20 Wedding Reception Layout Ideas
A table layout for a wedding can be easily and efficiently created using Allseated’s online wedding reception layout tools.
Weddings / 20 Wedding Reception Layout Ideas
Wedding couples are using digital planning tools more than ever before to plan their weddings. Allseated’s online event planning platform allows couples to work remotely to create a wedding reception layout while having the ability to collaborate virtually on details and stay organized throughout the process.
There are many features available within Allseated’s wedding floorplan design software to assist with your wedding layout design.
Design Wedding Layouts To-Scale
Allseated’s wedding reception layout tools allow you to easily design your wedding table layout and wedding reception floorplan to-scale. The floorplan from your venue can be uploaded into your account to create the wedding layout design if it’s not already available within Allseated. If your venue’s floorplan is not already in Allseated, you can provide us with a floorplan marked with at least one accurate dimension and our team will scale and upload it into the platform.
Allseated online floorplan design tools for wedding reception layout templates allows you to:
- Select your tables, chairs, objects, and furniture
- Customize spacing
- Join tables and/or knock off chairs
- Include spacing for dance floors and entertainment areas
- Mark exits within the layout
- List any planning details and/or notes directly within the floorplan
- Save favorite objects and templates for future layouts
- Create custom groups and save to favorites
- Upload files (including JPG, PNG, PDF) to floorplan
At any time during the design process of the wedding layout, switch from 2D viewing to 3D to bring your layout for wedding reception to life! The 3D floorplan viewing options create a virtual walkthrough of the wedding reception table layout allowing you to really see what the wedding layout will look like on the actual day of the wedding.
Wedding Table Designer Tools
While creating your wedding reception layout, utilize Allseated’s 3D event designer tools in order to build table top, buffet displays, and ultimately, design a wedding table online. The 3D event designer tools allow you to see exactly what you can fit to-scale on tabletops which means no more guesswork! Using the designer tools, see exactly what you can fit to-scale on tabletops, which means no more guesswork while planning tabletop layout and decor! The designer tool options currently include place settings, flowers, centerpieces, linens, and buffet pieces, with many more objects to come.
Watch this quick video to learn more about AllSeated’s designer tools!
Manage Guest List & Seating
The guest list should be established at the start of the planning process. It’s nearly impossible to consider a wedding reception table layout before knowing your guest list!
Allseated’s guest list tool allows you to create and manage your guest list all in one place. Guest information, including names with mailing addresses, can be stored alphabetically or filtered into categories for an even more organization. The guest list gives room for keeping notes, meal-type requests, and the ability to track RSVP’s. The guest list also allows for tracking guests and running reports in real-time. Allseated’s guest list links directly to seating.
Once you have your wedding reception layout design, you can easily create a wedding seating chart and seat your guests directly from your guest list at the tables in the floorplan of the wedding layout. Seat guests within the wedding reception table layout. You also have the option to seat guests at specific seats at specific tables within floorplan, if desired.
Generate Reports & Manage Timelines
You have the option to generate many useful reports. Easily generate a floorplan report which will provide your venue with wedding reception layout setup details. A guest report is useful as it breaks down guest information, including meal type requests and where guests are seated within the wedding layout.
Allseated’s wedding layout planner provides you with the opportunity to create multiple timelines for your wedding. Aside from creating a day-of wedding timeline to manage appointments such as hair, makeup, and photography, you can also create a vendor timeline that lists the setup times and details for every vendor involved in your event. These details will assist your vendor team in further understanding your wedding reception layout. Timelines can be viewed side by side to provide the highest level of organization.
Don’t Forget Collaboration!
Allseated’s wedding reception layout tool provides for easy collaboration from anywhere in the world. There’s no longer a need to meet in person to plan the details of the wedding. Invite your entourage into your event for assistance with wedding reception layout design, as well as where to seat guests. You can also invite your vendors into the event to keep everyone operating on the same page and up-to-date on details.
Wedding Reception Table Layouts & Ceremony Seating Ideas
Once you have the event tech in place using Allseated for virtual wedding table design, it’s time to think about how you want to arrange the wedding floorplan in terms of the table layout and seating. There are many ways to design a wedding floorplan but knowing where to start is key. Before you begin to consider how to design a wedding floorplan, keep in mind that having an accurate (or close to accurate!) guest count is critical to setting up the layout. While you may loosely have a wedding floorplan in mind at the start of the planning process, guest count will factor largely into creating the final wedding layout.
Treat your wedding floorplan like a jigsaw puzzle.
A wedding floorplan is really quite similar to a jigsaw puzzle. You just need a place to start and then things start to fall into place! While some may be overwhelmed by the process of creating a wedding floorplan, so long as you go into the task of arranging the seating chart focused and organized with a starting point, designing the floorplan will be simple.
