Seating Your Guests

Labour of Love
Never underestimate the time it will take for you to draw up your seating plan. First, check with your reception venue to find out how many guests can comfortably be seated at each table. Start by placing people together who you know will mix well. Think of their ages, backgrounds and interests. Where possible, seat mutual friends beside one another. Guests who don’t know anyone can be placed next to people you know are friendly and easy to talk to.

You will need to give careful consideration to factors such as recent divorces, strained family relationships, and guests with different personalities. The seating arrangements for children, and for elderly or disabled guests will require special thought. Ideally, you want everyone to thoroughly enjoy the reception and to feel as comfortable as possible.

Delicate Balance
You may decide to enlist your mother and your groom’s mother to help you with this delicate balance of tact and sociability. And remember, the closer people sit to the bridal party, the more honoured they feel.

Please Be Seated
After your guests have arrived at the reception, they will need to know where they are to be seated. Place cards are an excellent idea for welcoming each guest to their particular table. You can choose to have individual cards at each setting, or place a single card listing the name of each guest in the centre of the table. Remember that your place cards should harmonise with the rest of your wedding stationery.

You can also provide a site plan showing the position of each table and the names of those sitting at them. This should be located at the entrance to the reception room. Alternatively, drink-ushers can be given an alphabetical list of guests so that as they serve the pre-dinner drinks, they can let each person know at which table they will be seated.

Centre Stage
Of course, you and your groom will take centre stage at your reception. The bridal table usually faces the guests, or is placed in the centre of the room. You should sit on the left of your groom.

Traditionally, both sets of parents sit at the wedding party’s table. Your father will be on your left, then your husband’s mother and then the best man. Your mother sits to the groom’s right, between the groom and his father. The chief bridesmaid is seated next to the groom’s father.

Seperate Tables
Alternatively, you could have separate tables for each set of parents, seating them with close friends and relatives. The MC and/or minister are usually seated at the bride’s parents’ table. In honour of each family, both tables should be positioned closest to the head table.

Should you have a number of children attending your reception you may decide to have a special children’s table. However, this might result in some fairly exuberant behaviour during the event! An adult willing to supervise is often a good idea. Or, place two or three children together on different tables.

Ask the Experts
Remember that the staff at your reception venue will have ample experience in these matters. They will be able to offer you some valuable tips and can help you to maximise the effectiveness of your floor plan.

The Bride's Diary
Visit www.bridesdiary.com.au where you will find a fully interactive table seating planner. You will be delighted with its functionality. Once all guests are successfully seated you can simply print the final layout and take it to the reception to ensure there are no errors. Thousands of brides throughout Australia are online utilising all of The Bride’s Diary’s interactive planning features.

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