The seating plan is the job every couple leaves until the last week, then finishes at midnight with sticky notes on the table and a parent on speakerphone. It doesn’t have to go that way. Work in the right order and a plan for a hundred guests takes one evening, with nobody stuck next to the speakers or at a table full of strangers.
When to start
Not before your RSVPs are in. A plan built from the invite list has to be redone every time someone declines, which is wasted work. A realistic timeline:
- 6–8 weeks before: get the floor plan from your venue, with the number of tables that fit, their shapes and capacity.
- 3–4 weeks before: your RSVP deadline has passed and you know the exact head count, children included.
- 2–3 weeks before: build the plan and send final numbers per table to the venue and caterer.
- One week before: print place cards and the entrance poster.
That’s why accurate RSVPs matter. If replies are still trickling in by text and phone, here’s how online RSVP works.
Table shapes and how many fit
Your venue decides the shapes, but it helps to know what’s comfortable, because venue brochures often count on tight elbows:
| Table | Comfortable | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Round, 150 cm (5 ft) | 8 people | families and friend groups; everyone sees and hears |
| Round, 180 cm (6 ft) | 10 people | larger rooms; fewer tables to serve |
| Long table, 80 × 200 cm | 8 people (no ends) | a formal banquet look; easy to join up |
| Head table | couple + wedding party or parents | facing the room, near the dance floor |
| Sweetheart table | 2 people | when you want to sit together with family close by |
Who sits where
Place the anchors first, then fill in the rest:
- The couple and wedding party sit at the head or sweetheart table, with a view of the whole room.
- Parents and closest family get the tables nearest you. If parents are divorced, give each their own table with their side of the family.
- Older guests sit away from the speakers, near exits and restrooms, and never in the draft by the terrace door.
- Families with little ones go along the edge of the room, with space for a pram and a quick way out.
- Groups stay together. Whoever came as a couple or with friends sits with them. A guest who knows no one joins people of a similar age and interests, not a table of “others”.
A kids’ table: yes or no?
With more than six children over five, a kids’ table close to their parents works well: the children have fun and the adults get to eat. Toddlers and babies stay with their parents; tell the venue how many high chairs you need. That’s why it helps when guests list adults, children and babies separately in their RSVP: your table and catering numbers are right from day one.
Place cards and the entrance poster
Guests should find their name within half a minute. Arrange the entrance poster by table or alphabetically by surname (alphabetical is faster above a hundred guests) and set it on an easel by the door, high enough to read from the third row of people. Place cards go on the tables; if you serve by menu choice, mark the meal discreetly on the card so the staff don’t have to ask.
The most common mistakes
- Seating before RSVPs. Every decline knocks out half a table.
- Half-empty tables. Four people at a table for ten looks sad. Merge groups or use a smaller table.
- Exes at the same table. Obvious, yet it happens every season.
- Forgetting your suppliers. The photographer, videographer and band eat too. Plan a table or seats for them.
- One version on paper. The plan changes until the last day, so keep it in one place you can both reach.
How it works on sealdate
On sealdate you build the seating plan from the same RSVPs guests send through your invitation, so nothing gets retyped. Drag tables (round, long, head and sweetheart) onto your floor plan or start from a venue template, and automatic seating places guests so families and friends stay together. It all works on your phone too, where you assign guests to tables with a tap.
When you’re done, export the entrance poster (A3, A2, 50 × 70 or 70 × 100 cm, in four styles), place cards to print on A4, and per-table lists for the venue and caterer. Switch on “Find your seat” and guests type their name on the invitation to see where they’re sitting. We covered the guest list and personal links for every guest in a wedding guest list without Excel.
Frequently asked questions
- How far in advance should I make the seating plan?
- Two to three weeks before the wedding, once your RSVP deadline has passed. A plan built earlier from the invite list has to be redone with every decline.
- How many guests fit at a round table?
- A 150 cm (5 ft) round table seats eight comfortably and a 180 cm (6 ft) table seats ten. Venues often quote more, but guests end up squeezed.
- Where do I seat guests who don’t know anyone?
- With people of a similar age and interests, ideally next to someone who enjoys conversation. Avoid a table made up only of “other” guests.
- Can I make the seating plan on my phone?
- On sealdate you can. On a phone you get a list of tables instead of the floor plan, and you assign guests with a tap.