Wedding Table Seating Plans
The wedding party is usually seated at a long table with seats down one side. This is called the ‘top table’ or ‘head table’. Who to put on the top table can be a sensitive issue, especially if the parents of the bride or groom have divorced and remarried. Make sure you resolve any such issues long before the wedding day.
There are many different ways to organize a wedding top table, but traditionally: The groom sits to the right of the bride. Places alternate male-female, Partners of the Best man and Chief bridesmaid sit at other tables.
The reception room table layout will depend upon the shape of the tables your venue provides and how the tables are best arranged to make the room look balanced for the number of guests to be seated. Round tables, for example, give a much more pleasing and spacious look than two or three long tables that join to the top table.
A good table plan is key to the success of any wedding or celebration. Without a table plan you risk an unseemly rush for the “best” tables, important guests being sat where they can’t see or hear anything, couples being split up and guests still milling around when the food is being served. Conversely a good table plan makes the whole seating process quicker and smoother. It also allows you to mix groups and families to introduce new people. You can even do a bit of matchmaking for your single friends!
Unassigned seating sounds great in theory and it is certainly one less chore for the organizer. Unfortunately it rarely works out so well in practice. There may be an unseemly rush for the ‘good’ seats. It will take a lot longer to get guests seated. They may still be milling around while the food is being served. Your beautiful decor will be spoilt by people leaving their coats on chairs to reserve them. Couples can get split up. It is not unknown for guests to end up eating outside the venue because they couldn’t get a seat together at a table.
The Top Table is usually rectangle in shape, this allows guests to see the Bride and Groom and their parents easily. This also works well as all parties on the Top Table feel part of the event and communicate more easily with guests. If your Top Table was round, it would not work so well as some of the people would have their backs to the guests. Away from the Top Table guests traditionally sit at round tables, with the Bride and Grooms family positioned closest to the Top Table, while friends of the bride and Groom tend to be positioned slightly further back.
Suggested Table Seating Plan: From left to right facing the wedding table: Best Man, Chief Bridesmaid, Groom’s Father, Bride’s Mother, Groom, Bride, Bride’s Father, Groom’s Mother, Bridesmaid, Bridesmaid.