep your guest informed by the click of a button! There are many different options for creating a free website. You can create your own Facebook group! Facebook can be a life saver for getting those last-minute guests to either confirm or decline therefore helping you finalize your seating chart. Lets be honest, everyone has Facebook and they are on it at least once a day so sending them a reminder or message will be a lot quicker than waiting for them to return a phone call or text message. Other websites such as Wedding Wire and The Knot offer FREE websites that you can design and customize to fit your wedding! One of the other big pluses to this is it sets the tone and theme for what your guest can expect (as well as the invitation). I sure hope this has helped make the process a lot easier!! Please share any experiences or any other tips you may have that I haven't thought of mentioning yet!!
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