FAQ: Do I have to make a seating chart for my wedding reception?
We often hear that one of the least favorite parts of wedding planning is creating a seating chart. In fact, some brides find this task so daunting, that they choose to opt out of it entirely and settle on an open seating floor plan.
Although making a seating chart may not be as fun as wedding cake tasting, we strongly advise our clients to do it anyway. Do it for the sake of organization, for your guests’ comfort and for your peace of mind. If you take time to organize guest seating in advance, you will avoid the pitfalls of open seating on the wedding day. Open seating may result is a multitude of perfectly avoidable bumps on the road to wedding day bliss. Here are just a few:
A couple arrives at your reception to find that they can sit together as only single seats at separate tables remain.
- After settling at their table of choice, guests discover friends at a neighboring table, move to sit with them and leave their original spot in less than perfect order for the next guests.
- You are in the midst of a perfect photo opportunity and a guest asks you where they should sit for the best view of the cake cutting.
- The service staff is rushing to kitchen to bring out the next dinner course and a guest has requested an addition or change in seating arrangements, unknowing disrupting an otherwise smooth dinner service.
The time you devote to arranging guest seating in advance of the wedding day will be time well-spent — insuring that guests will easily find their way to their tables and allowing service staff to provide seamless meal service.
