How to best seat your wedding guests

If you are having a seated wedding reception, then my biggest tip to you is to make sure you allocate where all of your guests will be seated.

I always tell my couples to avoid ‘free seating’ at their wedding reception, because, there are so many important functional reasons why you need place cards and a seating chart.

Why do you need a seating chart?

Ultimately, to tell your guests which table to sit at. This will;

Ensure a quick and seamless seating of guests to keep the wedding order of events on time.
Avoid guests getting confused if they had to find a table to sit at themselves and not know where other family and friends may want to sit.
Allow guests to quickly find their seat so they can drop their jacket and bag and get back to the canapes or cocktail hour.
Make your guests feel welcome. There is something special about seeing your name on exclusive event signage.
Allow you to strategically place all of your guests. This way you can ensure two conflicting family members are seated far apart, or sweet Nanna is not near the speakers. You can keep your rowdy work friends at the back and closest to the bar and those who are like minded on the same table.
The added bonus is having a functional piece, become a styled element by having it printed in your wedding themes colour and cut in your preferred shape.

But ultimately, without a seating chart, it can lead to unnecessary delays and disruptions during the seating of the reception.

Why do you need place cards?

Ultimately, to make sure everyone is sitting exactly where they need to be sitting. Because;

You want people sitting in certain seats because of the view to the bridal table, or because you want your divorced parents on different tables with their backs to each other.
Strategically planned seating arrangements can foster meaningful interactions among guests, creating a lively and engaging atmosphere.
Your catering team can easily identify where each guest is seated, ensuring that meals are delivered promptly and accurately. This not only enhances the dining experience but also contributes to the overall success of your reception.
Your guests feel special when they see their name at their very own place setting.
It’s a functional element which can be styled to enhance your overall guest table styling.

So you can see, organising place cards and a seating chart is not just about logistics; it’s about creating a welcoming, personalised, and memorable experience for you and your guests.

At White Cherry Invitations, we’re here to help you every step of the way, from designing effective place cards to creating a customised seating chart that reflects your style and vision. Let’s make your wedding day truly unforgettable!

All White Cherry Invitations needs from you is your chosen place card design, card colour, shape and guest list of names. White Cherry Invitations will do the rest; you will even receive your place cards sorted in table order to be able give straight to your venue coordinator for table placement.