To make the wedding peaceful and fun, it is worth worrying in advance about the seating plan of the guests. In the Russian tradition, in preparation for the event, it is customary to pay more attention to the choice of dishes and drinks on the table. Practice shows that this approach is not bad, but far from perfect. The event will be much more fun if you take advantage of new trends and foreign experience in organizing holidays.
Why do I need a seating plan
Very often, an imaginary picture of a festive feast of the bride and groom is much brighter and more interesting than reality. Most often, the problem is not in the meager table, not in the absence of good alcohol, and not in the festive decoration. Banal silence and boredom at the table can turn a chicly decorated banquet hall into a dull sight. To avoid this situation, it is worthwhile to think over and draw up a plan-template for seating guests at a wedding.
How to seat guests at a wedding
A wedding is a celebration in which two families, in fact, become one. This is not about the newlyweds, but about their relatives and close friends. So that guests do not "bunch" with familiar companies and do not sit in silence, it is worth putting representatives of both sides interspersed. So the friends of the bride and groom can meet each other. Divide your relatives into small groups, perhaps they will be couples or older brothers and sisters, and combine similar pairs on both sides at the same table.
When making a plan, do not forget about the age and personal preferences of the guests. It’s a very bad idea to plant an avid hunter and lover of our smaller brothers at the same table with an active lifestyle. But to place an artist and a musician close to each other is a coup. Also, it is not necessary to raise the problems of fathers and children during the holiday, try to take into account the age of the guests when determining places. Proper seating arrangements guarantee a lively conversation at the table.
Examples and design templates for seating arrangements for guests at a wedding
It is not enough to simply draw up a seating plan on a piece of paper. Guests must be familiar with the location of the tables and their place. Otherwise, the crowd of invitees will simply rush around the hall in search of cards with their name.
To solve the problem, you should draw up a wide-format seating plan for guests at the entrance to the banquet hall. The design of the stand should be in the general style of the wedding.
The pattern for seating guests at a wedding is very simple. Sheets of paper on the stand are arranged according to the arrangement of tables in the celebration hall. In the title of each sheet it is necessary to indicate the number of the table, then list the names and surnames of the guests located behind it. You can order such a plan in any baguette salon.
DIY seating arrangements for wedding guests
It is no secret that sometimes even the bride and groom are not able to name all the guests at the wedding. Relatives on both sides sometimes don’t even know who they are talking to, as a result, unpleasant situations and incidents can occur.
Abroad at celebrations, a fun called Find your face, find your place is very popular. Literally, this phrase can be translated as "I found my face - I found my place." The essence of the venture is to hang small photos together with the names in terms of seating arrangements. This will allow guests to know in advance with whom they will be sitting at the same table, and to avoid awkward moments.
You can entrust the execution of such a stand to professionals, but in order to avoid mistakes, make it better with your own hands. In fact, it is no more difficult than drawing a poster for the school wall newspaper - it does not require special talents.
Why do you need guest name cards
A beautiful plan of places for guests is wonderful, but again not enough. Duplicate the seating plan with name cards on the tables.
Cards will help the event host to determine the location of the main characters of the holiday entertainment program, and the waiters will be able to quickly find guests and fulfill their requests. And again, nameplates will help guests get to know each other and remember each other's names. Wedding seating patterns and cards should be in the same style.
Name Card Design Options
The design of cards for seating depends on the general theme of the design of the wedding. For example, if the main motive is autumn, then cards can be made on gold or orange paper, and table numbers can be indicated in the form of falling leaves. Cards carry important information, so do not overload them with an unnecessary design.
It is better to follow the signs in a minimalist style: a small neat pattern and a name. This is a win-win option that always looks elegant. Sometimes you can step back from the golden rule. If the program of the event is eventful and guests need personal instructions and explanations, then it is possible to produce not personalized cards, but signs.
Such plates may contain all the information necessary for guests and be used as props for competitions. This design option can be implemented only if it is really necessary. Plates take up a lot of space and will disturb guests more than clarify what is happening.
Ready-made design templates
Cards do not have to be ordered in printing from a professional designer. You can use ready-made free design templates for seating guests at a wedding. All that is needed is a computer, printer, paper and scissors.
You must print the required number of sheets. Then cut the cards along the lines, enter the name by hand and bend in the center. If you have a color printer, then the task is greatly simplified. You can not be limited to black and white design, but feel free to choose bright prints and patterns.
In the above templates, the general style of execution is sustained, so even different cards will look harmoniously on the same table. Instead of multi-colored patterns, you can do with colored paper. One way to emphasize the guest’s affiliation with the groom or the bride is to print two-color cards, for example, yellow for the bride’s guests and brown for the groom’s guests.
Do-it-yourself personalized cards
Even in the absence of a printer and a computer, you can make exclusive pointers with your own hands, and quickly. This will require a lot of cardboard, glue, sparkles and a fountain pen. An example of execution can be seen in the photo below.
First you need to determine the shape of the cards, in the example in the image, the lower edge is cut out in the form of waves. You can buy a special hole punch in the needlework store and greatly simplify your task. Curly knives of the device will help you quickly and easily make stars, hearts, leaves and other shapes along the edges.
Next, you need to apply glue to the edge of the paper and dip it in sparkles. Then, excess dusting is carefully removed from the card. Fountain pen beautifully enter the name of the guest. Writing with ink is not easy, you must either practice on a separate sheet or use the more familiar and convenient writing tools. The highlight will be a short personal wish for guests on each card.
Curly hole punchers can cut out not only waves, but also various animals and patterns. The device can be used to make another version of the design of name cards for guests.
These cards are made of simple kraft cardboards and round napkins made using a figured hole punch. In the center of the napkins by hand, you need to write a name and stick it to the cardboard-support.
Making cards with your own hands is not difficult when their number does not exceed 50 pieces. For large celebrations with a long list of guests, it is better to seek help from professionals in their field. Celebrations are rarely dispensed with the services of interior designers. The cost of cards and a booth seating guests will simply be lost in total cost. Personal participation is required at the stage of compiling the list of guests and their seating plan in the hall.