1. Wait for most RSVPs
Start once most replies are in, usually three to four weeks before the wedding. Seating people who have not replied means doing it twice.
2. Get the room layout from your venue
Ask how many tables fit, their shapes and sizes, and where the dance floor, bar and exits are. Round tables usually seat 8 to 10. Long tables seat more and feel more communal.
3. Place the fixed points first
Seat yourselves, then parents and grandparents, then the wedding party. Keep older guests away from speakers and close to restrooms.
4. Group by household and by who knows whom
Work from households and friend groups rather than individuals. Each table should have at least two or three people who already know each other.
5. Handle the tricky parts on purpose
Keep divorced parents or feuding relatives apart without making it obvious. Seat kids with their parents unless you have a kids' table with supervision.
6. Leave room for change
Someone will cancel and someone will bring an unexpected plus-one. A digital seating plan tied to your guest list, like the one in WIplanAI, turns late changes into a quick move instead of a redraw.