6 Helpful Wedding Seating Arrangements Tips

To assign seats at your reception or not to assign seats? This is the question.....

If you want to assign seats here are a few things to consider and or think about when planning the seating plans.

1. Where do you want to sit? Here is the time to be selfish. Think about how you want to sit.

Sweetheart- a small table of just you and the room often times. This situation is nice if you have a large bridal party and they would rather sit with their significant others. Or if you you have a very small bridal party and only one person on each side you can always sit 4 at this table.

Traditional- Think of the last supper and everyone sitting facing the guests. While this is traditional in a sense more brides are opting to ditch this idea. Its not

conversational at all and can sometimes feel like you are on trial. To freshen this idea up and make it easier to see your bridal party think of angling tables towards each other in a V shape are sit family style around the tables.

Other ideas would be to have some tables designated at the center or top of your venue reserved for the bridal party.

2. Who do you want to sit near you?

When figuring out your seating plan start from your table and work your way out. Think of who you want to be close to hear all the toasts and see you and the groom. From here branch out to the outer tables with not as close family members and friends. The ones that no matter where they sit will have a good time.

3. Consider families and their relationships.

Don't we all have that one aunt that no one can stand? If not then ignore that statement. When seating people especially with divided families think of how close people will be to one another. If you have divorced families you can also assign one side of the venue his family and one hers. This way you can space them out a little.

If you are also having children consider the extra noise they may cause during important parts of the reception. Putting them on the outskirts of the venue will help with that noise and make exiting easy for parents if they become unruly. They wont create a scene leaving with a screaming child in the middle of the first dance.

4. How much space per table? How many seated at each table?

As a rule of thumb you want to allocate 10 sq ft per table. Whether its a long rectangular table or round. This will allow guests to freely move out of their seat throughout the night. Also you want to consider with that many people in an area everyone needs a little personal space. For how many guests to seat at a table please reference below.

Round Tables

48 " Round- Seat 6

60" Round- Seat 8

72" Round- Seat 10

Rectangular

6' Long- Seat 6

8' Long- Seat 8

**As a rule of thumb try not to seat people at the ends of the longs tables. It not only clogs up walkways but most tables have the legs close to the ends. The legs will not allow guests to sit closely to the table and will be troublesome.

5.Consider what the guests are sitting near

At the wedding you'll have the food, bar, dance floor and desserts. Think about peoples capabilities to get around. For instance unless your grandma is a party animal a seat near the bar isnt going to be her favorite spot. However your 21 year old cousin Mary is going to be pumped to be close to the bottomless vodka cranberries.

Your grandma and close family are going to be more concerned with watching the events than getting a drink. With that being said Mary will be up on the dance floor all night while your grandma will want to watch from her seat.

6. BE FLEXIBLE!!

If you take this part to seriously then you are going to go nuts. People will get along at their table because there is always the awkward table of the misfits. go with the flow and focus on the more important aspects of your day.

Cheers :)

-Macy