Who Sits With Who? Where?
There’s always a great fuss about the venue when it comes to wedding planning. It’s not just how it looks, how affordable it is, or how accessible to the guests. It’s also about how well it can hold the crowd you’re expecting to be in attendance on your big day. While some people just go ahead and choose the nearest hotel or event place to the venue of the ceremony, some invest a little more time in finding the right location for their exchange of ‘I do’.
Once you’ve found the right spot and have taken into consideration the part it will be taking from your budget, this part of your planning is far from over, contrary to what you might think. While it may be great for all your weddings guests and with ample space to dance around and mingle, there still remains the question of ‘Who gets to sit with who?’. Yes my dear couples, it’s not as easy as picking names out of a hat and assigning them a seat alongside whoever fate has chosen for them!
Seating arrangements, while not observed in all weddings, is more a matter of ensuring that your guests sit comfortably throughout the meal and the program than just making sure they’re not left standing at the sidelines. Remember that not everyone has an easy time getting into conversations or appreciates your uncle who plays the flute for anybody who will listen. This task is something couples must take into their own hands with a few tips to remember.
Tables
How many tables can you fit inside the room? Are these round tables or rectangular ones? How many guests do you have in total? Answering these questions will give you a clearer picture of what you’ll be working with, making it easier and faster to divide your guests into groups. For a standard round table, you can fit eight people comfortably with ample elbow room. Same goes for a standard rectangular table if you are using the endcaps(the shorter end).
Escort Cards and Place Cards
Once you’ve finalized the number of tables and total number of people you’re expecting, you can then decide whether you’ll be giving out table assignments only or table and seat assignments. The former will require you to have escort cards to inform people of their table assignment, while the latter will require you to product place cards on their exact seat assignment. Logistically, of course, the latter takes more work and requires more detailed preparation.
R.S.V.P.
At this point, you should already have gathered all the R.S.V.P. responses to your invitation so you’ll know exactly how many you’re expecting on your wedding day. The most ideal set-up to create the table or seating arrangement is a week or two before the wedding day when majority of the guests have sent in their R.S.V.P. cards. If you have time, it would be great to call up on those who haven’t to ensure that they are included in your list. To ensure that your seating chart planning goes smoothly, send out your invitations early and specify a deadline for their R.S.V.P. responses. Make sure your guests don’t forget the deadline by checking up with them a day or two prior. In this day and age, some people simply make a Facebook page for their nuptials, or create a wedding website where guests can just simply click on their response.
Actual Work
Now you have the tables and the names, time to get to the actual work or matching it all up. The trick here: don’t think too much. Chances are you already have one whole group of family members in mind to put together, as well with your closest friends. Try to create an Excel spreadsheet to make it easier for you. Input the table numbers and corresponding names to see how many you might be missing or placed in excess. Move around the names as you please until you feel like you have found the right mix.
If you prefer to work with your hands, write your guests’ names on small pieces of sticky notes and line them up on your coffee or kitchen table. Then, create bigger pieces of paper with the table numbers on them and stick the corresponding names to the table numbers. You might still need to input this on your computer, though so you will not forget anything in the future.
Mix it Up!
Sometimes, going a little rad when it comes to your seating arrangement can work wonders for your wedding guests. Placing your college roommate beside your shy cousin might help them realize it’s not that hard to make new friends. You can also bring together both your friends who have never met, but like the same music and work in the same industry. There are endless possibilities, don’t be afraid to get creative.
Now, about you two..
Yes, you! You have to have your own special place to you know! Traditionally, couples sit in the middle of the stage for everyone to see them and be able to easily have their photos taken with the newlyweds. If you’re a little uncomfortable being in the spotlight for the rest of the night, you can probably have a makeshift gazebo on stage to give you and your hubby a little bit of privacy.
You can also choose to have your best man and maid of honor sit near you if you both want to have their company over dinner. A separate table may be setup for them off stage, but near enough to hear you call if you ever need any assistance.
Creating seat assignments is a task that must be undertaken by the couple as they know their guests very well. However, you can always ask your family and friends’ inputs to ensure that you’ve seen it all through different angles. As with everything else, it’s always better to accomplish this as early as possible so you can prepare the necessary logistics, inform all parties concerned and be worry-free on what will be the best night of your life!
by Kerry Johnson – Follow Kerry on G+!
