If you are having a seated wedding breakfast following your ceremony, it is advisable to have a seating plan for your guests to ensure that everyone has a place to sit, preferably with people that they know and to avoid any arguments. It will certainly help make the transition from your drinks reception to your wedding breakfast much smoother and quicker. Here at Briar House Barns we know that deciding on a suitable seating plan that keeps all of your guests happy can be tricky, so here are a few tips to help make it a little easier.
Firstly, you will need to make sure that all of your invited guests have RSVP’d and that you know exactly who will be attending your big day. If there is anyone who has not replied, make sure that you contact them in plenty of time so that you can compile your final guest list. The next thing to do is to consider the shapes of the tables that you are going to be having at your wedding reception. Your wedding venue should be able to advise you on how best to utilise the space, ensuring that you can fit all of your invited guests comfortably. Most commonly you will either have round tables that will usually accommodate 8-10 guests or long tables which run the length or width of your reception venue, with your guests sitting either side. Both of these table have different advantages. If you are having long tables, you will likely be able to fit more guests into the seated area, but round tables have the advantage of your guests being able to chat more easily with everyone on their table.
Once you have decided on your table configuration, you next need to decide on who will be sitting at the top table. Traditionally, the top table will include you and your partner, both sets of parents and your best man and bridesmaids. If you have parents who are no longer together and possibly have new partners, or you have a particularly large bridal party, you may want to consider a ‘sweetheart’ table with just you and your partner.
If you are not going to have a top table, you will need to make sure that your parents and bridal party are seated at the tables that are closest to you. You will also need to consider the partners of your bridal party and ensure that they are either with or close to each other, especially if they do not know any of your other guests. In addition, be mindful of any older guests who may not want to be seated next to the sound system and obviously be considerate of any guests with disabilities or mobility issues who may need to have more space or be near to the facilities.
Once you have your closest guests arranged, you need to consider your wider family and friends. You do not have to seat them in definite groups, such as cousins or university friends, but to ensure that everyone is happy it is better to seat them with a few others that they know. Be sure to keep any guests that do not get on with each other separate and try to avoid any “singles” tables or one single person on a table of all couples. If you are having any children at your wedding and they are of a suitable age, it may be nice to have a children’s table on which you place some activities to keep them occupied. However, make sure that the children’s table is not too far from their parents so that they can keep an eye on them.
Once you have finalised your seating plan, make sure that you find a way to display it clearly to all of your guests at the entrance to the reception area. This will avoid any confusion and make the transition from your drinks reception to the seated meal as smooth as possible.
