When planning a wedding, there are a thousand and one things to plan for.
Nevertheless, all the bride and groom agree that the table plan is a real headache.
Whether the tables are round or rectangular, it is essential to find the right combination to preserve the perfect atmosphere during the evening.
Here are our best tips for making a table plan, stress-free.
Make your table plan: take into account the configuration of the room to arrange your tables
First, it is important to choose the right shape and arrangement of tables according to the type of reception, the space available and the number of guests.
For this, it is absolutely necessary to know the measurements of the room and those of the tables.
Similarly, do not forget to provide sufficient space for the dance floor and to preserve a certain fluidity of passage.
Generally, U-shaped tables are recommended for a small number of guests.
The round tables, on the other hand, are the most convivial.
Make a strict or less formal seating plan
Some newlyweds choose to assign a specific place to each guest.
Each person has their own chair.
This is an excellent solution to avoid conflicts on D-Day. However, other bride and groom prefer to simply assign a table to the guests.
They then choose their own place.
This other solution has the advantage of considerably simplifying the task during the preparations.
Read alsoSuccessful marriage: five original alternatives to the classic table plan
Succeed in your table plan: do not go too far in advance
To establish the seating plan, you must first know exactly which guests will be present.
It is therefore strictly useless to go about it too far in advance, at the risk of planning everything and having to change everything afterwards.
It is not uncommon to see weddings where the table plan is finally validated only a week before the big day.
Orchestrate the head table
For the head table, there is a simple rule that no one can deviate from: the bride and groom are systematically placed side by side, in the center.
The latter must also have sufficient space to move around, as they are generally required to get up very frequently throughout the evening.
They are then surrounded by their very close family and their witnesses.
According to tradition, the bride is placed to the right of the table with her in-laws.
The groom, meanwhile, is on the left with his in-laws.
Delegate the plan of certain tables
When the guests are very numerous, this can considerably complicate the seating plan.
Moreover, sometimes the bride and groom do not know all of their guests perfectly.
In this case, do not hesitate to delegate the placement of certain tables.
When some of them are, for example, reserved for parents' friends or colleagues, they are probably the best placed to know their affinities.
In video, ten tips for preparing for your wedding when you don't know where to start
Do not mix teenagers and children
For everyone to have a better evening, it is best to provide a table for teenagers.
Be careful though: the latter do not at all appreciate being at the children's table.
It is better to provide a table for teenagers/young adults.
For small children, the ideal is even to provide a babysitter, with a specific space, which will allow them to play, laugh and shout without it becoming unpleasant for the other guests.
Play the balance card
For the atmosphere to be present on all the tables, it is important to mix the genres.
Better to avoid putting all the shy people in the same place!
Bringing in a few more outgoing people will bring a cheerful vibe to all corners of the room.
Similarly, so that no one is inconvenienced, it is appreciable to balance the proportions couples/singles as much as possible.
Stay secret at the risk of disorganizing everything
Finally, the ultimate advice and not the least for making a seating plan: don't tell anyone before D-Day!
On such an event, it is impossible to satisfy everyone.
By not revealing anything upstream, the bride and groom avoid any complaints, which allows them to remain more zen.
