Ideas for Wedding Reception Seating Charts
The reception after your wedding is an important event that makes up much of the wedding cost. Seating is an important consideration, as you must blend together a large number of family members and friends in a way that makes everyone comfortable. Seating charts help to reduce the discomfort associated with unfamiliar faces, and ensure that individuals who know and enjoy one another end up situated close together.
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Bride and Groom
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Begin your seating chart by deciding on the type of bridal table you prefer. While tradition dictates that the bridal party is seated at a long, rectangular table that forms the focal point of the room, you can switch it up by opting for a smaller, circular head table with only select members of the bridal party, such as the best man and maid of honor. You can also choose a sweetheart table, which is a nice alternative to a head table. A sweetheart table is a small circular table at which only the bride and groom are seated.
No Head Table
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Another seating chart idea forgoes the notion of a head table entirely. Flirtyguide.com suggests creating a seating chart that adds two empty chairs to each table. Instead of eating your entire meal at one table during the reception, you and your spouse will spend an allotted amount of time at each table. Guests will enjoy the opportunity to converse and spend time with you on such an important day. This idea works the best for weddings with fewer guests so that each table gets some quality time with the bride and groom.
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Location and Style
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The names of guests can be displayed either alphabetically or according to the layout of the tables on a seating chart. The table designations should be listed alongside the names in alphabetical order, which is the easiest option for weddings with a large number of guests. While seating charts are often situated near the entrance of the reception, feel free to exercise your creativity in regards to the location of the seating chart as long as guests will be able to find it easily. Display the seating chart in a frame that matches the theme or decor of the wedding.
Additional Options
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As outlined on WeddingChannel.com, you can also guide your guests to their seats using place or escort cards instead of a formal seating chart. Place cards are tented cards that include the guest's name and the number of the table to which he or she is assigned. These are typically displayed in alphabetical order near the entrance to the reception. Place cards are more relaxed, allowing guests to choose their own seats at the tables. Escort cards are more formal; a card with a table number is placed inside an envelope with the guest's name printed on the front. Place cards are then used at the tables to designate the seating arrangement.
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References
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