Here we go! 10 cousins, 5 nephews, 15 college friends, 2 neighbors you played “the floor is lava” in the childhood with, and all your close relatives and friends are invited to share the most important day of your life. You’re trying to do everything possible to appease the guests – ordering good food, preparing cute party favors, hiring an amazing DJ and decorating a reception hall the best possible way.
However, the guest experience starts before the dinner is served. Let’s skip the arrival, ceremony, and cocktail hour parts for now. It’s a Reception time. What is the first question coming up in your mind? Exactly – where am I supposed to sit? Even though it is not important for ones, it can be crucial for others.
So, consider these tips while creating your seating plan.
1. Consider relationships between guests you’re planning to invite to one table. Maybe they haven't spoken in years, or, literally, have a communication tension with each other. Try to keep them as far apart as possible.
2. Don’t insist on kids seating with parents, unless it is requested by parents or kids are too young. Kids will have much more fun having their own table and chatting with same age guys, rather than stick to their parents. But! If you have only flower girls and a ring bearer, seat them with their parents.
3. Don’t create separate “singles” tables, but, at the same time, avoid seating one unmarried guest to the family table. It will be pretty awkward.
4. Create a good seating chart. Even though the place cards (the cards that indicate a particular seat at the table) are not mandatory (we still love to make the special ones:), the seating chart is a must!
- Use a decent font. Meaning: a font size – yes, your granny should be able to read it; and a font type that reflects a style of your wedding – you don’t want it to be an aggressive edgy font for your romantic classic wedding. - Consider the proper placement of your seating chart (depends on your venue). You don’t want guests to come back far away if they accidentally forgot the number of their table right before the reception.
5. The last but not least and our favorite tip – hire a hostess/ask your wedding coordinator or venue manager to assist guests with this process. It looks pretty simple at the first sight. However, when many people try to find their seats at the same time, it can cause lines and crowds, especially at a big wedding. So, yes, an assistant can be a good help here! Another option is to make an alphabetical seating chart, but, honestly, it won’t look so attractive with uneven columns. Use escort cards instead.
Handling a guest list, creating proper seating assignments, managing RSVPs and resolving last-minute changes can be tough. We know how to make this process flawless and smooth, so don’t hesitate to contact us.
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