Ask Liz: Musical Guest Chairs?

Photo: B&G Photography

One of my couples is worrying over guest seating right now, so I decided to pull out this question I got a while ago, and expand a little on my answer. 

Dear Liz:
If we have enough tables and chairs for everyone, why can’t they just sit wherever they want? It seems like a hassle to figure out who is going to sit at what table, and like we’re herding cattle. Do we have to have assigned seating for our guests?
Signed,
Tables For None

Dear Tables,
Well, nooo, you don’t have to have designated seating, but I think table assignments are worth it.  There are two cardinal rules for wedding guest management: 1. Don’t confuse them 2. Don’t make them uncomfortable. And a little structure is necessary to avoid either of those.

I’m trying to think of a good analogy. Okay, it’s like if you and your fiance decided to go see  Star Wars on opening night. Sure, you can sit where you want, but there are a ton of people in the theater. The row you would usually sit in doesn’t have two open seats. Neither does your second choice, and you end up anxiously looking for seats with the clock ticking down until the movie starts. Finally you end up in the fifth row,  and have to endure a raging, eye-strain induced headache during the entire movie.

Now imagine that situation while you’re all dressed up as a wedding guest, and trying to be on your best behavior and not offend anyone while you’re searching for open seats for you and your significant other. At least in a movie theater, you’re dealing with total strangers in jeans. Figuring out where to seat your guests is a minor hassle, yes, but  the alternative is a tight-smiled and awkward game of musical chairs. Plus, if you’re having a sit-down dinner, your caterer usually needs to get a meal count by table. You can’t do that if you have no idea where anyone is going to be. Try this:Picture your aunt having to sit alone with your co-workers because she was a little late leaving the cocktail hour. Yeah.

Figuring out who will sit where is an aggravating couple of hours for you, but it’s easier on many levels in the long run.

See you at the end of the aisle,

Liz Coopersmith

Silver  Charm Events

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