Planning every detail for your wedding can be time-consuming, especially when figuring out where everyone will sit. But remember, a seating chart isn’t just a tool; it’s a key to ensuring that all your guests find the best spot for enjoying the celebration. Wedding table seating is ‘right’ when your guests are comfortable, and seated with a group that will have a great time together.
Need help determining what style or theme to go with for your wedding seating chart? Then look no further because we’re here to help!
The Classic Seating Chart
Before you start getting creative with your seating chart, it’s helpful to know what’s the conventional starting point. The traditional take on wedding seating arrangements goes like this: the bridal party is seated at the focal point of the room, sometimes on a raised platform (like the king and queen in a movie about the Middle Ages). The newlyweds sit at the center, and the bridal party fans out beside them.
In this wedding seating scenario, the newlyweds’ parents – grandparents too – all sit together at a single parents’ table in the second-most prominent spot in the room (as close to the newlyweds as possible). In the rest of the room, guests are seated in groups that reflect why they’re there. Friends from college, work, or distant family! They’re seated together this way so that they’ll know their neighbors.
For very traditional weddings or weddings with a formal dress code, place cards would be expected. If you don’t know what a place card is, we’ve got your back! Place cards are small cards placed on the table to let each person know where they’re expected to sit.
Modern Seating Chart
Today, couples play with these wedding seating arrangements in many ways. As you organize your wedding table seating, consider tweaks like these:
- The couple can sit together at a small table just for them, or as it’s known in the wedding world, a sweetheart table!
- The bridal party can be seated at tables throughout the room and act as good-time coordinators throughout the event.
- Parents and grandparents can be goodwill ambassadors, too, if they’re seated with their friends or family members rather than as a single unit of ‘parents.’
- Guests can be assigned a table but not a specific seat.
Pro Tip: Don’t finalize your seating chart until you’ve got those RSVPs locked down. We’re all about making memories, not awkward empty chairs!
Creative Wedding Seating Chart Ideas
Foam Board
This is a simple way to inform guests which table they should sit at. All you need is the foam board and an easel to put it on.
Personalized Thank You Cards
Combine thanking your guests and telling them where to sit all in one. On the outside of the envelope, put their name and table assignment. Include in the thank you card how much they mean to you and why you’re thankful they’ve come to celebrate your special day!
Acrylic Board
Acrylic boards are an alternative option to posters as they give an air of sophistication to any wedding reception. You won’t have to worry about your sign being ruined if it rains on your parade. With see-through and frosted options, our acrylic signs can fit into any reception theme.
Chalkboard Sign
If you are a creative person, then this will be a fun way to add a personal touch to your seating chart. Your guests will appreciate the extra time it took you to create it!
Now that you’ve set the scene and everyone knows where to sit, it’s your turn to relax and get the party started! Listen to the band or DJ play every beloved song as the night rolls on until it’s time for your fashionable exit. If you did anything different for your seating chart, please share it in the comments, as we’d love to hear from you.
Lucy is a Content Specialist at Zazzle in Cork, Ireland. Originally from America, she is now settled in Ireland with her husband and Corgi-mix puppy Dug (yes, like from Disney’s UP!). It’s the simple things in life that matter, so give her a bag of M&M’s and she’s happy. She loves to relax with a good book, cozy up on the couch for a movie, or go to the park for a stroll with the family.
