Wedding planning has a lot of complicated tasks, but have you thought about the stress of reserving wedding seats? It’s important to have a definitive place for guests to sit, otherwise chaos will arise. It happens! But if you follow these tips, you’ll have a well-planned seating arrangement and avoid any potential conflicts. In addition, guests won’t be stressed wondering if they’re in the wrong place. It can be overwhelming to the couple and guests alike. Read on for everything you need to know!
1. Understanding the Venue Layout
First and foremost, take a look at your venue layout before you decide on concrete seating arrangements. Ask the venue how many tables you’ll need, how they can be arranged, and how many guests at each they recommend. Some tables are large enough for 10 guests to comfortably sit, while others max out at 8 – and can be quite uncomfortable if you try to squeeze in any chairs.
Ask the venue coordinator if they recommend where other tables should go, like the cake table, entry table, and DJ booth or live band, so you can anticipate where to seat guests according to the best spaces for them. For instance, you may not want to seat certain guests at a spot close to the DJ speakers, since it will be extremely loud all night. In addition, parents with young children may benefit from a seat a bit more in the back, so they can quickly make a beeline for the lobby in case of baby crying or fussing during toasts. ;)
Ask your venue for a floor plan, either digitally or on paper. It will have measurements and showcase different table layouts so you can decide how your reception seating will be set up. Use it to decide where the head table or sweetheart table will go (which is where you and your partner will sit), along with where cake, favors, guest book, entry table, and other decorations will go.
Next, let’s talk about the guest list. I know it’s a tough task – which makes right now the perfect time to tackle it!
2. Create a Guest List
If you did not complete your final guest list yet, do that first. You cannot make a seating chart until you have a final guest list.
NEED HELP? Read: How to Cut Your Guest List Without Hurting Feelings.
Once your list is all set, organize guests into certain groups, like family, friends, coworkers, etc. to make it easier to arrange tables at the wedding reception.
Figure out how you’ll handle potential conflicts of certain guests sitting together – like divorced or estranged family members. Sometimes it’s better to keep ’em separated. :)
Once your guests list is complete, you’re ready to move on to the next step: mapping out the seating chart.
3. Map Out Your Seating Plan
Then, decide which tables you’ll seat important family members, like your immediate family, grandparents, etc. It’s helpful to seat families together, especially those with young kids. In addition, consider seating guests at the same table that have similar interests or hobbies, or with people they are already familiar. And if you’re feeling like playing matchmaker, don’t do it: creating a singles table is never a good idea, and makes everyone feel awkward.
How to List Names on Seating Chart By Table
You can play around with wedding seating chart templates or use online wedding planning software, like this app called Seating Chart Maker, or this visual seating tool called Visual Paradigm. They can be very helpful in keeping your seats organized.
Some couples prefer to do it “the old fashioned way”, which is to use sticky notes on paper plates. Write names on the sticky notes, use the paper plates as “tables”, and seat guests with 8 to 10 at each. This way, you can keep moving around the sticky notes until you get everyone seated perfectly. Then, number the tables on your floor plan, and write down each guest’s table number on paper.
Reserving Seats at Your Ceremony
Once you’ve done this, it is important to consider your ceremony seating.
The ceremony does not have a seating chart, but rather, open seating to an extent. Traditionally, the bride’s family sits on the left side of the ceremony, while the groom’s family sits on the right. However, that’s not necessarily the case. These days, guests can choose to sit anywhere they’d like (hence this popular signage you’ve probably seen once or twice before).
However, there is one unspoken rule: NO ONE sits in the first two rows at the ceremony unless:
a) you’re an attendant or an immediate family member
b) you’re invited to do so by the couple themselves
And although this is pretty common knowledge, you’d be surprised how many people want a good seat and take a chair for themselves in that very spot.But don’t worry, here are two ways to reserve seating at a wedding ceremony for your VIP family members and wedding party.
Ushers
If you’re having ushers, great! They’ll usher guests into the proper seats and avoid having anyone sit in the first few rows unless they’re on your list.
PRO TIP: Give ushers gifts for doing a good job, they’ll appreciate it!
Signs
A reserved sign goes a long way in keeping guests out of reserved spots. Most times, guests simply don’t know where to sit, so having a sign letting them know is essential. Add reserved signs like these to the ends of the rows where immediately family and VIP guests will be sitting.
See? It’s as easy as that. :)
Now you’ve got your guest list set, your seating plan is on paper, and you are all set with reserving seats at your ceremony. Now you’re ready for the next step: communicating with guests. It is the key to a successful seating plan.
Communicating with Guests
One of the most important aspects is communicating the seating plan with guests. By including it in a large seating chart that cannot be missed, as well as ‘reserved’ signs on certain tables or chairs, you can be sure that guests understand where they are to be seated.
Place the seating chart at the front of your reception so it is 100% unmissable. It is the most effective way to communicate wedding seating with guests. I use Minted for seating charts for our clients. I can always find one that coordinates nicely with their decor – and the quality of the sign and the printing is always top-notch.
► You can browse a plethora of pretty designs here.
Last but not least, let’s put it all together and finalize it!
Last Minute Changes
Most of the time, your seating chart is all ready to go and has an effortless flow – everyone has a seat, no one has any issue. Nice! I hope that’s the case for you, I really do.
But sometimes there are adjustments to make, unexpected guests, or last-minute changes in RSVPs, so it’s helpful to keep an open mind. Sometimes, guests simply don’t show up – it happens. It’s OK if that means some of your seats are empty. But if you know ahead of time that an entire table won’t be able to make it, or some tables look sparse, it is helpful to redo the seating chart to fill it in as best as you can.
Why? Well, your wedding will feel and look more full if there aren’t many empty spaces, even if that means changing around your plan and seating some guests together vs. the original setup. In addition, it will look nicer in your wedding photos without empty tables in view.
Conclusion
As you’ve seen here, it’s important to reserve wedding seats so your guests feel welcome, have a nice place to sit, and will be seated by similar guests for nice dinner conversation. In addition, it’s helpful to avoid guests grabbing any chair they want and sitting at what should be VIP seats for your immediate family members. Last but not least, if you’re worried guests will take seats in your first few rows at the ceremony, simply add those ‘reserved’ signs I talked about. They are extremely helpful to have.
I hope this answers all your questions on reserving wedding seats and makes the process as stress-free as possible. Once you have that venue layout, the guest list set, and the seating plan ready, you’re good to go! You’ll be on your way to communicating the guest list to your family and friends, eliminating stress and making everyone comfortable along the way. I hope this answers your questions, but if not, feel free to ask anything on this topic in the comments below and I’ll swoop in to help.
NEED MORE ADVICE? Watch my video: 7 Biggest Seating Chart Mistakes to Avoid.
Happy Planning!
xo
Emma
