Wedding seating charts are a must if you want to have a wedding reception that runs smoothly. The process can seem overwhelming – there are so many decisions to make, including who sits where, who sits with whom and more. It doesn’t have to be so hard though! We are going to teach you how to organize your wedding reception seating chart like a pro – from a Key West wedding planner.

The first step to creating a successful seating chart is to have an idea of how the layout of the event will be. What kind of tables do you have and where will they be set? Take note of the location of other important elements as well such as the buffet, bar, dance floor, etc.

Knowing the layout is important because you will want to make sure that your VIPs (wedding party and family) are placed strategically throughout the room. 

If you can print out your reception layout or even draw it out by hand, this will be very helpful for the next step.If you’re not a visual person, a spreadsheet will work too!

Now that you have your layout handy, you’ll want a list of the names of your guests. Color coding them will make this next step easier – we would suggest categories such as wedding party, family, friends, co-workers, etc. 

First, you will want to arrange families and/or couples so that they are sitting together. If there is more room at the table, start filling it up with people that know and like each other. It’s also just as important to sit people that may not get along, away from each other.

As mentioned earlier, you should make sure that your VIPS have a good seat. For example, you may want your wedding party and immediate family closer to where you are sitting, and not in the back corner of the room.

Some Tips to Consider

Enlist Help

If you’re having trouble filling up tables, or you have some guests that you don’t know very well, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Include your fiance in the process, especially if you don’t know their family and/or friends very well. If your parents have a lot of friends coming that you don’t really know, ask them for advice on who should sit next to who. Get with your wedding party to find out if they know of any drama between friends that you have invited – hopefully not, but you never know, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Have a Kids Table

We all want to keep the little ones occupied during a drawn out wedding reception and having tables set aside for children can be an especially useful idea. First, it allows children to have their own area in which they feel comfortable and don’t feel as restricted as they might without an assigned seating area.It will also allow the parents to enjoy their meal and mingle with other adults.

Consider Assigning the Tables Only

Instead of assigning each individual seat, you can assign each guest to a table and allow them to choose their own seat. This will save you some time, and it will let the guests have a little say in the matter.

A seating plan can mean the difference between an enjoyable reception and a chaotic mess. A neatly-organized, well-planned seating chart can help to ease the reception, keeping things moving along smoothly while getting everyone into the right places at the right times.

Contact us today to help you plan your Key West wedding!