How to Create Seating Charts
Seating charts are a must for organizing an event and ensuring that guests are seated appropriately. Seating charts are indispensable for a classroom when a teacher must be able to recall the names of all of her students and ensure that there are no fights over who sits where. No matter what kind of event or function you are planning, you can create a seating chart with a few basic tools. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Large piece of paper
- Pencil
- Ruler
- Geometry stencil with large circle and square shapes
- Highlighters
Instructions
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Make a sketch of the room or venue where your class or group will be seated. Use the stencil to draw the shapes of the tables on your piece of paper.
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2
Draw obstacles, exits, and other important features on your paper. This will be useful information for when you make your seating chart. For example, you may want to seat important guests near a stage or students with learning disabilities towards the front of the room. Make sure you note where the exits are and if there are any specific features for persons with disabilities. For example, there may be a handicapped ramp at one door.
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3
Count the number of seats available at each table and write that number in the center of the table.
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Assign a number to each table in order of importance or proximity to the stage or teacher. For example, the bride and groom should be seated at table "1" in a wedding reception seating chart.
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Color code your attendee or student list with the highlighters. For example, at a presentation you might highlight important guests with one color highlighter, non important guests with another color, and guests with certain restrictions or disabilities with other colors. At a wedding, you might color code guests of the groom, guests of the bride, children, close family, and out of town relatives.
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Start at the first table. Highlight the table with the color of the first group of people to be seated. For example, if your VIPs are purple, color the table purple. Write the names of all your VIPs in the seats. When you run out of room, move to table 2.
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Continue highlighting and writing in the names of the guests at each table.
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When you have finished the seating chart, double check it against the guest or attendee list. Pay particular attention to guests with special needs.
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Tips & Warnings
If you have a themed party, name your tables instead of numbering them.. For example, a children's event with a fantasy theme might have a "dragons" table.
