To seat or not to seat.... Place cards?

A lot of times it depends on your meal. I know all the weddings I've been to where they did place cards instead of a board that listed everyone's seat, it was because the card then indicated what meal they had chosen. If you do a buffet / set meal for everyone though that won't matter! Just something to keep in mind.

I am a huge fan of assigned tables (not seats) and think that either place cards or a seating chart work very well (we did escort cards that doubled as favors). That being said, It may be odd and confusing to the people sitting at a table that will be moved later. Can you move the tables to begin with and just keep the dance floor open?

Personally, I think adults are old enough to figure out where to sit by themselves.

Consider the size of your group and the style of meal.

If you're having a buffet AND everyone will likely be very comfortable with each other, then I think no need for place cards, and maybe not even other assigned tables.

If you're having a buffet but may have a number of guests who do not know one another or that you feel may not be extremely comfortable mixing, I feel the gracious thing to do is to assign tables/seats. For instance, I have a few guests who I know are excited to come to my wedding but are by nature very shy, from out of town, won't know anyone else, etc.--I'm deliberately seating them with my "most trusted, kind, friendly" guests who will help play hostess for me (e.g., MOH's mother and father--LOVE THEM!) to make my other special guests feel welcome.

In the event you're having a seated meal, as Heather said, individual place cards indicate to servers who gets which meal (e.g., the chicken, the beef, the fish, whatever).

Hope that helps!

I disagree with Amy as well. It can be awkward, confusing and chaotic trying to find a seat at a wedding, especially when you don't know anybody. Not only that, you will have one seat open randomly at different tables, and when the last guests enter, there may not be space for them to sit together. Assign tables (not actual seats - just the table), and I prefer a place card that I can pick up and take with me, rather than a sign that everyone is hovering around and forgetting as soon as they walk into the reception space.

We didn't have assigned seating (it wouldn't have worked with the culture of the wedding) but at one that's either plated or a little fancier I would think it's the best option! I've been to both and happy as a clam at both!

I have seen rooms flipped from a ceremony to a reception while everyone was enjoying cocktail hour completely out of the room. I have never witnessed or heard of taking tables down and completely moving them from a room with guests present. So if your removing tables after dinner, off the dance floor, to move them outside on to a patio someone will be moving tables with guest present. I wouldn't like this option because tables being moved are loud especially if one slips and lands on the floor with a bang. I wouldn't want this happening at my wedding. I would just set them up on the patio and sit people outside to begin with. So I went back and read that you want to make sure your elderly guest have tables to sit at after dinner but what about your other guest? They will want to sit and take a break. Not one person I know of wants to stand the whole time at a wedding reception. You never know who may not be feeling well that day and want to sit down. I would suggest that you assign tables to help guest find their seat quickly and to make sure people are sitting with adequate company. As far as individual escort cards and a seating chart (Board) that is personal preference in my opinion. I wish you the best of luck.

You could also just "reserve" a few of the tables for those particular family members and leave the other tables for self seating.

We are having assigned tables and a buffet style dinner. We have giant mirrors on easels that shows alphabetically what table people are assigned to. It is a much quicker set up that laying out place cards, and we are in a bit of a time crunch so its perfect.

If you can avoid moving/breaking down tables I would. I was a guest at my sisters best friends wedding and of course the table my mom and I were at was taken away after the brunch. We didn't know anyone else there, it was a dry wedding and during the day so dancing wasn't on our mind. We had to "steal" other guests seats during the reception. It was really awkward and made the wedding a little uncomfortable

I think you should assign tables. It will just run smoother and be more efficient for everyone.

I'm in the camp of assigning tables. Don't leave people to fend for themselves in this situation unless you are looking for chaos and confusion. I hate going to any event when I may or may not know people and am not sure where to sit. It's too awkward.

I agree with Michelle on placecards you can take with you and set at your seat.

At the very least assign tables, if not actually seats. DH and I were recently at a wedding with no assigned tables. We got up to go to the buffet and returned to find our seats filled by others. So, then we're walking around the room with food, trying to find new seats, but also trying to be conscientious of *stealing* other guests' seats.

What a fiasco! But, of course we told the bride her wedding was the best we'd ever been to!

I am also for assigning tables not seats. The easiest way is to do a table chart outside the door. I have been to one wedding that had a free for all and it was a disaster. Random people sitting everywhere. Also there are certain people that you will want sitting closer to you. In regards to moving tables. That is the done thing here in Ireland as generally people are seated on the dance floor during the meal. After the meal and speeches there is a short brake where people move about while the band set up. During this time the servers remove everything bar the drinks from all of the tables, they also move the tables on the dance floor off it, to the side,they aren't broken down as others have set just moved to one side, afterall people need to sit somewhere. In all of the many weddings I have been to I have never seen one fall, slip, make noise, or cause any disturbance. People don't mind it being moved, generally they actually move with it. As I say this has been done at every wedding I have been to,including my own. Most people don't even notice it happening as they are generally up going to the bar, mingling at this point. It just needs to be timed properly. Your venue should be used to this though, if it something that they do.