To start creating the wedding floorplan, one suggestion is to begin with where the wedding couple will be seated. Once you determine that location within the wedding floorplan template, you can begin to build out the rest of your wedding floorplan. Give the groom’s family a section of tables within the wedding floorplan and the bride’s family another area in the layout. Position friends and colleagues at specific tables, and the bridal party near the location where the wedding couple is seated. As you design the wedding floorplan, it will seem to come together, just like a puzzle!
Implement Social Distancing Using Allseated’s Physical Distance Tool
Allseated makes it really easy to work with social distancing guidelines as we transition back to events.
With Allseated’s Physical Distancing Tool for the wedding seating layout, you can:
- Create a wedding layout that meets distancing guidelines to run a safe distance event.
- Visualize the wedding floorplan with distancing in place.
- Better understand how new guidelines will affect capacity.
In this social distance seating article of interest, we outline several ideas for seating styles with social distancing.
Be strategic when placing your guests according to the wedding reception table layout.
You will want to be strategic about the specific placement of guests within the wedding layout. For example, when creating the wedding floorplan, be sure to mark the spaces for the dance floor and entertainment areas.
For a table set up for a wedding, take into consideration the placement of the DJ/band within the floorplan. It’s always best to seat younger guests near the music in the reception table layout. Younger guests won’t mind the noise as much as your older guests!
If there are undesirable table locations within your wedding floorplan, you may also wish to consider seating the younger guests at these tables as well. The younger crowd is often most likely to be active on the dance floor during the wedding while older guests may be seated more often.
The perimeter of the dance floor is great for people watching. This is where you want to seat your older guests! When the party is alive and the dance floor is jamming, you want the guests who will be seated most of the night to still feel a part of the action.
A dozen round tables with assigned numbers isn’t the only way to seat your guests in the wedding floorplan.
While round tables are always a great, classic option for a wedding floorplan, you may wish to get creative with seating styles in the reception layout.
The first step is to check with the venue to determine the table options and sizes available to you. Once you understand what the venue has available, you can decide if you want to use those tables or consider a rental company for other options.
There are many seating style ideas to consider for your seating chart layout for a wedding.
Wedding Ceremony Layout Ideas
Circular Ceremony Seating
Often, there is so much emphasis on where to seat guests at the reception that ceremony seating can get overlooked. Although standard seating may be the only feasible option at a church or temple, non-religious venues and outdoor receptions offer more flexibility. We especially love circular ceremony seating (also know as a ceremony in the round) because it creates a warmer and more intimate setting.
Ceremony & Reception Seating in One
Having guests seated for the reception as the ceremony takes place is a 2-1 approach that can work really well, especially if space is limited.
Seat-less
Shorter guest lists may even consider ditching the chairs altogether and allowing guests to stand and be a part of the ceremony themselves. Guests can freely distance themselves as needed while remaining close to the festivities and engaging with the couple and other guests.
Church Style Ceremony Layout
Traditional church seating layout refers to an arrangement of straight rows facing a pulpit or focus area — similar to theater-style seating. There is typically at least one aisle way down the middle.
Chevron Ceremony Seating
Chevron-style seating can be used for both ceremonies and receptions as it can use rows of chairs with or without tables that are placed on an angle. For medium or large groups, one or more aisleways are placed either towards the middle or on a diagonal to complement the shape.
Curved Aisle Seating
For a dramatic entrance, use chairs to create a curved pathway toward the altar. This layout works great for a small guest list. “Some of our clients request a longer walk down the aisle—time to savor the moment,” says Rice. “With few guests, this can be difficult. A meandering path is the answer! Not to mention, it’s a way to incorporate more beautiful floral.”
Mismatched Seating
Mix individual chairs with loveseats and other lounge furniture arranged in rows to switch up the look of a classic ceremony.
Spiral Ceremony Seating
A spiral ceremony seating layou involves a swirled seating arrangement which allows the bride to walk past each guest as she walks down the aisle.
Long and Narrow
With a long and narrow seating style for ceremonies, extend the ceremony aisle by lining it with many shorter rows of chairs.
Reception Layout Styles
Vignette Seating
Vignette mixes different types of tables to create a variety of unique “vignettes” in different parts of your wedding floorplan.
Banquet Seating Layout
A Banquet seating style is similar to a round dinner table, with the audience seated around the circumference of the table facing inwards.
A classic seating style that encourages your guests to interact with one another. Seat important guests (VIPs, the wedded couple) in the middle of the room so they’ll be at the heart of the action, and choose centerpieces carefully as these can block the flow of conversation at the table.
Family Style Seating Layout
Family style seating generally refers to a layout with one long rectangular table or several rows of long tables.
U-Shaped Layout
U-shape configuration promotes interaction and allows for a focal point or presentation area. Suitable for smaller groups (up to 30 attendees) where there’s a speaker in the center or at the open end of the ‘U’.
Chevron Style Seating
Chevron-style seating uses rows of chairs with or without tables that are placed on an angle. For medium or large groups, one or more aisleways are placed either towards the middle or on a diagonal to complement the shape.
