Dinner Seating Protocol

It's best to follow proper etiquette when being seated at a dinner party.

If you've been invited to a dinner party or are hosting one soon, you should be aware of the seating protocol associated with such an event. Displaying this aspect of etiquette will give the celebration the formal feel that you may be trying to accomplish.

Guest of Honor Seating

If the dinner is to honor a woman, the host of the party should lead the woman to her seat--this is also the time for other guests to make their way to the table and stand by their chairs. The host pulls out the seat to the right of the head chair and seats her. If the guest of honor is a man, the hostess will allow the gentleman to lead her to the head of the table, and he is to be seated at her right.

Seating for Women

The remaining women at dinner are to be seated by the gentleman who is to their left. The men are to remain standing until the hostess has taken her seat. If there is a woman at the party who is not escorted by a male companion, the man who is closest to her left should seat her.

Seating With No Guest of Honor

For a dinner where there are no guests of honor, the seats at the head of the table are reserved for the eldest dinner guest or guests. The head table seats can also be occupied by the closest friends of the dinner guests, even if they are not husband and wife. It is also proper etiquette to provide place cards at the dinner table, especially if guests do not know each other well. The card should include Mr., Mrs. or Ms. followed by the person's last name. If there are two guests with the same last name, it is appropriate to create cards with their first and last name (plus Mr., Mrs. or Ms.), or the first initial and last name.

References

• Cooking and Tips: The Etiquette of Seating or Who Sits Where
• Real Simple: Solutions to Dinner Party Seating Problems