A Guest’s View

My top 5 table plan tips

I am far from matrimony, but when the time comes, there is one item of necessity that I will undoubtedly put on the long (diamond-frosted) finger; the dreaded drafting of the seating chart. You see, I have been to three weddings; each time a bridesmaid, my place firmly at the top table, with the people I know and love best… where conversation is easy and risk is low.

But I often wondered what it must be like to be seated at a table where acquaintances are few, or to partake in the hysterical laughter shared by school friends reunited. Don’t feel bad for me though; I?have indulged in a little musical wedding chairs in my time, after the main course had been digested, naturally. And well, I began to realise just how lucky I had been with my original seat. On one particular occasion, I innocently moved to sit beside someone I knew, only for them to depart, leaving me talking (or, rather, listening) to someone relive their moderately succesful television career in Japan. While I was interested in their story, my attention switched to the dessert that had made its way to my original place-setting. Suffice to say, I was miffed to have missed my dessert.

This incident made me appreciate just how important it is to get it right when deciding where your guests are going to rest their bums for ninety minutes of starters, steak and sympathy laughs. So, what should you keep in mind to avoid guests nose-diving into their soup?

Here are my Top 5 tips for seating your guests, from a guest’s perspective…

PHOTO CREDIT: ruffledblog.com

1. ASK YOUR ELDERS

Before you begin, draft in your mother, auntie, sisters to get background info on family politics, so old wars don’t resurface over dessert.

2, MATCH LIKE WITH LIKE
If you know that a few of your friends are really into design classics and your neighbour is a graphic designer and your aunt is an interior decorator, this could make for the perfect round table discussion – on the other hand, your feminist cousin and his macho work colleague might not make the best pairing.

PHOTO CREDIT: stylemepretty.com

3. TIME MACHINE TABLING

Categorise friends by era – perhaps it’s your old school buddies or buzzers from the clubbing days; either way, bringing them all down memory lane and perhaps even rekindling old flames should have the laughs on high.

4. THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT

As with all things in life there is alwas a solution, especially in the techy-sphere. Online resources such as Tablerrr and Wedding Wire will have you strees free, and one click away from another task scratched off your wedding to-do list.

PHOTO CREDIT: buzzfeed.com

5. OR, GO ROGUE

This is risky, but isn’t that what life (and marriage) is about; taking chances? If you are really finding it impossible, why not let your guests choose their own seats? This way, people can decide which table suits them, using their natural instincts as guides.

For more anecdotal tips and tricks to bring the wedding of your dreams to life pick up a copy of the BASH Annual, on shelves now, or to buy here

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