How to Make a Wedding Reception Seating Chart
If you are hosting a large wedding reception, a seating arrangement chart is a courteous provision for your guests. This is especially true if the guests do not all know one another, as throwing them all together at a meal could lead to couples being split up or guests being seated with people unfamiliar to them. Therefore, clearly indicating at the reception venue's entrance where people are to sit is an important consideration to make when planning a large event.
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Things You'll Need
- List of confirmed wedding guests
- Seating chart template
- Table number cards
- Place cards
Instructions
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Draw an overhead view of the reception venue's table layout, including how many people may sit at each table. Give each table a name or number so that all the guests will know their place immediately. Additionally, confirm the list of guests who have accepted their invitation so you don't make room for those who aren't attending.
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Arrange the head table. This will include you, your new spouse, both sets of parents, the maid of honor and the best man. If the table is large, you may seat your bridesmaids and groomsmen with you, too.
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Keep family members in the tables nearest to the head table. You immediate family should be the closest and, if they all can't fit at a single table, your extended family should be seated just beyond.
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Take special cases into consideration. Seat elderly people near disabled access points, if necessary, and close to those who will be giving speeches throughout the evening so that they can hear everything. Additionally, position pregnant women near the restrooms so that they can make discreet exits as needed. Devise a children's table if you are going to have many young guests.
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Seat your work friends, college friends and acquaintances together. In this way, they will each have someone to talk to at their own table. However, if there are two coworkers who cannot bear one another, pair them each off with a friend so that they both have someone with whom they can talk. Never force an outsider to join a group of good friends on her own, as she will feel left out for the remainder of the night. Making sure that your guests are at ease throughout the evening is the key to a successful reception.
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Finalize the seating plan and anchor the design of your wedding seating chart to the reception's overall theme. The chart should represent an overhead view of the venue so that guests can find their assigned seats with ease. Additionally, put table numbers on each table and place cards at each guest's seat.
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References
Resources
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