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Let’s Talk Floor Plans

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We know that we fall in the rare category of people who truly enjoy a good floor plan. When we see a couple that has really nailed their table arrangements, our hearts flutter. But…we know that it isn’t so easy for everyone. One of the more difficult things that a couple has to do before their wedding is figuring out their floor plan. Oftentimes you don’t have your RSVPs back until a month before your wedding. This leaves you with very little time to decide if your conservative Uncle Tim is going to love or hate the chance to sit with your fiancé’s free spirited sister for dinner at an intimate family table. So let’s talk floor plans.

The first major David-Champagne-Photography-20170129-0163decision you need to make is if you will be having a seating chart or not. Cocktail style receptions (with limited seating to encourage guests mingling) don’t need one because not everyone will have a seat. If you aren’t having a cocktail style reception, but still don’t want to deal with a pesky seating chart, you can go rouge and let guests pick their own seats. (This doesn’t work for a plated meal though!) If you decide to do this, we recommend putting a few extra seats out that way your college friends aren’t pulling chairs from every table so that all 12 of them can sit together. We also recommend making sure to mark a reserved section for family. Since they will be taking formal pictures with you and your significant other after the ceremony, you want to make sure that your guests haven’t taken all of the seats close to the action. Nothing is worse than seeing a family member pushed to the back of the room because they didn’t get in early enough to reserve themselves a seat.

David-Champagne-Photography-20170129-0029If you decide that assigned seating is for you, you have to decide what kinds of tables you will be using. Our standard tables are 72 inch rounds which comfortably accommodate 10 guests but can squeeze up to 12. Keep in mind that if you will be using chargers in your décor, we recommend staying as close to 10 guests as possible to allow for more space for the chargers and flatware.

Another option you have are king tables or long banquet tables. These are great ways to create a unique layout and also allows for you to put more people together. We often see couples that opt for a sweetheart table (just the two of them) and use a long banquet David-Champagne-Photography-20170129-0047table for their bridal party instead of splitting them up. Banquet tables and king tables are also great for larger families so that they can all sit together too! This is a great way to make sure all of your family feels honored without having to worry about splitting them into smaller groups.

Looking for something other than rounds or long tables, or even something to go along with these tables? Square tables really help to create a visually interesting space. They can accommodate 8 – 12 guests and are very trendy in weddings lately. No need for all of your tables to match either – mix it up with all of these options to best fit different groups of guests!

Just remember, at the end of the day, the most important thing is that your guests are at your wedding.

Photography: David Champagne