Wedding Table Planner & Seating Chart Workbook {Wedding Planning Series}

Wedding Table Seating Planning

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In a former Wedding Planning Series feature, we dished out awesome advice for How to plan your guest list {Wedding Planning Series} by dealing with a few tricky guest list situations! This Tuesday we share top tips for seating your wedding guests.

Even if you’re keen to dodge this task or delegate it to someone else like your wedding planner or mum, planning your wedding table seating is something that you and your hubby-to-be may have to personally see to as you’re likely to know most of your guests best. Soak up our prized tips below to guide you along your way and be sure to grab our heaven-sent freebie Wedding Seating and Table Planning Worksheet printable to add to your wedding planning file!

Get Your Free Wedding Seating & Table Planning Sheet Printable

While referring to your list of wedding guests who have confirmed their attendance, download and use our free Wedding Seating and Table Planning Sheet Workbook printable to help you arrange your seating in record time, minus the sweat and tears!

General Wedding Table Seating Tips

Plan enough time for your wedding table seating planning - A mouthful indeed! Even if you’re dreading the thought of planning who sits next to who, rather put aside enough time to get it done, so as to avoid making last minute mistakes.

Expect last minute changes by being prepared - Last minute RSVPs or cancellations are inevitable and should be prepared for! Although you should start your table seating planning as soon as your response cut-off date has arrived, try to add your finishing touches to it as close to your wedding date as possible. This will allow you to update your seating plan or escort cards accordingly. An easily editable seating plan created from a blackboard or mirror background are perfect for making hasty last minute changes.

Plan your guest table seating according to your venue - Get a copy of the floor plan of your venue so you can visualise the venue and consider any immovable structures such as walls or pillars and so you know where the entrances, exits and lavatories are.

Assign your guests a table, not a seat - As opposed to having no seating plan at a more informal affair, which could get a little tricky; allocate your wedding guests a table number or name and allow them choose their own seat.

Aim for no more than 10 guests per table - Of course this depends on the type of table (round or rectangular), but between 6 to 10 guests per table is ideal for guests to sit comfortably and chat.

Have a seating plan or two as a guide for your guests - More traditional weddings call for a seating plan that allows for the seamless seating of your guests. Displaying a large seating plan or two will easily direct your guests to their table minus the traffic jam usually caused at larger weddings!

TIPS FOR SEATING GUESTS AT THE HEAD TABLE

Choose between a top table, sweetheart table or other - Depending on how formal or casual your wedding is and your personal preference, you can either have a traditional top table that seats the newlyweds and a few members of the bridal party or a cute sweetheart table for just the two of you. Then again, place your own twist on tradition by mixing it up with a few close friends and family at the table where you are sitting!

Sit within facing view of your guests - Whatever seating option you choose, try to position your table and seating within facing view and easy reach of your guests.

TIPS FOR SEATING GUESTS AT YOUR WEDDING

Make sure each guest knows and gets along with someone at their table – Remember that a wedding is an event that your guests may look forward to and enjoy catching up with long lost friends and family members, so try to place them near to other guests that they do know and get along with. Create tables where each guest or couple knows and gets along with at least one other person or couple and would enjoy the occasion even if they didn’t click with the rest of the table. If you can avoid it, don’t attempt to place your guests at tables with others that they don’t see eye-to-eye with.

Seat guests at a table where they have shared interests and backgrounds - This is especially important when seating guests who are not part of a group such as your family, close group of friends or colleagues. Mix ‘leftover’ guests across the rest of your tables where common interests or backgrounds are shared. If possible, allow guests who are likely not to know anyone else or to be seated near to anyone that they know, to bring along a plus-one.

Seat groups of guests together where possible - Try to seat couples, groups of friends, family members and work colleagues together at their own tables and mix in a few single or leftover guests.

Reach for the icebreakers to well…break the ice - If you can’t avoid splitting up guests or would prefer to push your guests to get to know your friends and family better by seating them at a table full of strangers, then break the ice by having fun table games or quizzes.

Seat older guests carefully - Consider that older guests may appreciate being seated closer to the lavatories and where the speeches are being held, yet further away from blaring loud speakers, the dance floor and a noisy kids table.

Consider your guest’s seating needs - For instance, pregnant guests or guests with wheelchairs may need more space at their table and closer access to exits and lavatories.

TIPS FOR SEATING CHILDREN AT YOUR WEDDING

Seat younger kids with their folks - It will be easier for everyone if younger children are seated with their parents. Coloring books and crayons, comics and similar amusing distractions can be useful to keep smaller kids entertained.

Seat older children at their own table - Older children and teens may appreciate having a table to themselves, preferably closer to the back of the room or exits so they can move about.

Get Your Free Wedding Seating & Table Planning Sheet Workbook

Plan your wedding seating like a professional with our free Wedding Seating & Table Planning Sheet Workbook printable from our weekly Wedding Planning Series.

PS. Signed up already? Using the password sent to you when you first signed up, gain access to this freebie and more by visiting our downloads section.

For tracking your wedding guest RSVPs, grab our free Guest Tracker Workbook FREEBIE {Wedding Planning Series} plus a few crucial tips for collecting your guests’ yays and nays in record time!

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