How To Successfully Plan Your Wedding Tables?

Creating the wedding table plan is a step often dreaded by future brides and grooms, as it is essential to the success of this big moment. However, it is not that complicated when you know how to do it. Lucky for you, you’ve come to the right place! From the placement of tables to the distribution of guests, including its presentation, creating the perfect table plan will soon no longer have any secrets for you. Here is how to successfully plan your wedding tables!

how to successfully plan your wedding table

Step 1: The seating plan, or how to arrange your tables

First of all, you need to choose a table layout for your wedding that will best suit your reception based on the number of guests and the space available. To do this, take the measurements of the reception room as well as those of the tables available to you (round, rectangular, etc.) in order to clearly define the distribution of the tables, without forgetting to reserve the space for dancing and shows.

Each guest must also be able to look around, move around and dance without hindrance.

The head table where the bride and groom are will generally bring together more guests and will rather be in the center so that the bride and groom have good visibility of the entire room.

If there are many guests, it will be necessary to ensure that the arrangement does not interfere with the smooth flow of passage between the tables, both for the guests and for the service. The round tables are also very practical for moving between the tables (allow around 8 people per table, depending on their size).

The U-shaped table is more convinient for a small number of guests. It is also practical for the central space as a dance floor, but not very user-friendly… Comb tables, which can be combined with round tables, are on the contrary very user-friendly.

It’s now up to you to play with these proposals in order to define and draw the general layout of your tables!

Step 2: distribute the guests and establish the final seating plan

Wait to know the exact number of guests before establishing your final seating plan (about a month before the wedding). Take paper, a pencil and draw the chosen layout. All you have to do is distribute your guests among the available tables:

  • either you assign a place to each person (small card in front of the plate)
  • or the guests are placed at a table, within which they place themselves as they wish.

Remember to compare the total number of guests placed at the tables with the number on your starting list. This to ensure not to forget anyone during the final seating!

Then choose a theme that will be available on each table according to your common passions:

For example, the cinema with movie titles for each table. Or the musical theme with love song titles for the tables, a floral theme with flower names, etc.

The opinion of a loved one after or during the creation of your table plan can be useful in order not to leave anything to chance (a recent quarrel between two guests who must be far apart for example), but remember that you are master of the final decision… It’s about your wedding!

The head table

There are a few simple rules to follow for the head table…

The bride and groom are placed in the center, side by side. Allow sufficient space, as you will have to move around often (avoid leaning against the wall, for example).

At their side, the respective witnesses; tradition wanted us to place her parents-in-law to the right of the bride, the same for the groom: his in-laws… Today, around the bride and groom we find the respective witnesses and their close friends. The main thing is to make the meal as pleasant as possible for the bride and groom and their guests!

Tips for a successful evening!

  • Sort the labels in advance by table names and by order of placement. If you opt for nominative placement, you will save precious time on the big day!
  • Do not overcrowd your tables because it often happens that one or two unplanned guests show up. In this case, it is easy to add a person to the often planned round tables for 8, also at the end of a rectangular table. Likewise, if one or two people are absent, it will go unnoticed to move the cutlery to a round table between the 6 or 7 remaining guests, but more visible on a rectangular table. Think about en talk to your caterer…
  • Alternate men and women, and even if they are not next to each other, keep the couples at the same table. However, be sure to always keep young lovers or newlyweds side by side.
  • Avoid putting shy and introverted people at the same table. Provide for each table at least one person you know who will easily create a happy atmosphere.
  • Think about the teen tables who will like to get together!
  • Never place a teenager at the children’s table. Opt for a table for young adults.
  • For the table of young children, the ideal is to provide a baby sitter. Also move them away from yours so that they are free to express their enthusiasm through their cries and laughter.
  • Assemble your guests according to their affinities, in order to immediately create a warm atmosphere; no ice to break!
  • The proportions of couples and singles must be balanced as much as possible (a single person isolated with couples will feel even more alone!)
  • And finally… Keep your seating plan secret until the big day to avoid any complaints. So you will stay calm while waiting for your big moment…!

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I hope you enjoyed this overview of how to successfully plan your wedding tables and found it useful. Comment down below what you think, or share with us your own tips to make this day as perfect as possible.

Looking forward to reading your comments, sending you love and positive energy!!!

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