Planner-approved advice and easy tips to take the stress out of one of the trickiest wedding admin tasks
Inspired by the beloved 90’s film 'Father of the Bride', this couple's intimate celebration was a beautiful blend of nostalgia, elegance, and pure joy, hosted at the bride’s family home and crafted by Laura McCranor Weddings & Events (Photo: Gemma Purdon)
You've nailed down your guest list and are dreaming of a reception where all your favourite people are laughing, chatting, and enjoying the meal you've so carefully chosen.
But before that can happen, there's a task that causes many couples to break out in a cold sweat: table planning.
Whether you're weeks away from the big day or just starting to visualise your layout, wedding planner Laura McCranor of Laura McCranor Weddings & Events has some sage advice to make the process smoother.
Here's how to get started – and what to keep in mind along the way.
1. Start with size and layout
Before you even think about who’s sitting next to whom, you need a clear picture of your space.
“Once you have RSVPs back and a finalised guest list, confirm the layout with your venue and whether you’ll be using long or round tables,” says Laura.
Get to know planning extraordinaire, Laura McCranor, in our ‘meet the supplier’ series
“If round, check the size of the tables and chairs as this will be the deciding factor on how many can sit at each. On a 6ft round, you don’t want to have any more than 10 guests or it’ll be far too cramped!”
Top tip: Ask your venue or planner for a copy of the floor plan. This can help you visualise traffic flow, decide where the top table goes, and see how close key guests are to the action.
Deciding whether you’ll be using long or round tables, is an important first step of table planning, Laura tells us (Photo: Gemma Purdon)
2. Think comfort and conversation
It’s tempting to seat everyone based on tidy categories – “uni friends here, cousins there” – but try to think about dynamics too.
“Prioritise comfort and conversation,” Laura advises. “Take the time to consider family dynamics and mutual connections, and try to tread a balance between familiarity and new introductions to keep conversations flowing naturally.”
A good rule of thumb: pair people who know each other with one or two new faces they’ll likely click with. Don’t feel pressure to keep groups too mixed if you know someone would feel more comfortable with their own circle.
Also consider accessibility – elderly guests may prefer to be near the toilets or away from the speakers.
Insider tip from Tie the Knot Scotland assistant editor
"When my now-husband Blair and I were coordinating the seating plan for our roughly 100 guests we tactically 'nominated' a handful of our friends and family members as 'heads of the tables'," assistant editor Eve says of planning her own September 2024 wedding.
"Essentially we knew these people were charming, sociable and most importantly – more than capable of keeping a conversation going with anyone.
"Once we'd decided on one 'key' person for each of our tables, the pressure quickly lessened and everyone else soon fell into place."
"I use a personalised online planning client portal for each of my couples where we create room layouts and floor plans. This is a sample from one of my recent weddings at Cameron House Loch Lomond Suite," Laura McCranor reveals
3. Make the table plan easy to spot
“Display your table plan in a highly visible spot during your drinks reception so guests can take in its beauty and appreciate all the hard work that went into it,” says Laura.
“It also means guests know where they are sitting before walking into dinner, so you can avoid a big queue building up at the entrance to the room.”
Whether you go for a chic printed board, escort cards, or something creative like a mirror or hanging display, make sure it’s legible and to save guests scanning the whole list – in alphabetical order by surname.
It’ll save time and keep things running smoothly.
While you're on the topic of table decor, there might be be more to choosing wedding centrepieces than you think – read our guide to floral table displays here
Laura's Cameron House table plan sketch come to life at a previous luxe photoshoot (Photo: Corinne Moffat Photography)
Power through table planning with our bonus tips
- Start with groups, not seats
Begin by assigning guests to tables in loose groups, then worry about individual placement later.
Assistant editor Eve adds, "As well as ensuring every table had either a close member of the family or wedding party, we found it smart to also check back in on our tables and ensure we hadn't accidentally put too many 'rowdy' guests next to each other during the meal.
"We didn't want to risk certain guests egging each other on, drinking too much, too soon."
- Rethink your top table
Don’t feel locked into tradition – it's your day after all! A sweetheart table for two, or mixing your wedding party among other guests as Eve suggested, can take pressure off complex family dynamics as well plus, make your other guests feel honoured you were willing to share the attention of your nearest and dearest.
- Take advantage of digital planning tools
If you're not keen on sitting and constantly rubbing out names on hand-drawn table sketches, there are plenty of digital options to allow you to make changes more seamlessly.
Wedding planning platforms like Zola, WeddingWire and Wedding Planning Assistant are great online options that allow brides and grooms-to-be to virtually drag and drop guests into seats as many times as they'd like.
- Expect last-minute changes
Keep a few ‘buffer’ seats free, or plan for adaptable table sizes.
If you've invited additional evening guests, it might even be worth have a little extra list decided in advance of guests who'd be delighted to attend your wedding earlier than initially planned – just in case you end up with a few last minute day guest cancelations.
No one wants a delicious wedding meal to go to waste, do they?
- Let go of perfection
Not every guest will know each other – and that’s okay.
Instead of spending the entire day worried about whether or not all your loved ones are having a good time, trust in the planning and the notion that majority of guests will simply be thrilled to share a meal and toast your happiness.
Round tables can easily become tight for space, which is why we love Laura's elevated pampas grass centrepiece arrangements here – as they add a gorgeous decorative element without limiting conversation or dining space (Photo: Victor Lax/ Lax Photography)
Table planning might feel overwhelming at first, but just remember, the goal of a great seating plan isn’t just to fill chairs – it’s to help guests relax and enjoy themselves.
Want more wedding planning help?
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