How to Organize Your Wedding Seating Chart

The wedding seating chart.

Now, try not to be intimidated. Making up your wedding seating chart may seem daunting, but if you take the planning process in steps your seating chart should be fairly easy to create. Let’s begin working with your seating organization!

Photo by Shinta Shop

The Wedding Party Table

Start your planning with the wedding party table. You should try to place this table at the head of the dance floor facing the band, arranging your table so that it is visible by all of your wedding guests. If you decide on a “sweetheart’s table” (a small table just for you and your spouse) then it should still be the focal point of the reception area.

The Bride and Groom’s Families

Next is the bride and groom’s families, who should be the next closest to the wedding party, preferably on either side. These tables include parents, grandparents and close family members. If a set of divorced parents are attending the wedding, don’t feel obliged to sit them at the same table. If this is the case, you can host both a bride’s table and a groom’s table.

Photo by Mavora

The Other Guests:

Here are a few simple guidelines for the rest of your wedding guests:

You can arrange your guests in groups and combinations of six, eight or ten, depending on the sizes and shapes of the tables.

Try to group people together with similar interests and backgrounds, but avoid placing a single person at a table with only couples. Instead, go for a combination of singles and couples.

Offer a variety of old and new faces so your guests can feel friendly and comfortable with each other.

If possible, try to keep older guests away from the speakers.

If you decide to have a children’s table, keep them a little further away from the dance floor and bar area and within the sight of their supervising adults.

Photo by Fairy Folk Weddings

Place Cards and Escort Cards:

If you didn’t know the difference between place cards and escort cards, both are displayed at the entrance to the wedding reception area. Both will also include the names of the guests and their table numbers. If you decide to use place cards, guests can choose their own seats once at the reception table. Escort cards, however, will both direct guests to their tables and designate their assigned seats. No matter what method you decide to use, it’s important to arrange an organized chart at the entrance to your reception site so that your guests know where to go.

Bonus Tips:

When planning out your wedding seating chart, remember to keep the reception location in mind, working around their floor plan. Experiment with different kinds of arrangements before making any final decisions. If fact, you can do what this couple did and use sticky notes as a smart visual aid!

Photo by Something Turquoise

Allow for a little extra room, possibly an extra table in case of last-minute placements.

Finally, try not to stress over seating arrangements! More than likely, guests will be having fun on the dance floor and mingling with other tables.

Comments

[Jamie]

Love all of the great tips you have! I actually used www.socialtables.com when I was planning out the seating instead of post-its, it was incredibly helpful! Good luck to all with seating :)