Tempted to forgo a formal seating plan for your wedding? Want to simplify your planning and eliminate the need for wedding place cards or a seating chart? Our single word of advice on the subject: don’t. Take the time to create a seating plan to reduce your guests’ anxiety over having to find a seat while ensuring that they will be seated with someone they know wherever possible.
We’ve already shared some tips about the art of the place card, but rewind several months to the time that the wedding invitations responses start rolling in and it’s time to start planning who sits where. I can honestly say the seating chart was the most stressful part of my own wedding planning. That was before weddingwire.com.
The free seating chart tool at weddingwire is just fantastic. Upload your guest list and design your reception floor plan by specifying room dimensions and adding tables from a menu of options in all shapes and sizes. Then drag and drop guests onto your floor plan until you find their perfect table. When complete, it is easy to save your seating chart, print out the plan or a seating report, or to email the report to your wedding planner (or other family members for their review and approval!)
And as you build your perfect seating plan, be sure to consider the following:
- Don’t create a separate “singles” table that may prove awkward for your guests.
- Do create a separate kids’ table if you have several children at your wedding. If you only have a flowergirl and ringbearer, seat them with their parents.
- In the case of divorced parents, have each parent host his or her own table with close family members or friends.
- Sit friends together but also try to add a few ‘new’ people to the table. A mix of familiar faces with a few new ones is always best.
- Ask your parents to arrange seating for any of their friends who may be invited.
Now that we’ve hopefully convinced you not to skip the formal seating plan, consider LookLoveSend for a fantastic selection of wedding place cards. Coordinate place cards with your wedding invitations or select a different design to complement your reception décor or table settings. For a change to win $500 off your wedding stationery order with us, enter our free monthly sweepstakes.
