10 Tips for Drama Free Seating Assignments
Oh, the task of assigning where your guests will sit as you wine and dine after your vows. Aunt Mary can't be near Uncle Frank, but Uncle Frank must be by cousin Ben; the "rules" and requests could go on forever. But we're all about making wedding planning fun, not stressful, and that includes removing the drama from the dreaded seating chart creation. Here's our top 10 tips for making it easy as can be!
1. Be Organized:
As with all wedding planning tasks, it helps to be organized from the get-go. Having a chart of the invitees and a spot to record all their incoming RSVP responses helps to make the whole seating chart process easier from the start.
2. VIPS First:
There are some guests you may know where you'd like to place them no matter what - map out your seating format and place them in their respective spots right away. These are the non-negotiables and having them in place sets the guidelines for all others.
3. Nearest + Dearest:
This is you and your new spouse's special day, so forget any old school rules and place those who you really want closest. Whether it's your parents, your siblings, the wedding party or just you and your love at a sweetheart table, stay strong in your decision. It's your event, you should be allowed to sit with whoever you'd like.
4. Easy Peasy Packs:
Sit similiar sourced groups together; it's easy and practically guaranteed a success. College buddies go together, as do high school besties, work colleagues and more. Cousin's table? Perfect. By starting with this approach, a huge quantity of your guest list is taken care of!
5. Special Singles:
Forgo the cliche single's table. Have guests that are coming solo? Be considerate and sit them with someone they may have something, anything, in common with or at least place them at a table with some of your friendliest and most welcoming pals.
6. Gramp Camp:
Keep the grandparents, and their physical abilities, in mind. No need to make Grandma, in her walker, hike all the way to the back of the venue. Making sure any wheelchairs are able to move about easily, and ensuring Grandpa is seated at a spot where he can hear the speeches is 110% worth it.
7. Family Ties:
Don't separate couples or families, unless you're doing a kid's table. You may think everyone wants to mingle with all, and while your celebration may be super social, no one really ever wants to be separated from those they traveled and came with.
8. Overcrowding Unneeded:
Don't overstuff a table. No one needs their elbow in their neighbor's salad course. It's just not worth it.
9. Say No to Free Reign:
Don't give up on a seating chart; you may feel tempted to toss seating assignments out the window, but to avoid the risk of musical chairs and unnecessary interruptions, stick with assigned seats. Especially with larger guest counts, it's essential to maximize all available seating space and your venue to it's best ability.
10. Best Behavior:
Avoid obvious drama whenever you can (no need to put two ex's next to each other) but don't stress about it too much. Your guests are adults for the most part, and they have been invited to celebrate with you. They should be able to be polite for the length of dinner service and can always step away during dancing. It's not worth your stress and anxiety so make your seating decisions and move on to the next fun task ahead!
