It’s one of the biggest questions you’ll have to answer during wedding planning: Where is everyone going to sit? Here’s our step-by-step guide to creating a seating chart that is clear, organized, and makes everyone happy.
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Table Shapes and Sizes
You’ll also need to decide what types of tables you’ll have at your reception – round tables that seat eight to ten guests are the most common, but more and more couples are choosing long or square tables. You can customize the shape and capacity of your tables on WeddingWire’s Seating Chart Tool.
Start with Yourselves
Think about where you and your future spouse would like to sit. You can sit by yourselves at a sweetheart table, or with your wedding party, or with your immediate families. Once you’ve decided on your seating situation, you can move on to everyone else.
Consider Your VIPs
If you choose not to sit with your immediate families, ask both sets of parents who they would like to sit with, and create their tables next. Your wedding party should sit together, with their significant others – though you can have separate tables for bridesmaids and groomsmen.
Seat Guests
From there, you should be able to group the rest of your guests into table “categories” based on something they all have in common. For example, “relatives on Mom’s side” or “college friends.” If your groups are too big to fit at your tables, split them into multiple tables.
Remember Special Needs
Pay special attention to elderly guests, who should not be seated close to the band (too loud!). Also, remember that children should be seated near their parents. And be kind to your single friends – don’t seat one single friend with a group of married couples, unless those people are the only ones he or she will know at the whole wedding!