Wedding seating cards: ideas and templates for original signs with DIY instructions for making them

If you underestimate the importance of proper seating for your wedding guests, as well as the arrangement of tables and the convenience of place cards, think about the time and stress you will save at the banquet. Instead of wandering aimlessly around the hall in search of a suitable place, guests will calmly take the indicated seats. At the same time, individuals who are unfriendly against each other will probably end up at different ends of the hall and the atmosphere will be most pleasant.

Seating of guests at a wedding, decoration

If we look at the statistics, more than ¾ of the guests at a wedding prefer to see numbered tables and signed seats, rather than choose a comfortable position on their own, choosing between elderly aunts and very young guests.

Place cards

Tips for seating guests at a wedding

After the arrangement of tables at the holiday , you need to determine which of the guests will sit where. To ensure that the wedding is fun and the guests do not feel discomfort, you need to pay attention to some rules for seating guests at the wedding.

Guest table

How to properly seat guests at a wedding table - the most important tips:

It is best to alternate men and women, with women usually sitting to the right of men;
all guests must clearly see the bride and groom;
close relatives are located as close as possible to the newlyweds;
relatives need to be seated according to degree of relationship: parents with parents, older people with people of the same age;
friends who don’t get along with each other should be seated in opposite directions and warned of their presence in advance;
It is better to seat a guest without a couple next to a free interlocutor, and not in the company of married couples;
It’s better not to separate work colleagues; you can sit them next to close friends so that they get to know each other;
It is advisable to introduce unfamiliar guests whose seats will be located nearby to each other in advance;
It is better to organize a separate table for children if there are a lot of them, but they can also be seated next to their parents;
It is advisable to seat foreign guests next to those who know English or another language.

It is important to make sure that the hobbies or interests of the guests at the same table coincide at least a little, then they will not be bored with each other

U-shape pattern

Tables are most often arranged in the shape of a U for seminars, negotiations or reports, during which the speaker needs to move freely around the audience. This scheme gives open access to the screen and allows you to approach any of the participants.

Traditional options for arranging tables at a wedding

Before making the correct seating arrangements for guests, you need to decide on the arrangement of tables in the banquet hall. The traditional seating arrangement is the simplest ; it is used if there are not too many guests. A long table is set up around which guests are seated.

In what order should people be seated: it is best to alternate women and men with each other. The newlyweds are located in the middle of one of the long sides, the bride sits on the right side of the groom. Her parents sit to the right of the bride, and his mother and father sit to the left of the groom.

T-shaped seating is ideal for small rooms when the number of guests does not exceed 30 people. The newlyweds are located at the head of the table, their parents and closest friends and relatives sit closer to them.

Scheme with the letter T

The P-shaped seating plan for guests at a wedding is also convenient and is an alternative to the T-shaped seating arrangement. It is used when the number of guests averages 40 people. A young husband and wife sit in the center of the table, next to them are witnesses, and then their parents.

For a wedding of 60 people or more, it is best to use the W-shaped seating arrangement. This way, all the guests will not be too far from the newlyweds. But with such a seating, not all guests will be comfortable looking at the bride and groom.

Scheme with the letter Ш

Photo of table arrangement with the letter T at a wedding

Horseshoe pattern

When conducting small trainings, consultations, interviews and creative meetings, seating guests in a semicircle in one or two rows is ideal and does not require tables. This way, all participants are in close eye contact with the chief guest.

European table arrangement

Methods of seating guests, as in Europe, are becoming increasingly popular, since according to these schemes it is quite easy to seat invited people according to interests, age and marital status.

To ensure that guests at different tables communicate with each other, it is worth warning the host about such placement. Let him think about general competitions or dating games

Italian seating involves the use of tables for 4 people, and the table for the newlyweds is set a little higher than the rest. This way, all guests will be able to see the bride and groom. The parents of the newlyweds and their closest relatives should be seated at the first 3 tables.

Scheme with square tables

Seating guests in English involves the use of round tables, each of which seats 8 people. It is this number that is more comfortable for people to communicate, especially if they do not know each other well.

The original way of seating guests is called “Cabaret”. In this case, the guests are accommodated in such a way that none of them sit with their backs to the newlyweds. Tables are placed in a semicircle and excess chairs are removed.

Arrangement with round tables

Arrangement with round tables and empty seats

The option of arranging tables in a herringbone pattern is something between the European and traditional methods. For the newlyweds, set the table separately, and place the guests at tables that are placed diagonally parallel to each other. This seating arrangement allows everyone to clearly see the heroes of the occasion , and in the center of the hall there is a clear passage to the bride and groom.

Herringbone pattern

"Conference" scheme

This seating arrangement is typical for conferences, business negotiations or official banquets.

You should not make the table too long, otherwise not all participants will be able to see each other, which defeats the main purpose of the event - communication.

How the newlyweds sit at the table correctly: which side is the bride and groom on?

The tradition of seating the bride and groom at the festive table is very old, so many people forget how to seat the newlyweds correctly, but remember that it is important. There are many erroneous versions, but there is also the only correct one : during the wedding ceremony, wedding and banquet, the girl should be to the left of the young man.

