Nothing’s worse than organizing a seating plan, trying to keep Aunt Julie away from Cousin Mark because they get embroiled in arguments about politics! But how do you keep the peace on your wedding day and how can your seating plan run without a hitch?
A lot of brides will enjoy finding their perfect dress, shopping online at places like www.PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com but when it comes to the seating plan, they put this off as long as possible. However, we’ve put together some top tips on how to plan your wedding seating arrangements so this needn’t be a stressful task you have ahead of you!
Being Organized from the Start
If you can keep on top of your guest list from the start, this will help you to organize things with much more ease. Try to keep track of who returns their RSVPs to you, recording who’s attending during the day and who’s just coming to the evening do.
Pick Out Your VIPs
When you start to put your seating plan together, pick out your VIPs because these are going to get priority seating on your big day. By putting these guests exactly where you want them, it helps you to plan everyone else in around them.
It’s important to remember that this is your big day and what you say goes, so don’t feel pressurized into moving people around because you feel you ought to. Choose where you want your close family and friends and stick to it. If you want your friends sat on the top table with you or you and your partner just want the top table to yourself, just do it – you’re allowed to break the rules on your wedding day!
Seating Singles and Similar Personalities
Don’t single out those guests that are coming on their own by placing them with all of the other singletons on the guest list as this can make them feel incredibly awkward. You may want to have a go at matchmaking some of your friends but try to put tables together of similar personalities so that everyone gets on OK.
Think about putting all of your work friends on one table, all of your school friends on another and then all of your cousins together too. This will help to put like-minded people together while also taking a huge chunk out of your guest list that you have to find seating for!
Consider the Oldies
From grandparents to great aunts, you need to consider your older guests and where they’re sitting. Make it easy for them to access the toilet, buffet and so on while also considering wheelchair access too. If any of them are hard of hearing, take this into consideration and sit them somewhere near the speakers so they can hear the speeches.
Finally, try not to over-think your seating plan, worrying about how so-and-so is going to get on with your strange aunt or whether a recently separated couple will end up fighting. This is your day and everyone who’s attending knows and respects that and should be on their best behavior, celebrating with you in style!
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Kathryn Helt became a wedding planner after she put together her own dream wedding, and was complimented by so many people on how magical the day was for everyone. During the quieter season she enjoys writing articles discussing all aspects of wedding planning.
