Have A Seat! Should You Make A Seating Plan For Your Guests?

One question brides face is whether or not to make a seating plan for the guests at the reception. On one hand, a seating plan ensures that your tables are balanced and that everyone at the reception has a place to sit. On the other hand, creating a seating plan is a lot of work that an already stressed bride-to-be may not care to address!

A seating plan is a lot of work. If you decide to go this route, you’ll need to make sure that your tables are relatively balanced, and that guests who come solo feel welcome and comfortable, without feeling like they’re being set up with other eligible singles.

You’ll also need to avoid uncomfortable seating situations. Do not seat divorced parents at the same table, unless you (and they) are certain they can be civil throughout the event. Instead, give each parent his or her own space, and seat them with close friends who can lend support or make a potentially tense situation more bearable.

Resist the temptation to seat the parents of the bride and groom together. While newly minted in-laws may welcome the opportunity to get to know each other, it’s more likely that they will want to sit with their closest friends.

Avoid setting tables close to the venue’s kitchen, if possible. Likewise, avoid seating guests too close to the bar. These “high-traffic” areas make it difficult for guests to enjoy the reception.

If you will be serving dinner, and have offered a choice of entrees, you’ll need to indicate your guests’ menu choices unobtrusively to the wait staff. A symbol on the guests’ name card, or a colored piece of paper at their place setting will work just fine. Alternately, you could seat guests who have selected the same entrée together, to minimize confusion for the wait staff.

Seating plans can be a challenge, but they can also make your guests feel comfortable and create a delightful, enjoyable experience for them.

Keywords: Wedding Planning, Weddingblog, Wedding

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