Unless you are planning on a small and informal wedding reception,
a wedding table plan is a really good idea, and will make a significant difference to the smooth running of your reception.
There are many reasons for having a wedding table plan: your guests will be saved from the mad panic of trying to find a seat on a table with their friends or family, and you can place people where you know they'll be the happiest. Assuming that your wedding meal may last for a few hours, if your guests are sitting with people they get along with, it will make a big difference to their enjoyment of the day (and also yours as you won't have to sort out any squabbles and make sure that people are getting along!)
A wedding table plan can vary enormously from family to family, bit traditionally the Bride and Groom will sit in the middle of the top table flanked by the bride's parents, then the groom's parents and finally by the best man and the chief bridesmaid or maid of honour.
We have some top tips for a wedding table plan that will work:
Feel free to mix it up, and put friends together who might not know each other that well. After 3 hours, they could have made friends for life - or even a new relationship! Talking of new relationships, remember to consider your single guests- it can be a bit rubbish if everyone is coupled up and they are left to fend for themselves.
When using circular tables, the usual arrangement is to have males and females sitting alternately round the table. For long table formations, have couples seated opposite each other, and alternate males and females along the length of the table.
Be sure to use clear
place cards for your guests. This will assist them in finding their seats quickly.
