Seating at the Reception: Things to Think About

By offthechartentertainemnt
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22 Aug, 2017
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When the time comes to figure out the seating for your wedding reception, many brides become overwhelmed. Here are some hints and things to think about.

When the time comes to figure out the seating for your wedding reception, many brides become overwhelmed. Where should the elderly grandparents sit? Should you have a “singles” table? What about kids? Do they sit with their parents, or at their own kid-friendly table? And where on earth should you put your mother-in-law’s friends?

Luckily, when it comes to your wedding, there are a few etiquette rules to keep in mind, but other than those, it’s pretty much up to you. Here are some hints and things to think about:

Start with the head table
The head table is typically in the front of the room and will consist of you and your new spouse, the maid of honor, the best man, and your other attendants. Depending on how big the table is or how many attendants you have, you may or may not include the spouses and dates of these people at the head table. If you can’t fit partners, then you can either sit all of the “plus ones” at their own table, or simply seat them with their friends, scattered around the reception hall.

Next comes the family tables
Again, depending on the size of your tables and your “family culture,” you can have one family table for your and your beloved’s parents and siblings (and sometimes grandparents), or separate tables for each side of the combined family. If there are less-than-amicable divorce situations, then the latter is generally a better idea. If everyone gets along, then it really depends on how many siblings each of you has, as well as how many chairs fit comfortably at each table.

Now comes the fun part
Seating the rest of your respective family and friends can be difficult. If you have fewer than 50 guests, then it’s perfectly acceptable to let people seat themselves. More guests can lead to more chaos, though, so if you are approaching 75 guests or more, you will need a plan. Work with your mother and your mother-in-law to figure this out. A great reason to include these important women is that they will have great ideas on how to fit everyone together. An even better reason is that it will give them something to concentrate on, leaving you to handle other parts of your wedding reception without them insisting on having their own way! Talk to your wedding entertainer, too; they often have great advice on where to seat Grandma and Grandpa, as well as other older guests, so that they won’t be annoyed by the music speakers.

The singles’ and kids’ tables
These options are your call, but many bridal couples just say no to the whole idea. Small children really are better off being attended to by their parents, so don’t bother with a kids’ table if most of your kiddie guests are under eight or ten years old. Also, teens typically resent being seated with a bunch of elementary-schoolers, so they should be seated at their own table or with their families. Singles might appreciate your efforts in setting them up, but more than likely, they won’t. It’s usually better to place two or four singles along with two or three couples at a table, if possible. You know your family and your friends best, though, so make the call that seems right to you!

Remember that at Off the Charts Entertainment, we’re a full-service entertainment company. This means that we will do whatever it takes to help you make your day a success. If you need help with seating charts, we can give you some good pointers, and we can also arrange our equipment with your friends and relatives in mind. Just let us know what kind of help you need, and we’ll be happy to do whatever we can.