Reception Seating 101

Seating. Every brides worst nightmare and every planners favorite topic. The task of arranging seating charts and figuring out the best way to tell your guests where they will be sitting seams like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be!

When it comes to seating charts, there is no right or wrong way to how you decide to arrange your guests. It’s all personal preference. Do you want each of your respective families sitting together or at separate tables? Will your bridal party be at a head table or mixed amongst other tables? These are just some questions to ask yourself when creating your reception seating plan. Ultimately, it’s important to know your guest list and to try and make everyone feel comfortable where they’re seated for the night.

Escort cards have evolved over the last decade, from traditional simple cards to unique signage, the options to impress your guests are endless! There are so many fun and creative ways to let your guests know what table they’re at, but these are just a few important things consider when deciding on what to do.

1. Lighting

It's important that wherever you place an escort card table or sign that it’s well-lit. It’s important for guests to be able to easily find their name and move on to the rest of the festivities!

2. Fonts

Make sure the names are legible! We love a good scripted font, but we suggest steering clear from over the top calligraphy when it comes to names. They often become very difficult to read and will cause a frustrating experience for your guests.

3. Unique Ideas

A popular trend has been to incorporate out of the box ideas into your escort card displays. We’ve seen everything from names on agate stones to leaves and even personalized bottles of olive oil. If you decide to incorporate a unique idea into your escort cards, remember that it may take guests a little longer to find their names. Place a staff member close by to help guests in their search and to prevent other guests from having to wait awhile to find their own names.

Locating the correct table once guests enter the reception area can be another task entirely. Escort cards can easily get misplaced and table numbers often get lost amongst glassware, florals, and candles on a table. Also, if you’re using a seating display chart guests may easily forget their number.

Here are a few tips to help your guests locate their tables:

1. Position table numbers so that they’re visible as guests enter the reception area. For instance, if guests enter from the left side of the room, all table numbers should be positioned strategically on the left side of the tables for easy visibility.

2. Make the number a part of the table design. It's important not to let the table numbers take away from your tablescape. The number should add to the event design and be thoughtfully highlighted with a frame or stand to compliment the overall aesthetic.

3. Having extra staff on hand with a seating list is key. Staff can help any guests who may not know where they’re sitting easily find their seat.

Hope these tips helped and as always feel free to reach out to chat!

Xo,

Sarah & Michelle