Event planning often proves to be both exciting and exhausting. Bringing in the food, entertainment, tables, chairs, service staff, and more takes a lot of work!
Once you’ve planned the entire event, you’ll likely require a seating chart that brings your guests together in an efficient and enjoyable manner.
How do you build the best seating chart, keep guests happy, and allow for accidental networking?
Use these essential tips to streamline the planning process. These pointers will assist you as you aim to have happier guests and keep complaints minimal.
1. Take Requests
This is your chance to take requests from your guests. For example, find out if they want to sit near someone specific. You may also get requests that guests be separated.
As you build the list using the tips below, use these requests to allow for a comfortable and stress-free event.
Accommodating these preferences can enhance the guest experience. It makes them feel valued and comfortable. Event planning software or a seating arrangement tool can help you efficiently manage these requests. Finding the right software ensures that everyone gets placed appropriately. And you can do all this while maintaining the overall flow and balance of the event layout.
2. Make Space for More
When you build a seating chart, remember that you need an extra seat at every table if you can afford it. You never know if you will have unexpected guests, plus-ones, or dignitaries who drop by.
That extra chair does not impact your seating chart much; it allows for adjustment as guests arrive or mingle after mealtime. For example, it is handy if someone needs to move to another table.
3. Seat Couples First
As your seating chart comes together, ensure all couples get seated first. You might account for larger groups or families, but couples must sit together.
Once all couples have seats, you may move to the next step of the process, knowing that couples aren’t sitting across the room from one another.
This approach respects relationships and sets a foundation for a well-organized seating plan. Once you place couples, you can focus on grouping guests based on shared interests, age groups, or professional connections. Doing this results in engaging conversations and a more enjoyable experience for everyone.
4. Mix and Match Friend Groups
If you have friend groups attending, ensure they are at the same table. If these groups are too large for such a maneuver, you should split them in half and seat them back-to-back. In doing so, you have friends at different tables who don’t need to get up and move around to chat. This also facilitates chatter amongst varying groups of people.
Furthermore, this arrangement helps maintain a lively and engaging atmosphere. It ensures that conversations flow naturally.
It also prevents disruptions caused by guests frequently switching seats to talk to friends at other tables. Additionally, seating friends close together encourages interaction among different social circles. So, the event becomes more dynamic and enjoyable for everyone involved.
5. Ensure That Each Table Has an MC (Master of Ceremonies)
As you build a seating chart, try to put a “leader” at each table to ensure someone is leading the conversation. While there’s nothing wrong with being quiet during an event, an entire table of quiet people may not communicate at all.
An MC (Master of Ceremonies) helps make the table more lively. Oftentimes, a leader’s conversations also make quieter guests join in the conversation.
6. Keep Dignitaries Away From Doors
Keep dignitaries and those who may be disagreeable away from the doors. You likely know the “good sports” who won’t mind sitting near a door, and you should place them there so that others will not have a reason to complain. If you can push the seating chart toward the center of the room, you may be able to avoid doors altogether.
7. Consider Disabilities
If you’re serving a buffet meal, you want those with disabilities seated as close to the food as possible. Seating guests with special needs near entrances and the food services is essential. Moreover, you may want to leave more than one extra seat at these tables to accommodate accessibility supplies.
Better Event Planning Is Around the Corner
When setting up your seating chart for any event, remember these tips and adjust them as needed based on those on your guest list. Go here for more helpful event planning tips. Applying common sense and creative organization will make your next event much more fun for everyone.