just trying to decide if it better to have mixed tables of friends and opposite family. I know it varies but how have you guys found it? also is it a good or bad idea to have a childrens table? I always thought people were dramatic when saying the seating plan is the worst, but it REALLY is the worst :') TIA x
When we met: August 2009
When we announced engagement: December 2015
When we will get married: September 2017
CommentAuthorWizbit89
Hi Nicole, I have actually done it a bit backwards and my guestlist and seating plan where created at the same time, this way I was aware of who would be sat with who and which dynamics would work, it also means if certain people cant make it I already have an idea of the type of person to replace them with or how to shuffle the plan.
my family is very dysfunctional but our plan sort of goes like this ( all round tables with round top table in the middle ) 1 - top table, me OH, MOH and her OH, BM + OH, and Groomsmen OH and baby. 2 dads family direct 3 dads family cousins etc 3 mums family 4 OH family 5,6,7,8,9 are friends but we have still sat them in their friendship groups with a few random ones for people we know will mix well with anyone.
CommentAuthorDuostar
I'm not sure about the mixing of friends and family yet myself, but I'm leaning towards putting people together that either know each other or we think would get on. Definitely not having a children's table though, I think a lot of parents might feel a bit nervous having their child away from them the whole wedding breakfast so I'm going to put the children with their parents when it comes to seating. Plus, I think some kids like being amongst the grown ups for these kind of things, makes them feel more involved.
Met in 2005
Started dating August 2014 (yes it took us that long)
Engaged April 2016
CommentAuthorStaceyH989
I have tried to mix the two families up but kept family units together, so we have a table of grandparents and close friends and then the rest are mixed so my sister and his brother with their families and then our uncles, aunts and cousins are mixed up.
CommentAuthorEmmaM1435
edited
We are having a children's table as we're only having our nieces and nephews at the wedding (total of 8 kids- provided no one else falls pregnant/gives birth before the wedding!), the kids table will be positioned in between the 2 tables with their parents on, so they won't be far away from their parents at all. Plus we are considering hiring a trained nanny for the duration of the wedding breakfast, so they will be supervised at all times (if you like this idea, G00g1e "hire a nanny" and you can put in your postcode and they will tell you what qualifications they have/first aid etc, and how much they charge, how many kids they are happy to look after at a time- the one we have found is fully qualified and has full first aid training and she charges £9ph + travel expenses). Some people don't like the idea of children's tables and worry about their kids not eating or playing up, but we've spoken to all the parents and they are fine with the idea.
I was the same a wizbit and created the seating plan at the same time as the guest list, but it was pretty much pain free for me as we don't have anyone demanding they they wont be seated next to so-&-so, it all just fit together, but I know that this is pretty much unheard of in the wedding planning process! lol
I was trying to do the same it's just mine and H2B's families are very outbalanced, he has 9 members and i have 62!!! and there will be 12 close shared friends so i don't want to have his family isolated on one table whilst my family spread out over the rest of the room :') x
When we met: August 2009
When we announced engagement: December 2015
When we will get married: September 2017
CommentAuthorLouiseyweesey
We loosely stuck to friends andy family separately, although some tables we did fill in gaps on family tables with friends and vice versa. Ours was roughly:
Top table Bridesmaids and very close friends/ immediate family Groomsmen and close friends/ family Husband's family My family (probably about 3 or 4 tables with friends slotted in too - more family friends/ people who knew family already) 3 or 4 tables with friends which were a mix of husband's friends and my friends.
Everyone walked around and mingled anyway and those who didn't want to stayed were they were :-) xxxx
CommentAuthorMichelleC961
Funnily enough we were talking about is the other day and I think we are going to mix families up mad get them talking - wedding breakfast is only a couple of hours so we think it will be nice for families to meet :>
CommentAuthorMrsC2Be
we are putting most family on the same tables together, and friends we are mixing groups but so they still have people to talk to but will get on well together :) xxx
Met In Lanzarote April 2013
Engaged In Rome February 2016
Getting Married In Scotland May 2017
CommentAuthorEmily17
We are going to mix the 2 sides of the family together but keep family groups together
Met in 2009
He proposed Jan 2014
Will become Mrs P 7th October 2017
CommentAuthorFutureMrsW
We're thinking of mixing our families but also sitting people next to people from the same families that they don't see often, if that makes sense. A mix of his 'n' hers, close and distant families. Our friends are mostly old and mutual which helps a lot :)
We are having a separate children's table and seating parents next to it, two friends from my teaching degree course have agreed to be table minders for us during the meal x
CommentAuthorNicoleW665
thank you everyone for the input :) I think it's going to take a lot of playing around! will get there though...i hope x
When we met: August 2009
When we announced engagement: December 2015
When we will get married: September 2017
CommentAuthorWundatigga
Best of luck with this.
We're having ours family style with us all around one big table just because there is only going to be 30 of us. It hasn't made things any easier though when it comes to where to sit everyone as families will be families.
If it really comes to it though we'll just let everyone fight for their own place.
Started dating: 10th February 2011
Welcomed our little girl: May 2015
I proposed: 23rd December 2015
I finally become Mrs R 17th August 2017
CommentAuthorNicoleW665
im thinking the same thing wundatigga :') hunger games style!
When we met: August 2009
When we announced engagement: December 2015
When we will get married: September 2017
CommentAuthorLeanneR0186
i actually found doing it not too bad, I kept certain family members together and the bm's/groomsman then I worked people in around them. I've made sure everyone knows someone at each table and they are around similar people. I did mine when OH was on his stag, he was so impressed when came back that not only was it done but it works well lol xx
The Richardson's 31/12/16
CommentAuthorNicoleW665
i'm very jealous Leanne, but mine is getting nowhere, doesn't help they my sister keeps dropping in and out of my life and changing her mind on whether or not she will even be there never mind allowing me to buy a bridesmaid dress that she is now not going to wear!!
but anyway i wish mine was going as well as yours did :'). I cant even rope H2B into helping as he doesn't really understand the dynamics of my family
When we met: August 2009
When we announced engagement: December 2015
When we will get married: September 2017
CommentAuthorStaceyH989
I will be brutally honest it is up to you, as I said above I have tired to mix but I have also had to bare in mind some people don't speak and I have also been sneaky in the sense I have put a table full of family I'm not keen on at the back where I can't see them. If your sister keeps dropping in and out keep a space for her but make sure you can fill it in case she drops out short notice (if that makes sense)
CommentAuthorNicoleW665
I think that's the plan Stacey but I feel as though I shouldn't have to do that if you get me.
Ahaha yes put the faves to the front! always a good idea x
When we met: August 2009
When we announced engagement: December 2015
When we will get married: September 2017
CommentAuthorStaceyH989
I understand, it is a pain in the backside you just wish people would get over it for one day for the sake of someone else's happiness
CommentAuthorNicoleW665
Ahaha we can all dream :')
When we met: August 2009
When we announced engagement: December 2015
When we will get married: September 2017