Your Wedding

mands629

I'm not originally from St. Louis.  I planned my wedding from NYC, but got married in Chicago.  I had 1 good friend who is from here and got married here.  When I went to her wedding, she didn't assign the guests seating/table assignments which seemed weird to me.  Guests just sat themselves wherever.  I thought this was weird, because I assigned tables and thought all brides assigned tables, but I chalked it up to the bride's personal choice.  Now that I live here, I was talking with this soon-to-be bride and she mentioned that she also wasn't doing a seating/table assignments.  So now I'm curious... Is it normal for St. Louis weddings to not have table assignments?

BethT01

I'm not from St. Louis either...but I know we did table assignments in minneapolis. I've been to 1 wedding where they didn't do table assignments and I did not like it.  We didn't know anyone and literally all the tables were filled up with one seat open.We ended up sitting in the corner. It was so awkward.  I've been told by people in minneapolis that they don't like assigned tables. However, I like them. I think it just depends on the bride and groom.

 Did they have mostaccioli? I've heard that is big at weddings here...haven't been to a wedding to see for myself though! 

Temp6313048411121614

We didn't assign seats.  As many weddings as I can remember (probably 5+) haven't had assigned seating. 

mezalune

I'm from STL and had my wedding last summer, and we assigned tables.  I think it just depends on the wedding, the work the couple is willing to put into assignments, and the type of meal served. (A buffet doesn't really require seating assignments, but a seated meal obviously would be much more organized with assigned spots.)  Three out of four of my friends and myself who got married last year did assigned seating.

One alternative that I've seen done in STL is assigning tables for family only, which allows family members to sit closer to the head table without assigning seats throughout.

soon2be_mrs

We didn't have assigned seating.  We did reserve several tables for family and then the rest was pretty much a free for all.  I think most of the weddings I've been to wasn't assigned seating as well.  But we'll be going to several weddings this year, so it may be different now. 

pam1005

The last four out of the five weddings I've been to here we have had assigned seating.  I agree with pp that it depends on the meal.  The one wedding that did not have assigned seating was the one that was a bit later (8:00) and was cocktails, hors d'oeurves, and desserts only. I think with weddings that do not serve a formal sit down meal, then the no seating is totally appropriate.

lilmufish

I am from St. Louis, and 5 years ago we assigned tables.  Most of the weddings we have attended, we have had assigned seating.  Personally, as a wedding guest I like assigned seating because I hate trying to "save" spaces.

mezalune

Plus you ultimately end up with "awkward groups."  I'm too much of a control freak to not place people with the other people I want them to sit beside!  (I spent a good deal of time thinking "OK, these people don't know one another, but would they get along for the evening???") 

I feel like it also takes the pressure off of guests and tells them exactly where to go, rather than that awkward "OK, do we know anyone?  Nope?  OK, let's go grab the one empty table left!"

J's Jen

I didn't assign seats at my wedding, and most weddings I have been to have not had assigned seats. 

Meagan0528

mezalune:

One alternative that I've seen done in STL is assigning tables for family only, which allows family members to sit closer to the head table without assigning seats throughout.

 

We are getting married next month and this is what we are doing.  I think it's kind of a toss up in this area, depending on the couple's preference and background.  Generally, I would say most weddings I've attended here (and I grew up here), have not used seating charts.  And yes, most of them did have mostaccoli!!  

(We, however, are not).

 

KdgTeacher

I got married last summer and we assigned tables for our guests. 

jgleespen

We just got married (March), and we had table assignments.

gwencortopassi

We got married in October 2009 and had every intention of doing table assignments (I made the cutest escort cards--broke my heart to not use them), but we had so many people RSVP late and with "extra" guests (and my father being the saint that he is told me to include everyone and not worry about the extra cost) that I found myself, on my wedding day, gown, makeup, hair and all trying to finalize the seating two hours before the ceremony.  I kind of snapped and decided to scrap the whole assigned seating thing.  In the end, it worked out okay because all those "extra" guests and the actual invited guests (who actually thinks it's acceptable to write three extra names on your RSVP?) ended up not showing, so we had room to spare. Most of the St. Louis weddings I've been to had assigned seating.  And I have yet to see mostaccioli served, but Hubbs and I have four weddings this summer, so anything is possible.

Tilliea

There really isn't any part of a wedding that really is absolutely mandatory after the "I do" part.  I had so much stuff going on at the last minute that the seating arrangements took a back seat.

 I decided 3 days before "Okay, no more seating chart."  Most of my guests were from church anyway.  And they were people who all managed to seat themselves just fine for the local functions--I figured why go through all the trouble of figuring out who sits next to who when they were all adults and perfectly capable to seat themselves?

 It worked out fine.  Children sat next to their parents.  People who knew each other and sat next to each other regularly did so.  This wasn't a St. Louis wedding.  Ours was in Los Angeles.