How to Plan Dinner Party Seating

Diplomatic careers have advanced and derailed over a simple thing like dinner seating. Think of yourself as the ambassador of the table and set up the seating to maximize your guests' enjoyment.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Write your guests' names on place cards.
2. Put yourself in the seat closest to the kitchen for quick getaways. Move clockwise around the table to map out the rest of the guests. Don't sit the hosts next to each other--spread them out to better cover the dinner table territory.
3. Consider conflicting political affiliations, career connections, activities and athletic pursuits or travel interests when seating guests. Spark the conversation with introductions such as "John, have you met Sally? She just got back from the same area of Thailand you visited last year."
4. Rotate. Have two people from each table move to another table for dessert and coffee. If you've got one long table, ask every third person to take his or her wineglass and fork, and rotate between courses (when plates are cleared anyway).
5. Set up a buffet and let your guests sit wherever they want.
6. Manage troublesome, loud or contentious guests by giving them a job to do: mix drinks, help in the kitchen or serve appetizers.

Tips & Warnings

• Place low-maintenance guests to your right and left. You'll be away from the table from time to time and need to make sure your companions will be comfortable without you there.
• Seating charts can be done a day or two in advance or as soon as you have your RSVPs. You don't want to be playing musical chairs on the night of your dinner party.
• It's a time-honored custom to separate couples so that they mingle with other guests.

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