How to make a wedding seating chart, step by step
A seating chart is easiest when you work from the outside in: fix the numbers first, then the important seats, then everyone else.
- Wait for RSVPs. Seat only confirmed guests. Starting earlier means redoing it.
- Get the room facts from your venue. Table sizes and shapes, how many fit, where the head table, dance floor, bar and exits are. Your venue's layout is the constraint, not the other way round.
- Work out how many tables you need. Divide confirmed guests by seats per table and round up (see how many tables do I need).
- Group your guests. Tag each guest with a group – "Bride's family", "Uni friends", "Work". In the planner, put the group after a comma when you paste names.
- Place the fixed seats first. Head or sweetheart table, parents and grandparents, anyone who needs easy access to an exit or restroom.
- Fill tables by group. Keep couples and families together; mix small groups whose members have something in common.
- Check the awkward cases. Separate people who don't get along; give guests who know nobody a table with friendly, outgoing people.
- Print and proof-read. Print a chart by table for the venue and an A–Z list or escort cards for guests. Check spellings with someone who knows the families.