Wedding Seating Arrangements
What do you do if your parents are divorced, your cousins don’t see eye-to-eye and your close friends are in the midst of a friendship crisis leaving you stressing about wedding seating arrangements?
First of all, don’t panic! While planning wedding seating arrangements can be one of the trickiest parts of putting the whole day together, it doesn’t have to be complicated and there are ways to keep it simple.
When to start planning your wedding seating arrangements
Believe it or not, you can get started on wedding seating arrangements early in the planning stages. Once you have a rough idea of your chosen venue and the table layout, you can put down the foundations for your seating chart and start deciding who to put together and who to keep well away from each other!
Depending on the style of the wedding, you have a variety of options to choose from. If you’re laidback and trust your guests enough, you can let them choose their own seats. But if you have been to enough weddings (and at Ballara Receptions, we certainly have!) the best option to go with is a formal seating plan. This gives everyone a place to sit without any hassles or stress about sitting somewhere they shouldn’t. It also shows you have taken the time to consider everyone in the process.
In saying that, you still have to consider a number of factors when assigning seats. Obviously there are situations when not all guests get along or times when not all guests know each other, so it pays to think about different personality types and potential clashes when planning.
Table Dynamics
Another aspect you need to consider when arranging seating is how you want the dynamic of your tables to be. Do you stick with traditions like the bridal table, family tables, friends at another table and a singles table? Ultimately, you need to decide what will work best in your situation and what will suit the theme of your day.
But remember, when you seat your guests, be considerate. And if you get stuck, especially with those guests that you aren’t too familiar with (you know, the ones you have to invite!) call in the parents and soon to be in-laws to help with that section. It’ll take the heat off you and give them a little input as well.
What else do you need to think about with seating arrangements?
- If you have a designated table for children, it pays to keep them close to their parents where possible.
- You don’t always have to have a singles table! They don’t necessarily want to be “singled” out or be matched up with other singles.
- Place cards can be a great help for guests to find their seat.
- Displaying your seating chart with guest names near the front entrance can be a helpful way for guests to know where they are seated.
- Be accommodating where possible, but always prepare for last minute changes!
Planning wedding seating arrangements doesn’t have to be a stressful event. At Ballara Receptions, we’re here to help with every aspect of your wedding day plans.
Get in touch with our superstar team to find out more.