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Seating Chart

lovemesomemonsterlovemesomemonster member
First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
in Wedding Reception Forum
How on earth did all of you figure out your seating chart!? I have to get final numbers at each table to my venue tomorrow and I'm sitting here staring at it and struggling!!! I'm trying to get groups of people I think will have something in common but numbers at each are beginning to be a problem.

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Re: Seating Chart

  • 100yroldblinddog100yroldblinddog member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    I know I'm further away from this issue than you are, but I can tell you that I have never been pissed off about my seat at a wedding. As long as you take care of any family accommodations and then try to put a pair of people who know/like each other at each table, I think you're fine. People can get up and mingle where they'd like to. They really only have to sit down for dinner.
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  • tigerlily6tigerlily6 member
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    Are there any tables where it makes sense not to use all available seats/ add some extra room? For example, any guests (grandparents?) who may have a handicap and have a walker or wheelchair? Families with kids who might need high chairs or an might appreciate some extra sprawl room (diaper bag and kid coats)? I only have a rough draft of a seating chart drawn up right now, accounting for all possible guests. That number doesn't divide equally to fill all tables, either, but I realized that for some tables, it may make sense to have an open seat. I'd be interested in any tips from the pros too, though. 
                        


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  • lovemesomemonsterlovemesomemonster member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    I have between 7 and 9 people per table, I'm not planning on making them even. The problem is a family with 5 and then one with 3, then a random single while keeping people in social circles together.. ugh.. nightmare!

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  • lyndausvilyndausvi mod
    First Anniversary First Answer 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    I found the seating chart to be easy.    Although I had a lot of self made groups.  I had tables of 7 to 10 people.  So that helped also.

    I made a spreadsheet.  One column per table.  Started plopping in names based on groups.    Then filled in the randoms where I could (although I didn't really have many randoms).

    I solicited help from my MIL for their side.  






    What differentiates an average host and a great host is anticipating unexpressed needs and wants of their guests.  Just because the want/need is not expressed, doesn't mean it wouldn't be appreciated. 
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  • lnixon8lnixon8 member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    As long as every person is seated with their date you are fine. Don't bend over backward and cause yourself more stress by trying and find common conversations (hobbies, sports teams, age etc.) Depending on what your serving these people may only be sitting together for 30 minutes. They will say hi, introduce themselves, say how they know the bride/groom and then eat.

    *That being said, you know your crowd. Put your partier 22 year old cousins with your grooms 30 year old partier cousins, not the grooms 70 year old recovering alcoholic poppop. 


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  • lembasloverlembaslover member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment First Answer
    I made a spreadsheet and put everyone's name and then a group ie. bride family, groom family, bride friend, groom friend, work then sorted by the groups. For me it worked out that each group got a table and the numbers were close to even (small wedding). But I think if you look at it from small groups first it'll be easier to figure then a giant guest list of everyone. You could get more specific too and break the smaller lists into like immediate family, cousins, college friends, high school friends.

    You could mix and match a bit also so say after making tables for both of your friends you realize that there are 4 left over on each side then just combine them and don't worry too much. After eating people weren't really at their tables too much except to go back and get a drink so they really just need to make it through a meal (if you are having a meal). 
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  • climbingsingleclimbingsingle member
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    I asked my parents and my MIL who they wanted to sit with. Then, I grouped people either by if they knew each other or had similar interests. I sat my old co-worker and her husband with my old internet friend, because I knew they grew up in towns in Jersey close to each other and they're the same age. And that worked our perfectly because they had a blast sitting next to each other. I put some of my H's sailing buddies with some of his climbing buddies.

    Don't stress too much. Just try to group in what makes sense.
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  • lovemesomemonsterlovemesomemonster member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    Thanks for giving me some relief from my moment of crazy.. The seating chart is done and we are ready to go in a week! I like to be able to move things not on a computer so I cut out round tables out of paper and used sticky notes to move people around them on a cork board, now I'm getting more excited for the day to be here!!!

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