Seating Arrangements for the Ceremony & Reception
Ordering the
guest list and the amount of prudence and attention you give to that process.
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The reason for carefully planning the seating is clear. Just imagine you seat the exsomethings are best seated together.
So how do you create a cohesive and comfortable seating arrangement to keep everyone happy? Plan ahead, of course, and keep some of these tips in mind:
For Exes and Feuding Families
* Even if the venue is small, there will be areas in the room to spread people out. As a general rule, seat those people who may cross each other as far apart as possible.
* See the guide on
Divorced Parents and Step Families at Weddings for more information on how to keep the peace.
For Playing Matchmaker
* Use seating arrangements to either keep friends and family close together or to give people an opportunity to meet new friends. Whichever way you decide to arrange it, make sure that everyone gets placed near at least one person they know.
* If someone is invited stag, try to introduce them to the person you are seating them next to for the reception especially if they don't know anyone else at the wedding. It will put them at ease and make their experience more enjoyable. It's a small task that will go a long way making.
* Don't separate couples come reception time. If that means separating the bridal party, it's okay. Just keep those who don't fit at the head table at an adjacent one.
For the Ceremony
* In a church, designate an usher (one to every 50 guests) to help seat people for the ceremony. Usually they offer an arm for the women, but depending on how formal the event, people may opt to simply follow the usher to their seats instead.
* Draw up the seating plan first and write any details on it or explain them as needed, such as where to place guests in wheelchairs, how to keep divorced couples separated, or how far to distance feuding step-families.
* Traditionally, in Christian weddings, the bride's family and guests sit on the left side of the church and the groom's side on the right. For Jewish weddings, the opposite is the tradition.
* The first one to four rows are usually reserved for family.
* The bride's mother is seated last (typically by her son, the head usher, or the best man) and the mother of the groom right before her.
For the Reception
* Keep kids only table (usually best for older kids who don't need a lot of parental supervision).
* Some people assume that because they are having an informal event that they don't need to assign seats. However, it is always a good idea because it will give everyone (no matter how unfamiliar they are with the rest of the guests) a place to sit and enjoy the party.
* Mix genders at tables, but avoid mixing ages, interests, and old flames. Keep those with common interests or those in the same age group together (older guests, cigar smokers, teenage girls) but be sure to keep feuding cousins and ex-partners far apart. Families typically should be sat as a group and the same goes for work colleagues.
* Be sensitive to people's needs. Consider who needs to be closer to the restrooms, who doesn't want to sit next to the
speakers, who is giving
toasts, etc.
* Choose between a sweetheart table or a bridal party table. Most prefer a larger table to a table exclusively for the bride and groom because it allows them to socialize more with their guests.
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