Seating Charts, Escort Cards and Placecards, oh my!

Everyone’s heard the saying, “Opposites attract,” When it comes to couples that’s often true; however when it comes to wedding guests, that’ not necessarily so.

Choosing the seating arrangements at a reception can be one of the more frustrating aspects of planning a wedding. Both the Bride and Groom want their friends to mingle at the wedding, but they also want to ensure their friends and family get to spend some quality time with the people they already know and whom they might not have seen in awhile. When assigning seats for your guests, follow these tips to help lessen some of the stress:

1. Keep age and interests in mind. Couples should try to keep people of similar ages and interests seated together. For example, your parents’ elderly neighbors should not be seated at the same table as your former college roommates. Instead, consider what guests might have in common and seat them accordingly. If there are people who simply do not get along from a family riff, do seat them far apart.

2. Consider location when seating elderly guests. Elderly guests should be seated away from the stage or the DJ’s speakers, and preferable in close proximity to the restrooms. Be careful not to seat elderly guest next to an air conditioning vent or the door. Try to make things as weasy6 as possible for them.

3. Seat coworkers together. If you inviting coworkers to the wedding, seat them together. Chances are your coworkers do not know many of your family and would be more comfortable with their other coworkers. So seat them with people they know so they’ll have a better time.

4. Seat children with their parents. If your guests are going to be bringing their children, seat them with their mother or father, especially if they are very young. There is a little wiggle room here though, if there will be a larger number of children in attendance, you can set up a children’s table where they can all sit together. Provide activities such as crayons, coloring books and special age appropriate favors for them. They’ll probably have more fun at such a table.