Whether your big day is just around the corner or you have weeks to go, you might want to consider how you’re going to organise your wedding reception seating plan. First, it’s important to bear in mind that your guests might change. Something can come up at the last minute; so don’t organise your plan too far in advance. In addition, you also need to be flexible – don’t write off moving things around at the last minute. With that in mind, here are some tips for getting your wedding seating plan right.
Make Sure Your Wedding Reception Seating Plan Involves Everyone
It’s amazing just how many brides and grooms construct a wedding reception seating plan, while forgetting to add in their own seats. Before you begin organising everyone else, make sure you’ve accounted for yourselves and everyone else at the top table.
On the top table subject, things can soon become a little contentious if you can’t sit both of your parents and key relatives. No matter what happens, try to make sure the distribution is fair. Tempers can soon begin to flare if the bride has more than the groom and vice versa. When you can’t fit all the key attendees onto the top table, make sure they’re sat at a table that’s close by.
Don’t create a stragglers table
Everyone has the odd guest at their wedding who doesn’t quite fit in. Maybe they don’t know anybody else, but you’ve known them since you were three feet tall. If you have a few stragglers, don’t create a table out of them. Not only is it a little lazy, it can make people feel left out. Divide the stragglers up nicely. You might even want to sit and think about who is likely to get on with who in terms of personality to ensure they don’t feel out of place.
Approach kids’ tables with caution
Unfortunately, the key time children love to go wild is usually around dinnertime. It therefore makes hardly any sense to plump them all onto one table, only for them to bounce off each other. Unless you’re planning on hiring a babysitter – yes they do exist for weddings – their parents will be running up and down every 10 seconds to establish a sense of calm. Instead, try and keep them with their parents, but consider allocating a spare table for them to play at.
Try not to create a singles’ table
Okay, so the urge to create a table from your single friends may seem a little irresistible at a wedding. The chances are, a lot of single people in attendance aren’t looking for the love of their life – they just want to have a few drinks and socialise. If you simply can’t resist creating a matchmaking situation, place one or two singles at a table together. Otherwise, your attempt at playing cupid may make for a miserable table.
Finally, don’t be afraid to mix people together when they don’t know each other. Once everyone’s over the formal humps of the day, weddings are excellent for kicking back and meeting new friends. Don’t create social divides; make sure everyone has the chance to mingle instead.
