Post # 1
Member
1850 posts
Buzzing bee
So I’ve been living in wedding blog land and have always thought that having place cards and table numbers were the norm for all receptions where there’s a meal. I mentioned something to my grandmother the other day about table numbers. The convo went like so:
Gma: I’ve never seen table numbers before.
Me: How will people know what table to sit at? How will they find their place cards?
Gma: Oh are you going to have people serving dinner?
Me: No…
So I started thinking, do people normally just sit wherever if there’s a buffet-style dinner? Are table numbers and place cards reserved for dinners with waiters?
EDIT: This question ultimately affects my decor which is why it’s under this catagory.
Post # 3
Member
47383 posts
Honey Beekeeper
You can use table numbers, escort cards and place cards for a buffet dinner.
Whether the meal is plated or buffet has nothing to do with how the guests find their seats.
Post # 4
Member
1850 posts
Buzzing bee
I think what she was saying was that most buffet dinners don’t have assigned seats at all…so there would be no need for them to find “their” seats…it would just be wherever they chose to sit. I think it’s a good idea to have place cards so that everyone for sure gets a seat. You know how it can be awkward when you don’t know very many people at a wedding and feel weird about having a seat with people you don’t know. It’s much less awkward when you don’t really have the choice (that sounds off…like I’m forcing people to sit in certain places haha).
Post # 5
Member
1126 posts
Bumble bee
I think it’s a good idea to at least have table cards. I hate getting someplace and either having to spend way too much time and energy making sure I get a table with friends, or else risking ending up with people I don’t know. I really think it’s so much nicer for guests to just take out the guesswork. And then they can put their things down when they get there, go to the buffet, etc.
Post # 6
Member
9050 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
I had assigned tables with escort cards, but not place cards. I’d thought out who should sit where for social reasons, not for the meal necessarily.
Post # 7
Member
14492 posts
Honey Beekeeper
I am having escort cards for a heavy appetizer reception. For me the issue is keeping people seperated. I cannot have my FHs union work buddies sitting down with my conservative politicos, that is a recipe for disaster. And there are family dynamics to consider. Originally we were just going to have place cards for the parents and Bridal Party members, but once we got into discussions of the invitees, we quickly realized that place cards for the whole guest list was necessary.
Post # 8
Member
47383 posts
Honey Beekeeper
I have been to several weddings with a buffet dinner that had table numbers or names, escort cards and place cards.
It’s not that people can’t find A seat, but that they can find their ASSIGNED seat.
As pp’s have mentioned there are many reasons why you might want to assign tables, if not actual seats, including people who don’t get along, reserved seats for parents, bridal party SO’s etc.
Post # 9
Member
152 posts
Blushing bee
I prefer to have escort cards when I am a guest. I don’t like having to try and find a table with people I know with enough seats for everyone.
Post # 10
Member
1850 posts
Buzzing bee
Thanks ladies! I’m really relieved…I love table numbers and place cards, but after talking to her I wondered if that was completely unheard of.
Post # 11
Member
1253 posts
Bumble bee
I’m having a buffet dinner (which is more expensive than the sit-down, go figure) but I still definitely doing a seating chart, which will require escort cards. BUT I am just writing table numbers, not doing place cards, that way people will know which table they are at and they can decide where to sit from there. I feel like I’m rambling, hope that makes sense.
Post # 12
Member
450 posts
Helper bee
We attended a wedding last year that was at a really nice resturaunt, buffet dinner,ceremony and reception in the same room. Tables were assigned.
We are having buffet at our wedding and tables will be assigned as well.
Post # 13
Member
3343 posts
Sugar bee
We had a buffet dinner. What we decided to do was assign tables, and not seats. We had one seating chart near the entrance of the table area and the tables were numbered.
Post # 14
Member
4581 posts
Honey bee
We’re doing a buffet dinner. We’re having assigned tables, but the actual seats are not assigned (guests choose their own seat at their table). So we’re having table numbers and escort cards, but no place cards.
Post # 15
Member
8351 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
We had a very small wedding with a plated salad and buffet. I did assign tables and seats. It just made things so much easier and everyone was happy with their placement.
Post # 16
Member
212 posts
Helper bee
We’re doing a buffet and assigned tables.
Buffets are done for the majority of the weddings in the area. My venue coordinator was surprised when I told her I wanted to do assigned tables. Maybe grandma is use to this as well. It just isn’t the norm here but I think it makes things easier for your guests.