You’ve picked out the wedding venue, hired a catering company, and received all of your RSVPs. The next step is to create seating arrangements for your guests, which can be a stressful experience for many couples. The following guide can help alleviate some of this stress so you can rest assured your guests will have the time of their lives at your wedding.

3 Tips to Make Seating Arrangements for Your Wedding

1. Know Your Options

When it comes to assigned seating, you have a few options. Place cards situated at a person’s seat at a table are a popular choice for smaller parties. To help people navigate, you may also use escort cards, which are posted around the wedding venue and contain the guest’s name, table, and seat. Some people even put up large seating charts.

2. Break Tradition

A sweetheart table is just for the bride and groom, usually situated at the focal point of a banquet hall. While it’s perfectly acceptable to choose sweetheart seating, don’t feel obligated to do so. You’re free to sit with your wedding party, at the parents’ table, and anywhere else you feel comfortable. Many couples enjoy being surrounded by loved ones on their big day, and sweetheart tables can feel a bit isolated.

3. Keep Comfort in Mind

While it may be tempting to squeeze as many people as possible onto a table, you need to keep your guests’ comfort in mind. Give them some elbow room. Also, consider the size of the wedding venue when it comes to table placement. You want to make sure guests and wait staff have ample room to maneuver around the hall, so avoid squeezing tables together. There should still be room between two pulled out chairs for a person to walk.

The experienced team at Manoa Grand Ballroom in Honolulu, HI, is here to help you with some of the more challenging aspects of wedding planning like seating and table placement. For your convenience, the wedding venue offers ample parking, on-site catering, audio-visual equipment, and lounge rooms. Visit them on Facebook to look at their venue options, or stop by their website to request a quote. You can also call (808) 946-6758 to schedule your wedding.