How to Seat a Wedding Table

A planned seating arrangement for your wedding reception keeps things organized.

Assigning seats for your wedding tables ensures everyone has a place to sit without having to scramble. It may seem like allowing your guests to choose their seats would be easier, but it doesn't always work out that way. Assign seats to ensure all of your guests are comfortable, and those who don't get along aren't seated together. It takes some time to plan your seating arrangement, but it will make your wedding day go much more smoothly.

Things You'll Need

• Graph paper
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Small sticky notes

Instructions

1. Write down each guest's name on a small sticky note. This will save you time, as you can change your seating arrangement without too much hassle.

2. Draw a floor plan that represents the tables and chairs at your reception. Seeing it on paper should help you picture it in your mind clearly.

3. Assign the most important seats first; this includes the wedding party, your parents and other special relatives. Receptions typically feature a head table, where the couple sits with the wedding party -- or a sweetheart table where the couple sits alone. This allows your wedding party to sit with their own significant others.

4. Fill in the other seats. Make sure to seat elderly guests where they can see and hear; and remember they need to have easy access to the restrooms. Seat children together, if they are old enough to sit away from their parents -- and always keep couples together. Try to ensure that people know at least one other person at the table. Split up groups evenly, so one person isn't by herself while the rest of the group is at their own table. Avoid sitting feuding friends or relatives together, whenever possible.

5. Rearrange your sticky notes as often as necessary. Things may change before the big day. For example, your cousins who are best friends, may suddenly stop getting along two weeks before the wedding. Avoid unnecessary drama by rearranging your seating chart to split them up.

Tips & Warnings

• Use place cards to direct guests to their seats. These can double as a favor, if you use a fancy frame.

• Make a couple of extra place cards and plan a couple of extra place settings, just in case unexpected guests show up.

References

• Perfect Table Plan: Seating Plan Hints and Etiquette
• Wedding Channel: Reception Seating Etiquette Musts
• The Knot: Wedding Reception Etiquette: Seating at the Bridal Party Head Table?
• Your Wedding 101: Wedding Reception Seating