Lounge Layout
Replicate the vibe of a chic urban hotspot with lounge-style seating or forego assigned seating altogether and create a cocktail party atmosphere with high tables and stools within your wedding floorplan template.
Cocktail Party Layout
If you want your reception to have a laid-back feel, then cocktail party seating may be your best bet. Cocktail parties typically don’t have assigned seating, and they encourage guests to mingle with one another. Provide high tables and stools in case your loved ones want an option to sit while enjoying food and drinks. However, top planners typically don’t recommend cocktail party seating for elderly guests who may not want to stand or would find bar stools uncomfortable, so it depends on the breakdown of your particular crowd.
There are so many options when it comes to seating styles for your wedding floorplan!
Mix families and friends throughout the wedding floorplan and seating.
While some may want to designate sides of the dance floor for where each side of the family may sit, give thought to blending families and friends throughout the seating chart. The blending of the seating chart offers families and friends the opportunity to get to know each other better. For example, you may wish to consider a “cousins table” which will combine the cousins from both families. Also, why not mix up your groups of friends and put all of the singles together for a good time!
There’s no right or wrong way to create a wedding floorplan. Using Allseated, it’s easy to play around with the layout that will best fit the space and meet the needs of the event.
Rotating Bride and Groom
As an interactive alternative to a traditional sweetheart table (where you and your groom sit apart from everyone), you can rotate your courses by joining the various guest tables throughout the evening. It gives you more quality time to spend with your loved ones, and it creates a more intimate environment for your celebration. The most effective approach is to take the place of two people already seated at a table while they move temporarily to another. (The people being moved are notified in advance and then move back for the rest of the reception.) This type of seating can work well for any event, large or small. Although you may not get to sit at every table, you will be better able to interact with some of your guests rather than being locked into one table for the entire event.
Wedding Checklist
This type of wedding checklist is useful for wedding couples so that they can keep track of the personal items they need on the day of the wedding along with other important details they don’t want to forget.
Here’s a top list of personal wedding checklist items to include in a wedding checklist:
The Marriage License
It’s important to check what the requirements are for receiving a marriage license in advance of the wedding date as the details can vary by state. Once the marriage license is applied for and received, ensure it is packed to be taken to the wedding.
Final Payments for Officiant and Vendors
Most vendors expect their final payments the day of the wedding. It’s important to speak with each vendor, prior to the wedding date, to best understand how each vendor wishes to be paid and when. Have the bank checks, personal checks, and/or cash ready to go. Place each payment in envelopes, label them appropriately, and put them in the bag that will be going to the wedding so they are not forgotten.
Remember to eat
Brides are often too busy and stressed to remember to eat the morning of their wedding. Skipping meals on the day of the wedding can be a recipe for disaster. It’s critical for brides to make time to eat in order to prevent hunger-related issues such as dizziness, fainting, and nausea later in the day. Remember to plan small meals throughout the day so that you arrive at your wedding fresh and ready to party.
The Button-Down Shirt
The button-down shirt is an important wedding checklist item not to forget! Wear a button-down shirt during hair/makeup so that it can be easily taken off without ruining hair or smudging makeup.
Pack Jewelry & Accessories
If getting dressed somewhere other than at home, pack hair accessories and jewelry, along with wedding purse, wedding shoes, a comfortable pair of slippers, or shoes to change into, and your undergarments too!
Using the right floor planning tool makes designing the perfect wedding space faster and easier than doing so in a traditional physical space. Allseated’s floor planning tool provides a simple way to quickly create an accurate a digital model.
Allseated’s wedding layout floorplan tool allows you to create floor plans that are 1-to-1, to-scale digital models of your wedding space that include every detail accurately represented down to the centerpieces and even the flatware.
You can create separate wedding and reception venues or a combined venue if you want. If you can imagine a space, you can create it in Allseated’s floor planning tool.
You can design in 2D and view what you’ve created in 3D to see what your space will actually look like.
Circular ceremony seating, ceremony and reception seating in one, seatless, church style seating, and many more. They’re all simple to create in Allseated’s floor planning tool.
Vignette, banquet, family style, U-shaped are popular wedding reception, layouts, and there’s many more.
Absolutely. You don’t need to meet in person to plan the details of the wedding. Allseated’s floor planning tool makes it easy to collaborate with anyone, anywhere when it’s convenient.
There are many wedding reception layout ideas of interest for weddings. Using Allseated, it’s easy to design a layout and implement various seating styles. Using Allseated’s floorplan layout tools, you can play around with wedding layouts until you find the desired floorplan for a wedding.
With so many wedding layout ideas, it can be hard to make a decision. Take into account the guest count, venue size and layout, and overall feel of the space to narrow down the layout choices. It’s also helpful to ask your venue contact which seating layouts look best in the wedding venue.
There are many wedding reception seating ideas that choosing which is most popular is very hard to determine! It’s best to select a layout that works well in the venue space and matches the overall vision of the event.
