How to Arrange Wedding Seating
Tips on "Who Sits Where" at Your Reception
Here are a few things to consider when organizing your wedding seating chart:
- Decide whether you are going to have a sweetheart's table or a head table. The sweetheart table holds just the bride and groom while the head table consists of the bride, groom, and bridal party. A head table is usually elongated and faces the rest of the tables at the reception. It gives the bridal party a better opportunity to mingle and visit with other guests, as they will likely have spent countless hours together in the days leading up to the wedding. However, with a head table, it is nice for the bride and groom to be surrounded by their closest friends during the reception.
- Consider the venue. Seating decisions largely depend on the nature of your venue. Some spaces lend themselves to having a bridal party table, and some venues, such as hotels and larger venues, work better with a sweetheart's table—especially if there is some sort of a raised platform that will give the bride and groom a better view of the reception. If you are not sure which type of wedding seating plan to choose, try drawing out a map of your wedding table arrangement both ways, as this will help evaluate what would look and feel better. Also, remember that you may want your groomsmen to act as wedding ushers, which might affect where you seat them.
- Decide where you are going to put immediate family members. Traditionally, you put your family members at the table closest to you. This table does not have to include your entire family, but it should definitely include your parents and grandparents.
- Use your intuition when seating people who don't know each other. Although it may make sense to group people by who they already know, try mixing it up a bit. At each table, try putting a few people who already know each other with a few people who have never met. Inevitably, the people who are already acquainted at a wedding will find each other at some point during the reception (or on the dance floor). Mixing the tables up gives guests the opportunity to have conversations with new people. But having a table where no one knows each other can be awkward. Try to find a balance.
- Be creative with odd numbers. And, don't have a designated singles table, as this is frowned upon in wedding etiquette. However, trying to figure out where to put singles can pose a challenge due to odd numbers. If you have a single friend who does not know anyone at the wedding, try to put him or her at a table with people you know he or she would have a lot in common with. For example, if you have a friend who likes painting and film, put him or her with your college friends who were in drama club. Also, think about the guests at your reception who are warmest and most welcoming, and put people who don't know anyone with them.
- Decide on table names. It is currently the trend to give each table a name instead of a number. First, this is an opportunity to individualize your wedding, but it also avoids the perception of hierarchy. For example, if the bride and groom share a love of literature, you give each table the name of a favorite book or author.
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