Today we bring you a guest blog post about wedding seating charts from Simple Bridal. It’s very educational and will help you with creating the perfect seating chart for your upcoming wedding.
Unless your wedding is going to be very small, very casual, or will have uniformed security, creating a well-designed seating chart is one way to make sure that everything goes smoothly on the big day. Without a seating chart, people can argue over seats, creating stress for you and your spouse-to-be. A couple that arrives late may have to sit at separate tables, while the family that flew hundreds of miles to attend your wedding may end up sitting in the back of the room. Taking the time to plan a seating chart will help create a more peaceful event for everyone involved.
To create a seating chart, you will need to know the dimensions of your venue. It helps to sketch the venue, along with any exits, restrooms, and stage areas, so you can easily see where tables will and will not fit. Before creating your chart, you will need to determine how many tables are available for your use, as well as how many guests can be seated at each table. Sketching the venue and tables can be done as soon as you know how many guests will be invited. You can cut small table shapes from paper, and arrange the tables until you find a desirable layout. Don’t forget to include buffet, cake, and gift tables.
Once your guests have sent an RSVP, and you have figured out how you would like your tables arranged in the venue space, you can start creating a custom seating chart. Most likely, there will be less people attending than were invited. Make adjustments to your chart as necessary, but don’t hesitate to leave an empty table or two for unexpected guests and wedding staff. Dividing your guest list into groups such as family, co-workers, and lifelong friends is a good place to start. In general, the bride and groom are seated at the head of the table or room, with family members and close friends seated nearby. When grouping guests at a table, make sure that everyone will mix well. Be sure to seat any feuding attendees away from one another. Try to keep a variety of people at each table to keep conversation flowing. Additionally, consider any special needs of your guests. For example, disabled guests may need to be seated nearest to the exits or restrooms, while guests that are hard-of-hearing may appreciate a seat close to the action. Assigning a number to each person on your guest list is wise, as writing a name in each spot can quickly become messy and disorganized.
To ensure that your guests are seated correctly, you will need to purchase or make place cards. If you assigned a number to each guest, writing the corresponding number on the place card will help you to stay organized, especially if a caterer will be arranging the place cards on each table. Separating the place cards by table can also help eliminate confusion. Although creating a seating chart may seem like a large task, it is worth taking the time to plan a thoughtful arrangement so that your wedding is as stress-free and enjoyable as possible.
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