It can be tempting not to bother with a wedding table plan and work on the assumption that if there’s the right number of place settings for your wedding guests, they’ll work it out themselves and gravitate towards friends and family for the wedding breakfast.
I have seen this work well but to be honest it can stress your guests out, they spend the drinks reception trying to make up a table of ten and forming a strategy for securing their desired table, rather than just relaxing and enjoying the moment.
You could go somewhere in-between a precise wedding table plan and a free for all; you can decide who sits on which table, without bothering with individual place names. That’s great if you’ve got a relaxed, sociable, crowd who you know will mix and mingle.
In most cases though, it’ll be worth the effort of completing a more formal wedding table plan, where you know precisely where everyone will be sitting for the wedding breakfast.
Do I need a Seating Plan at My Wedding?…here’s why I’d say ‘Yes!’
To Ensure Slick Service
When you sent out your wedding invitations, you asked guests to let you know if they had any Special Dietary Requirements. If you share your wedding table plan with the caterers, marking out any individuals with special dietary requirements, they’ll know exactly where to serve those special meals discretely with no fuss. The waiter will just have a quiet word with your guest to reassure them that their requirements have been catered for as they serve the dish. Slick.
To Promote Scintillating Conversation
Some of your wedding guests will be naturally more gregarious than others; your wedding table plan gives you the opportunity to spread your loudest, chattiest, funniest, guests about-a-bit, in an attempt to promote amusing and entertaining conversation over the wedding breakfast. You can even try your hand at being cupid by sitting sexy singletons together!
To Make the Most of your Host-a-Roast
A Host-a-Roast is where a whole roast is served to the table and ceremoniously placed in front of your nominated carver. Not only is this a fantastic way to serve a fabulous roast dinner but it’s a great ice breaker; especially if you surprise your carvers and kit them out with some cheeky aprons! By taking the time to produce a wedding table plan you can ensure that the carvers are sat where you can see them so that you can enjoy their reaction and laugh along with them.
To Keep Everyone Happy!
Finally, I’d humbly suggest that a well thought out wedding table plan will help keep everyone happy. You can make sure Great Aunt Maud is sat facing the top table and away from the door, you can sit the teenagers together at the naughty end of the room (which they’ll love), you can sit the Best Man with his girlfriend (who can keep him calm and make sure he doesn’t drink too much before the speeches!) and you can try your best to ensure everyone has a fabulous time at your wedding breakfast.
You’re also welcome to pick the brains of your wedding Event Manager whenever you like! Check out our amazing team here at The Mill Barns, all of whom are passionate about making sure your wedding day is everything you dream of.
Lauren and Tom
Many thanks to Helen Howard for the fabulous photographs I’ve used in this blog of guests so obviously having an awesome time at the wedding breakfast of the gorgeous Lauren and Tom.
They were married at our sister venue The Ashes Barns on a glorious sunny day, check out their stunning wedding details by clicking on the image to the right.
Massive shout out to The Topiary Tree Florist; the floral table centre pieces at Lauren and Tom’s wedding are simply sensational and definitely helped create a great atmosphere during their wedding breakfast.
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