Proper Seating Arrangement at the Reception

Wedding Reception Seating

Many brides consider coming up with a seating arrangement for the reception was one of the most difficult tasks in the wedding planning process.  While this will always be an important and time-consuming job, there are some tips that can help make the process go a little smoother.

The first thing you need to know before you begin your seating arrangements is how many tables you will have and how many people will be seated at each table.  Once you have this information, you can begin making short lists of who will sit at each table.

Head Table
You should start with the head table.  There are several options for this.  If you have one long head table, the bride and groom sit in the middle. The bride will sit to the right of the groom. Then, your first option is to seat the best man beside the bride and maid of honor beside the groom, in which case you will seat the other bridesmaids and groomsmen in alternating order along the table (each bridesmaid between two groomsmen and vice versa). The second option is to seat the maid of honor beside the bride, with the bridesmaids together along one side of the table, and the best man beside the groom with the groomsmen together along the other side of the table.

When it comes to seating the head table, you should consider the people who are in the wedding party, and which arrangement they will be more comfortable with.  Many couples now opt out of having a head table altogether. In this case the bride and groom will sit alone at a sweetheart table for two.  You can then seat all of your attendants together at one table, or seat your attendants with their dates or spouses at several tables.

Parents Table
After you have decided where to seat the wedding party, next up choosing a table for the parents.  Traditionally the parents of both the bride and groom will sit together at a table with the officiate and his wife.  Divorced and/or remarried parents can make this arrangement a little trickier.  If either the bride or groom has divorced parents that would be uncomfortable sitting together, then by all means, seat them with other family members that will make the evening more comfortable for them.  The best way to handle these types of situations is to sit down separately with each parent and determine what will make them the most comfortable.

Kids Table
Your next consideration may be the other little participants in the wedding – the ring bearer and flower girl.  If you choose to have children in the wedding, the best idea for the reception is to seat them either with their parents, or at a children’s table if you have one.  If they are sitting with their parents you may seat them all at the same table so the children feel that they are still at an important table.

Guests Table
When it comes to seating the rest of your guests, the most important thing is that they have a good time.  Make sure that every person has at least one and preferably two or three people at their table that they know.  You will probably have to have one or more tables where your guests will be seated with some people with whom they are not familiar.  Use your best judgment and try to put together people with similar interests, or within the same age range.

Seating Plan
Your last task in the seating process is deciding where each table will be placed.  The head table should face the rest of the room and remain mostly unobstructed. T he next closest tables should be those with parents and other close relatives.  Be careful to seat the more elderly guests away from speakers or the kitchen, as they may not be able to hear very well from these locations.  Likewise, children seated near the kitchen may get under the feet of servers.

Enlist the help of your parents and attendants during this planning.  Here is a Setting Arrangement Plan that you may consider when giving your seating arrangement the care and attention it deserves.  By following these tips, you should be able to set up the perfect reception in no time at all!