I’ve heard it from many of my clients, “a seating chart isn’t really our thing, we just want people to vibe and have a good time and sit where they want.” And I get it, it doesn’t feel super chill to make people sit in specific spots! Before I planned my own wedding I thought they were dumb AF. Besides, at corporate events we only really cared whether sponsors had a specific place to sit, and then it was a free for all for everyone else! And as much as I know it’s a pain in the ass to make them, I’m going to share why I’m in favour of having an accurate seating chart for your wedding is actually SUPER important.
First, you can have the people you want near you, seated close by.
Last year, I was doing day-of coordination for a fabulous couple, Erin and Jenna, and throughout our meetings they reassured me that they didn’t want the stuffy feeling of an official seating chart, that people would naturally find their own places to sit. Then, two days before their wedding, they sent me an email that noted two tables to be set aside for specific family and bridal party, and one for vendors.
The problem was, there was no seating chart sign for guests to reference, and the only people who knew about these assignments were the guests who were supposed to sit at those tables, the brides, and me. Except that I didn’t even know which tables they were supposed to be, just that certain tables were reserved!
As expected, throughout the day, this throwaway detail was lost amidst the bustle and fun and joy of the celebrations, and just as we were preparing for the brides’ grand entrance, multiple people in the bridal party rushed over to us asking where they should sit because people were sitting in the spots they were told to sit in.
What happened was, although the rest of the guests seated themselves, they left random empty seats all over the reception hall. So there were nearly a dozen displaced guests who were left with nowhere to sit!
After some quick shuffling before the buffet opened, we repurposed the vendor table to accommodate all of the guests and move the guests who had taken spots at the bridal party’s table, so the brides could have their people close by during dinner – but all of this could have been avoided with an accurate seating chart.
Next, your vendors can all have the same point of reference.
At another wedding, the couple had been working with the venue on details before I came in for month of management, including the floor plan and seating chart. Having received the floor plan from the venue, I printed it off and did my usual day of prep before heading out the door to the reception hall.
But it wasn’t actually the floor plan the bride had communicated to the venue.
When my team arrived, the florist was panicking because there were two more tables than what they had centrepieces for, and they didn’t know where any of it should be placed… or not placed! The venue coordinator presented me with a completely different floor plan than the one they had sent me only a day prior, and for some reason instead of 17 tables, this floor plan had 19 tables… and table 19 (a table that didn’t actually exist) was placed smack in the middle of the room, right up close to the sweetheart table.
Now, I knew that was wrong. Very very wrong. So I also knew that the rest of the tables must be completely off – and they really were! Not only were they mis-numbered, they didn’t match anything the bride had communicated, she wanted the sweetheart table on the opposite side of the room, and the venue randomly moved it right in front of the doors where the grand entrance would take place.
With some quick reorganizing (i.e. replacing guest favours/moving place settings and chairs all over the place) and completely uninstalling and reinstalling a floral decor piece off a balcony above the sweetheart table, my team and I along with the venue fixed the issue. But again, this wouldn’t have been an issue if we were working off the same floor plan in the first place. And I don’t have a clue where the communication breakdown happened, because in the moment my job is just to make sure the couple is happy!
Finally, your guest experience is substantially made better.
Guests love to know what’s going on, and what’s next, and why is cocktail hour taking so long, and where’s the bride and yadda yadda yadda. Having clear instructions via an accurate seating chart for your wedding gives your guests a sense of control and stability, which truly goes such a long way in their experience.
And I’m not saying that you need to do place cards or have everything be incredibly detailed if that’s just not your jam, you can just note who is sitting at which table, and make sure those table numbers are accurately labeled on your flood plan! But if you let your guests go wild with their seat choices, they’ll choose to leave empty seats, take a spot up near you (they’re the closest people to you, after all), and end up feeling totally sidelined when they’re asked to move to accommodate other guests.
Need help to create an accurate seating chart for your wedding?
There are so many cool ways to create your seating chart, from a simple printed sign all the way to a hand painted mirror and beyond, and if you’re having trouble working through the details, my team and I would LOVE to help you out! You can book a call here to chat with me (Emily) about what type of service would be best for your wedding and your stage of planning, and I’d be absolutely delighted to help you bring the joy factor back into your wedding planning, and make it the best day of your life!