One of the most stressful moments of the whole planning of a wedding is undoubtedly how to organize the tables. But with some tips, and a bit of luck, you will manage to survive.

Among the moments that frighten the future newlyweds the most, there’s surely the guest-seating question.

Indeed, the decision on how to place the guests in the reception hall, how to set up the tables, thus lending more or less “importance” to a guest compared to another one, is never easy.

There exists a method for not making life too difficult.
Of course, to decide for assigned seats for all the guests is generally not obligatory, however, this is strongly recommended, in order not to create embarrassing situations when taking their seats.

Moreover, to create one’s tableau de marriage has become an essential element.

So, where to start? First of all, don’t let the discouragement overwhelm you, well begun is half done. Move forward with calm, arrange a table and complete it before moving on to the next one.

HOW TO ORGANIZE THE TABLES FOR A WEDDING: THE BASIC STEPS

Start off with the table of the newlyweds.

If in this occasion you won’t be able to seat next to everyone, the best thing to do is to place the table in a central position in the reception hall, in order to have a view more or less on every guest.

The bride and groom may decide to seat by themselves or choose to share their table with the maids of honour and/or with the parents. This will result in a great advantage when placing them, which is often not an easy job.

Once you have organized the table of the newlyweds, you can proceed with setting up the guests.

Proceed according to “macro-categories”: relatives, friends, colleagues.

Within their sphere you could arrange some sub-categories based on the age, of the hobbies and, in general, of the mutual interests of your guests. By doing so, you may create a nice mix between people who already know each other and new faces.
This does not have to scare you: a wedding is the optimal occasion to meet new people!

Lastly, in order not to make the reception hall too empty or too filled, you need to pay attention to the total number of tables and, one step backward, to the number of guests. You should consider around 8/10 people per table; it’s better to avoid grouping only 5 people or trying at any cost to put together 12 guests, with no room for the living space.

HOW TO ORGANIZE THE TABLES FOR A WEDDING: MAKE THE SEATING-CHART MOMENT FUN

How to? By creating a tableau in line with the leitmotiv of the wedding. It will be fun finding a thousand of options to name the tables, from the most traditional names to the most sought-after ones.

In order to make the planning of the tables easier, provide yourself with a poster and some post-its. Draw on the poster the shape of the tables and on the post-it the name of every guest: place the post-it notes on the poster and enjoy exchanging the seats until you find the optimal combination. It will be much easier!

HOW TO ORGANIZE THE TABLES FOR A WEDDING: THE KIDS TABLE

If among the guests of the wedding there are kids already independent in eating, you could even create one or more tables especially for them: they will surely be happy to laugh, play and eat all together, as if they were at school or at the kindergarten.

Always ask for permission to their parents before giving confirmation to the venue: not everybody likes to have their children distant. In general, it may be a good idea.

For you to feel more relaxed, it may be better to assign to the table one or more babysitters, who would help the kids to eat, thus not making too much of a mess. Their parents will surely appreciate this a lot!

Follow us on our blog to stay always updated!