Table Plan

Hiya

This is a difficult one.

Table Plans help to space your guests out evenly. If there isn't one and people are free to sit where ever they like then this can cause arguements etc as people will want to sit next to certain other people and then you may find people that don't get on having to sit on the same table. You know what people are like! ?

It just takes all the stress out of it by having one. Have you thought about escort cards?

Guests find their name and the table they are on and then are able to sit anywhere on that allocated table. This may be a compromise.

Nat

I was talking about table plans to the future Mrs Chippers, and I suggested the following -

get a small paddling pool, fill it with a number of rubber ducks, and on the bottom of each duck have a number. As your guests arrive, you can get them to 'hook a duck' and they sit at the table that is numbered on the bottom of the duck,

It means everyone sits randomly, and gets to know everyone at the wedding, perhaps with people they wouldny normally socialise with ???

What if there are couples there? I would be so cross if I wasn't sitting with my hubby I must admit.

Nat

Nat, sorry, if you are part of a couple, you do it together ! - so you are both at the same table !

I wouldnt have couple sitting apart !!

Ours was informal, but we still did a table plan. We didn't put place names on each table so people could still sit where they pleased at the actual table, but at least it wasn't a mad rush for all of the guests into the room, and no-one was split up, empty seats etc.

I've been to a wedding before as a singleton, where there was no table plan, and ended up sitting with grannies, grandads and elderly aunts, I was 24yrs old, so not the best experience, but this was the only space left.

So, yes, if I were you I would definitely do a table plan.

Hi Poppyseed, we are not having a table plan as such, we hare having the top table as normal and all the parents will be seated on the tables closest to the top table, and the rest of the guests can sit where they like. After being sat with people we didnt know at my aunties wedding, we (me & OH) both found this uncomfortable. I wouldnt want my guests to be talking about how uncomfortable they felt at our wedding. However I have just read the post above me, and didnt think about who would have to sit on the last available place... so, its a hard one. HTH.xxx

We weren't planning on having one initially but have decided to do one because it could potential be a disaster otherwise. Also, you have invited all these people for a reason, you two are in the best position to determine who should sit with who and who might get on.

Hmmm, I'm imming and amming about this too, thing is we're having a buffet.

when we originally booked with the hotel we were told that we can decorate tables etc, but we won't have as many seats for everyone, so some will stand and some will sit. this is because the buffet tables will take up more space. so we don't want a head table, and we don't want table plans. but then.......it's so much more orderly!!

ahhh I'm just not sure!!

Personally I think it could be a recipe for disaster. People just aren't very good at spacing themselves out evenly when fending for the themselves - just look at how people sit in cinemas, conferences etc.

We're having quite a formal wedding and 140 guests to the wedding breakfast so I'm doing a full seating plan, but if I were you I would assign tables but let them sit where they like on that table.

I originally didn't want a table plan, too much hard work and we wanted a relaxed day but MiL mentioned to me the concerns you have mentioned and actually I agree with her. I have OCD and get upset if people move stuff and if people start being picky over who they sit with, moving chairs etc its going to really upset me. I'm thinking of doing escort cards instead, writing people's names on the front of the card and writing inside 'please take a seat at table x' and letting them choose their seat at the table that way. Its hard work but also still gives people a bit of control over where they sit at that table. and eases my mind about people moving chairs etc.

You need some structure when it comes to the seating plans, even if it is a small relaxed affair, otheriwse you'll get people just hagning aorund not sure what they are meant to do, you'll also get tables with mismatched numbers which isnt to bad but you might get a table with 4 people and then one with 10! A good thing about a seating plan is that you obviouslt dictate where people sit so if you want people to get to know each other then you can sit certain people together, if there are people that you dont think woudl get on or worse you know dont like each other you can avoid them sitting together. I only had 67 guests come to my day and I spent endless hours finalising the table plan. Another great advantage of a seating plan is that you can then give this to your venue, and point out the people that may have dietry requirments - things just run alot smoother with one. I've never attended a wedding without one.

We have allocated tables but not seats. Otherwise we'll get the old relatives complaining they're relegated to a table further towards the back of the room because all the youngsters got up the stairs quicker. We will have abig table plan at the entrance, and table name cards on the tables so people know who is where. For the evening we'll take all that away and it will be a free-for-all, but a the top table will become the buffet table.

We're not having one. The meal is a hog roast buffet at this venue

So I'm going to have the long tables like that and just let everyone grab a space! If we bother with the top table at all, it will just be us with our parents.

It is possible to create a beautiful and professional table plan that will be something to treasure on the day.free to have a look at online site. but i am happy to design to your own ideas and themes colours etc!