Seating Chart Tips

Seating charts can be a great tool to welcome your guests and make sure everyone can easily find a seat.  A few easy steps will make sure you have the perfect seating chart for your wedding!

1. Know your final guest count and table layout.

If your guests haven’t sent their RSVP by the requested date, reach out to them and get their final reply.  You’ll need this count for your vendors also!

With your final count, work with your venue, planner or decorator to set the final table layout.  This will let you know how many can sit at each table and where the best tables are.

2. Determine who is sitting with you!

Is it just you and your new spouse at a sweetheart table? Or will you have the bridal party sit with you?  With or without their dates?  This will determine the size of your head table or estate table.  If your bridal party doesn’t sit with you, you can either give them a reserved table with their dates or sit them at other tables with guests they know.

3. Figure out the family table.

Who will sit with your parents and your new spouse’s parents?  The best thing to do is ask!  Do they want to sit with grandparents, aunts and uncles?  Or do they want some of their friends included at their table?

4. Start to group guests together.

How do you know everyone on your guest list?  Extended family, college friends, co-workers, etc.  As you start to form these groups, you will create groups of guests that most likely know each other and will enjoy conversation over dinner.

5. Think through where you place any single guests. 

It can be awkward to be the only one without a plus one at a table of couples – especially if they don’t know most of the couples well.  Place them with a group they will enjoy and they won’t notice their single stats as much.  Also, make sure your tables are set up with just the number of chairs needed.  Nothing yells “Single!” louder than an empty chair next to someone.

Work with your venue, planner or decorator to make adjustments to the table layout as needed once you have your seating chart decided.  Flexible arrangements with communal tables, estate tables, different size rounds or other unique elements will help your seating chart fit your guests and make everyone comfortable!

– Becky