Wedding planning advice: Seating plans - who sits where? CherryGorgeous

Wedding planning advice: planing your tables... who sits where?

Planning who sits where can be mind boggling. Making sure everyone is sat with someone they like and away from people they've fallen out with! We can’t help iron out any family rifts but here are our pointers for organising your seating plans, table numbers and name place cards.

The top table is where the bride and groom sit. It is traditionally a long table (so you don’t have your back to any of your guests) and the seating is usually:

Chief bridesmaid – Groom’s Father – Bride’s mother – Groom – Bride – Bride’s Father – Groom’s Mother – Best man

The groom should always have the bride on his right. When parents are divorced or separated they still traditionally sit at the top table with their partners sitting as close to the top table as possible. But its always best to use your judgement or ask your parents what they would prefer.

Close family and friends are then sat closest to the top table

Other guests usually have circular tables, seated alternatively male, female with partners sitting next to each other. On long tables, guests are still sat male, female but with partners sat opposite each other.

Younger bridesmaids, page boys and children are usually sat with their parents. Although it is increasingly popular to have a kids table with lots of games and puzzles to keep them occupied through the proceedings.

Its best to group friends together and sit people of similar ages together – that way everyone feels more relaxed. I know that sometimes couples like to mix up guests so they can mingle more but I have found that most people like to be with people they know – after all it’s a great time for them to catch up!

To ensure that everyone can find their seats a seating plan or two and nameplace cards for all your guests are invaluable – after all you’ve spent ages planning where people sit so make sure there are no mix ups at the last minute.