Wedding Hack: Seating Chart

Alright, I know there are technology based ways of doing this but I'm an old fashioned girl. I still chose to pick up the Sunday paper and unfold it over coffee than skim through it on my iPad. So when my mom set up this method of organizing our very complicated wedding reception seating chart, I was all in!

What you need: 

Guest list

Hall measurements

Poker chips

Circle stickers 

Fine point permanent marker

2 poster boards or a tri-fold board depending on size. 

What you do:

1) Take your poster boards and scale out your hall floor plan. 

2) Write your guest list on circle stickers and afix them to your chips. 

3) Organize your chips into stack by groups of people: bride family, groom friends, volunteer group, coworkers, etc. 

4) Arrange your groups into 8-10 depending on your table top size and place the "tables" in chips on the poster board in the desired location. Voila! 

Why This Works: 

You want to know why you're investing your time into setting this up, I get it. 

1) You can move guests with ease. So when tryin to minipulate your smaller groups into larger tables there isn't a hassle or waste of paper! 

2) You can move tables with ease. Same concept applies. Realized Grandma is too far back and can't see? No problem, slide her chip up front. You know your friends would rather hit the dance floor than the bar, easy! Slide 'em over. 

3) You can visualize your space. Yea, there's circles on the floor plan. But adding chips for chairs makes you realize just how the guests can move through the room with ease. Or where you may need a smaller table. You feel for what a full room can offer. Visualization is key!

4) You can put your plan to paper so much easier. Just take a picture! Then print it out or keep it on your phone for reference or day-of execution. 

5) It tells you a lot: not just who's sitting with who or where there tables are. But also, how many are on each table, where others can be added, where special dietary requests are and other cues for the caterers, coordinator and other vendors.

6) Those hands on helpers will thank you! For those of us who need to see it, touch it, play with it. This make it so much easier. 

To make this even more beneficial for you try arranging your guests by chip color. Blue for bride, red for groom, white for others. And even more beneficial, coordinate you stickers too by meal choice, bridal party, special requests, VIPs, you name it! 

This is a great way to be productive with a little play. It's also cost efficient for those right wedding budgets and user friendly for those who are not technologically inclined!