Wedding Breakfast Seating plan issues

Personally I would agree - keep people as comfortable as possible rather than mixing. My most favourite weddings I've been to were when I was on a table with close family and friends instead of people I didn't really know. However it also depends on the people in question and their personalities!

We're not doing anything formal, just down the pub, but as we could have been over 2 rooms, depending on numbers, they asked for a seating plan so we didn't have mothers and siblings eating in the other room to us.

I've worked tables for each family group, so everyone is sitting with someone they know and are comfortable with. I'm not good with conversing with strangers so would much rather be seated with people I knew. Though if your tables are big enough you could put a family unit from your side with one of his? That would mix it up, but also have people who know each other together.

I think it depends on how big your family/friend groups are.

We mixed people up, but also kept them in their groups - so we had my uncle (his group of four) mix with my OH's uncle (his group of four) as they were both very similar, therefore making a table of eight. We then had a few couples, so we popped them all on the same table, as they were our friends.

Grandparents all went on the same table, as they have more in common.

Personally, I'm glad we mixed people up as it really got the two families talking. At my sisters wedding, there was no seating plan and so everyone stuck to their own groups - I didn't really talk to any of my BIL's side!

I say take the plunge- it's always nice afterwards hearing that one side of the family has vowed to visit the other when they're in the area!

We are keeping families together for the most part. My family are quite big though so they're getting mixed in with some family friends. We are trying to put people who have met together though so it shouldn't be too awkward.

Our friends are being split. I've got more coming that him so we are doing two tables and spreading them out. Everyone will know at least one couple though so I'm sure it will be fine.

We put people on tables they would be most comfortable. I agree it would be nice to mix it up, we did think about it but in the end I didn't want to take the risk and end up with tables in silence because they didn't know what to say. Some people weren't necessarily with their family, but were with people who we knew that they had already met and got on with.

We kept people together and I actually found this made the whole seating plan process so much easier! I'd decided in around 10 mins! I don't think we would of had any issues if we had mixed people up though!

I am inclined to agree with your H2B though (sorry!!) I think people will be slightly more relaxed with people they know!

I think we'll end up keeping families together on their own tables, but mixing up the friends from either side.

We'll be seating people with other people that they know or people that they have things in common with or are in the same age group etc. I wouldn't want to be stuck on a table with lots of people that I didn't know. I guess it depends on people's personalities X

We are doing a bit of both. Keeping mainly family together, but mixing up some friends. I've always had more fun at weddings where I knew and liked everyone on the table. We are spending a lot of money on the day, I would prefer to know that people will enjoy themselves and the company that they have on their table x

We didn't have a seating plan and let people sit wherever. Some mixed it up and other sat with people they knew.

We are having a small do in a restaurant and it's going to be quite a casual affair.

We've decided to do a large top table with our parents, siblings, nephews and nieces sitting with us then have 2 other tables, one with friends and the other with aunts and uncles. ?

We are having a similar debate to this - we are having a sweetheart top table, as OH doesn't have family, and we are having one best man and 3 bridesmaids. I don't feel it's fair to sit all my family on one table together as there's tension between my SIL and parents, and really don't want anything kicking off on the day....so I'd planned on having all the 'adults' (our older guests) on one table together, then probably divide up friends and family. Whenever we have parties, OH's friends never integrate with my friends, so I'd suggested mixing tables up a little so we don't end up with 'his' side of the room and 'mine'...but starting to think it's easier to just sit people with people they know. Depending on your layout of the room, could you keep his side on tables together, but dot those tables around the room, so they're not all grouped together?

I hear seating plans are the most awkward part of wedding planning (after the guest list!!), so not looking forward to properly addressing ours!!

We haven't started our table plan yet but want to try and work it so that maybe everyone knows 2/3 other people on the table but also sat with people we think they might get on with.

I remember a few years a go going to a wedding of a family friend's daughter and initially finding it odd that my siblings and I were sat far away from our parents but it turned out the people we were sat with were brilliant fun and made friends with people I am still in touch with. (Although we did get a bit rowdy and told to pipe down once or twice!)

Conversely, I went to another wedding where everybody was sat separate (I wasn't even sat next to my partner, although he was on the same table) and I just didn't gel at all with the people I was sat next too and spent the whole time longing for the wedding breakfast to be over so I could catch up with friends at another table and spend time with my OH.

Every other wedding I have been to though I have been sat with my family/ OH and friends.

At my cousins wedding they had 5 tables (not inc top table). The middle table had the grandparents and older generation on and then the other 4 they mixed his family and friends with the brides family and friends. He warned us that they did this before we went and his reason was that his side are a lot more social and 'loud' than hers. It was nice because it wasn't as if we just kept to our table, the whole room was talking with each other. Yeah it was a bit awkward to begin with but then it was really enjoyable and the reception was a lot more fun too because everyone kinda knew everyone else then