Six Tips for Creating the Perfect Wedding Seating Arrangements

By Lisa Pleasant
Lisa Pleasant

Planning for a wedding can be quite demanding. There’s so much to be done and so many decisions to be made. Basically, everything has to be perfect.  

Which brings us to an important question: How can you make the perfect wedding seating arrangements?

Generally, wedding seating arrangements are never compulsory. But it helps to avoid any confusion guests may have about table seating. Also, it helps catering staff know which guests will receive which meal.

Obviously, you cannot achieve a perfect wedding seating plan by randomly assigning your guests their seats. In reality, you have to be meticulous.

Luckily, this post covers six awesome tips to help you come up with the best wedding reception seating.


Tips for making the best wedding seating arrangements


1.    Finalize the headcount.

Before making any table plans, it’s important to know who will be attending. Obviously, you’ve already sent out invitations to your wedding. With this, you already have a clue on the number of guests attending: ensure that everyone has RSVP’d.

With a final head count, you’ll know roughly how many people are on the guest list. So, you can finalize details like how many kids, friends, colleagues, seniors, couples, singles, family members, and other guests will be in attendance.

That way you can come up with a beautiful, balanced, and comfortable reception seating.


2.     Decide on table sizes and shapes.

Choosing your wedding table size and shape will help with the process. Why? A table’s size determines the number of seats it can hold. Their shapes will also determine your wedding layout.

For example, it’s easier to fit rectangular tables in any kind of space. Moreover, these tables are ideal for across the table conversations. Unfortunately, rectangular tables mean that some of your guests will have obstructed views.

Round tables offer more legroom and make it easier for your guests to turn whenever they need to. But these tables also take up more space. Once you decide on table sizes and shapes based on your floor space, it becomes easy to plan them with the right people.


3.    Group your attendees.

Once you have the final headcount, the next thing to do would be to group your guests. You can use specific qualities to create these groups. For example, you can group attendees as family, friends, work friends, childhood friends, family friends, and so on.

Generally, grouping helps to paint a clearer picture. For instance, you’ll determine those who know each other, those who get along, those that share similar interests, and so on.

However, you shouldn’t seat your guests together just because they fall in the same group. This minimizes uncomfortable seating combinations.

Age is also an important grouping factor to consider. Older kids can be seated at their own table while kids younger than3 years sit with their parents. Remember, your goal is to make sure everyone is happy, comfortable, and have a feeling of inclusion.


4.    Keep your family, wedding party, and friends close.

We can all agree that a wedding should be the happiest day of the bride/groom’s life. And it becomes even happier when you have those you hold closest to your heart with you.

Therefore, you have to ensure that your immediate families (parents and siblings), besties and wedding party sit closest to you.

This is often the best way to surround yourself with love on your big day. Also, it’s a great way to let them know how much you appreciate them and their roles.

Sometimes, seating parents from both sides together can be a great way to bolster ties. That’s because it gives them an opportunity to learn more about each other. But you need to be a bit tactful, especially when dealing with divorced parents.

If seating divorced parents together may cause tense and uncomfortable atmospheres, consider seating them on separate tables that are equally close to you.


5.    Designate at least one table for the kids.

Let’s face it! Kids can be clumsy, noisy, and playful. Therefore, it wouldn’t be wise to seat them with grownups. Obviously, not all kids will enjoy adult conversations, while at the same time, not all adults will be comfortable seating with hyperactive kids.

That’s why making a separate kids’ table is a wise move. You can even throw in a few treats to keep them happy and entertained.

However, you should ensure that the kids’ table isn’t so far from the adults’ tables. That’s because smaller children may get sad and distressed if they can’t see Dad or Mom close.


6.     Come up with an accessible and well-planned floor space.

As you plan your table setup for the wedding reception, you shouldn’t forget about accessibility and seating placements.

This simply means ensuring that any guests with disabilities will be able to comfortably and easily move around. This also means that your VIPs will have the best seats in the house and that older wedding guests will be seated away from noisy sound systems or the performance stage.

Doing this ensures that everyone is happy and feels that you had them in mind when planning the seating arrangements.


Basically, planning your wedding’s seating arrangement isn’t mandatory, but it helps you to ensure that everyone will be happy. Also, it makes everyone feel included and thought of.

With the six tips mentioned above, it will be easy for you to create a beautiful, convenient, comfortable, and perfect wedding reception floor plan.