Have a Seat

For some brides and their mothers, deciding on seating arrangements at the reception and trying to engineer the “perfect” mix of guests at each table is one of the hardest and most overwhelming planning tasks. Although it may be tempting to give up and let people sit where they want, having a seating plan will make everything go smoother, will make your guests feel welcome and will help to avoid confusion or misunderstanding over seating arrangements. And less confused people are people who are more pleased with where they are and what they are doing.

We recommend two options for creating a seating plan:

• Table Assignment - Guests are assigned to tables but may choose their actual seat.
• Seating Assignment - You assign a table and a specific chair where your guest will sit.

Which option you select will depend upon how formal or how organized you want your wedding reception to be.

Table Assignment

If you decide on table assignments, have a seating chart or escort cards prominently displayed at the entrance to the venue with guests' last names arranged in alphabetical order.

Seating Assignment

If you decide on assigned seating, you will also need place cards.
Place cards are placed at each place setting to ensure guests sit in the correct seats.

These place cards will be placed on the tables in front of the designated seat assignment prior to the guest's arrival.  In the case of a table service meal, these place cards can also indicate the individual's menu selection - which will assist the catering service staff. (For example: a blue dot or ribbon for chicken, a red dot or ribbon for beef)

A simple way to get started

Start by writing each guest's name on a 3 x 5 card, using one card per guest. Like a deck of cards, start making piles for each table, moving the cards around from table to table until you're entirely happy. Once you have the cards grouped by table, you can then work table-by-table to seat each guest, deciding who will sit next to whom. And finally, to be entirely clear and leave nothing to chance, place a star on the card of the guest that will be seated at the 12 o'clock position so when it comes time to place the seating cards around the table your guests will be seated exactly as you planned.

Here are some seating tips to consider:

• Seat people together with common interests (hobbies, occupations, etc.)
• Try to seat each person next to at least one other person they already know
• Be considerate of your elderly guests and seat them away from the speakers or the band
• Seat children with their parents or at a special table just for them
• Consider naming your tables instead of giving them a number (Choose names based on your wedding theme, places you've visited or would like to visit. It may give unacquainted guests something to talk about)
• Try to place pregnant, elderly, or disabled guests, or guests with small children where they have easy access to the restrooms