Bride and groom at the banquet table

The groom is to the right of the bride - this is how he shows that he is the protector of the future wife. The newlyweds' table should be located in the center of the banquet hall.

According to tradition, newlyweds should not sit on different chairs. It is better if they sit on a small bench - this will symbolize their unity and the beginning of family life

Witnesses at a wedding should always be positioned so that the bridesmaid is next to her and the groom's friend is with him. At the festive table, witnesses at a wedding sit in exactly the same way, but not vice versa.

The parents of the bride and groom should sit as close to their children as possible. Therefore, parents are often seated near the bride and groom, not witnesses. On the right hand of the bride are her parents, and then relatives and friends on her side. To the left of the groom are his mom and dad, as well as the rest of those invited from his side.

"U-shaped" scheme

U-shaped seating is used in the same cases as T-shaped, but at the same time makes it possible to accommodate a larger number of participants. In Russia, the scheme is often used for various celebrations, such as weddings, anniversaries and corporate events.

Making a seating plan (template) for guests at a wedding

In order for the invited people to quickly find their place at the festive table, at the entrance to the banquet hall you need to place a special easel on which the seating chart . Cards are attached to it with the numbering of tables and the names of guests under each number.

This design of the seating plan for guests looks very beautiful and quickly helps you decide on your place

Having made a seating design in advance, it will be easier to understand how to seat guests correctly.

The main stages of drawing up a seating chart for guests at a wedding:

Write a complete list of all guests.
Print and send out wedding invitations. Wait for answers to know exactly who will be present at the holiday.
Divide the updated guest list into groups: relatives, friends, colleagues, and decide who to sit with whom.
Discuss with the organizers the plan for arranging tables in the restaurant and choose one option.
Create cards for each table. Distribute the names of the guests according to them.
Order or make your own easel.
Place a poster at the entrance to a restaurant or banquet hall.
Place cards with numbers on the tables that correspond to the card numbers on the plan that stands at the entrance.

Photos of seating arrangements for guests at a wedding
The design of the seating plan for guests at a wedding should resonate with the overall style of the holiday.

If the wedding is taking place in a European style , then the easel can be made in light colors in the form of a large picture with a frame. In the center of the frame there will be a Whatman paper or board with cards attached.

The layout of the seating plan needs to be thought out in advance so that it can be prepared in time for the wedding day. You can also make it yourself if you have time and the appropriate skills.

For a wedding in a Hollywood or vintage style, you need to place each card with the names of the guests in a separate frame. Connect all the small frames to each other and place them in one large frame or decorate a stand on a tripod with them.

A window-shaped seating sheet mounted on a tripod will suit a wedding in a rustic or country style Table numbers and guest names can be written on the glass with a special marker. It is better to choose the decor of the easel from fresh flowers.

Escort cards.

An escort card is a card on which the guest's name is written, as well as the number or name of the table at which he is sitting. They are usually placed in small envelopes with the names of the guests written on them. In addition, you can use cards in business card format, with the guest's name written on one side and the table number on the other. What to use: a seating chart or an escort card is a matter of your preference. Let us just note that escort cards can be changed even at the very last moment, while changes that need to be made to the seating chart will require additional time to reprint it.

Escort cards can be designed artistically or in the simplest style, according to your desire. If you use a specific font style for your escort cards or your seating plan, make sure it is easy to read for all guests.

Usually, escort cards are laid out in alphabetical order before entering the hall where the celebration will be held.

Name cards for guests

With the help of name cards when seating guests, newlyweds can emphasize how important each guest they invited to their celebration is for them.

In addition, name cards will become an important detail in creating the overall style of the wedding.

It is important that place cards with table numbers in a restaurant are clearly visible and immediately attract attention . Then guests will be able to quickly find their place and will not have to go around all the tables.

How to write names on guest cards:

choose the same font as on the invitations;
the name should be easy to read, highlighted in a bright color;
for friends, a last name and first name are enough, but for older relatives, the card should have a last name, first name and patronymic;
If there are namesakes among the guests, then be sure to indicate the last name.

Cards for guests with orange bows
Be sure to prepare a few spare blank cards . If the composition of the guests unexpectedly changes before the holiday, you can quickly sign boarding cards by hand. This way you can avoid awkwardness with seating new guests.

Examples of wedding table seating signs:

Table with flowers. Bouquets of flowers placed on tables for decoration can interfere with the interaction of guests. And a name card attached to a flower will also become a beautiful decor;
Business card with the names of the guests. It should be rectangular, square or triangular in shape. The size of a business card should be approximately the size of a letter envelope;
A small box with the guest’s name will be a pleasant surprise, because you can put a sweet souvenir inside;
Cards made in origami style look very original. They can be placed on plates with sweets or a flower inside;
Fruit plates will be a great addition to serving. You can also use candy instead of fruit;
Cards in the shape of butterflies look very gentle and beautiful. In order not to waste time drawing a butterfly figure, it is easier to download a ready-made sample, print and cut it out. Then trace it on cardboard using a stencil and cut it out using scissors or a stationery knife.

Personalized wedding cards