Is it Ok to Not Have a Seating Plan?

Question: My fiancé suggested letting everyone sit wherever they want for our buffet-style dinner reception. We are only having around 50 guests so he thinks that a seating-plan is ostentatious. Are there any common problems with not having a seating plan at all?

Answer: by The Knot

Not having a seating plan can lead to mass confusion. When you give your guests this guidance it saves time and keeps the flow of the reception running smoothly.

Plus seating plans allow you to match up guests who have something in common, be it friends, hobbies, family etc (even an opportunity to team up some of your single friends – you may be thanked at a future wedding!) By doing this conversations will hopefully flow more easily amongst all guests and awkward silences be few and far between.

I am sure you’ll be able to convince your fiance it is actually more considerate to put some effort into writing a plan up, and with only 50 guests to allocate it shouldn’t take long. If your reception is quite relaxed I am sure your guests will still mingle but at least they will know where to start from and always have a spot to return to!

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