Is Assigned Seating Required At A Wedding?

This question always comes up when I talk with my brides, and I always answer with, "It depends". For instance, if the wedding reception is later in the evening and is going to be setup for heavy hor d'oeuvres, then assigned seating would not be necessary. However, if the style of the reception is very formal then assigned seating would be required. There are many ways to inform your guests of their seating arrangements. The most common ways are by using escort cards followed by place cards, or a table chart. When a wedding is intimate assigned seating is usually not needed. However with larger weddings, not assigning seats can sometimes cause confusion among guests unsure of where to sit. I always recommend for weddings with 250 guests or more to utilize assigned seating. There is far less confusion and the seating time is much less then waiting for 250 guests to find a table they like. Happy wedding planning!