How to Make a Seating Chart

To start off, you are going to need a large workplace Draw the layout of the reception site on a large piece of cardboard or posterboard. Draw the location of all tables, including the head table, the cake table, the gift table, the DJ's work area, etc.  Buy post-it notes in different colors. The bride's family is assigned one color, the groom's family another, and friends yet another color.  Once the colors are assigned, write each guest's name on the appropriate colored post-it, making sure to keep couples together. Keep each color together, placing each post-it in a row Take a deep breath here, because things are about to get crazy. A note before you begin seating people: Tables closest to the head table are reserved for immediate family. If neither set of parents are divorced, that will take up two tables. However, if anyone is divorced, there will have to be more tables,as you should never seat divorced couples with their previous partners. The bride's parents usually are seated at the "best" table. That said... Start with the most important and work your way down. Seat the bride's mother and father at the "best" table, and seat them so that they are facing the head table, so they don't have to keep turning their chairs during important speeched and the such. Seat the bride's grandparents next, followed by the officiant, if he/she is attending the reception. Then seat the bride's siblings and their significant others. Pat yourself on the back- you've got a table done! Unless... If the bride's parents are divorced, each parent should "host" a table. Seat the appropriate grandparents with each parent.  Move on and seat the groom's parents in the same way as above The rest of the family should be the next step. Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Siblings, and close friends of the family should be seated as close to the head table as possible.  Decide how you are seating children, if they are invited to the wedding. Do you want to seat them with their parents, or at a special children's table? Here comes the extremely fun part: seating your friends. Arrange the post-its into groups of friends and seat them as so. Some guests won't fit into any group, therefore, try to seat them with groups you think they would get along with If the emcee  and other speech makers are not seated at the head table, seat them so that they can easily get to the podium, if you have one Don't sit elderly guests near the DJ stand or near speakers. They will not be happy about it. If the tables are long tables, seat family close to the head table and make your way down to seating friends

Alternatives to the Receiving Line

Visit each table at the reception individually. This is a great way to create a relaxed atmosphere and allows for more conversation, rather than having guest throw a quick congratulations your way. However, it is also time-consuming and the bride and groom may not be able to make it to each table                                                                                           The bride and groom can serve cake to each table themselves. This also creates a relaxed atmosphere, and goes quicker than greeting each table, as the bride and groom have to serve everyone, yet are able to talk with guests briefly as they serve them. Make sure not to get caught up in conversation with guests, as other tables are waiting for their slice of cake. Stay informal and simply mingle with the guests. However, this can take longer than expected and some guests may be overlooked. It can also be quite chaotic, as everyone wants to talk to the bride and groom. Whatever option you choose, make sure to greet each guest and thank them for helping you celebrate.

Place Cards & Escort Cards: What's the Difference?

Escort Cards These cards let each guest know which table they are seated at. If someone brings a guest, you can either put the names on the same card, or use two separate cards. If you choose to use separate cards, the woman should be listed first. However, many couples list the invited guest first on the card If a husband and wife have different names, the woman's name is usually first Cards should be displayed in alphabetical order Place Cards These cards are on the table at the place assigned to the guest. Here are some choices in regards to how to seat guests per table: Couples that come together are seated at the same table but not next to each other. Guests should alternate male and female. The person to the right of you is considered the person of honor (I personally think this is bull-- if I come with a date, I want to sit next to my date) Couples that come together are seated next to each other Couples that come together are seated at different tables (wrong, I tell you, just wrong) Personalized Menu Card These are alternatives to the place cards and are often used when giving guests a choice of entrees. The menu would have each guest's name printed at the top of it and set at each place.

Feeding Your Vendors

So who exactly are you supposed to feed? It gets a bit confusing. Professional vendors These include the DJ, band, photographer, and videographer These vendors should be give a meal provided by the caterer or reception hall. It can be the same meal served to guests, or a different meal at a more affordable cost can be arranged. Complimentary, non-alcoholic drinks should be provided for the professional vendors. If any vendor contract request that alcoholic drinks be served, do not hire him or her. They lack professionalism if they request this. Staff Staff is simple anyone provided by the reception hall and by the caterer They should be served a meal at your expense. Meals are only reserved for vendors who are independent contractors outside of the reception hall or catering service.  Instead of a meal, the staff is usually compensated by a gratuity The etc. If the bartender is hired independently of the reception hall or catering service, he/she should be provided with a meal Venders who only work during the cocktail hour, such as a pianist should only be provided with non-alcoholic drinks. A meal should not be served to them The vendors need to know where to eat their meal. If you have a close relationship with them, they can be seated with guests during dinner. Otherwise, the vendors most usually eat their meal in the kitchen.  The best option is to discuss where to seat the vendors to eat their meals with the reception hall manager

Guestbook Ideas and Alternatives

Purchase an unfired bowl or platter and have guests sign it with a preg-glaze pen. Then have it glazed and fired after the wedding. You could then mount it on a wall, keep it on display in a cabinet, or use it for special dining occasions Give each guest a quilt square to leave a message on and have the quilt sewn after the wedding. Or you could mail out squares to the guests and they can mail them back to you or bring them to the wedding to be collected. Guests should sign the squares with felt tip pens Have guests sign a lampshade to later be used in a special room of your house Guests could sign an unfinished wooden table to be polished later for use in your home The wishing well: Each guest is given a blank piece of paper to write a special message to the couple, which are then collected and placed in the "well" or some sort of container. Here are some suggestions for when to read the messages: On your first anniversary Have the guest pick a date for you to open the card Open them immediately and place them in a scrapbook or album Open a set number of messages per anniversary Have each guest take a polaroid picture of themself to be placed in a scrapbook/album next to the message they include Fill the guestbook with small envelopes and have each guest write a message and then insert the message into the envelope and seal it. As for when to open the envelopes, see above (wishing well) Fill a scrapbook with pictures of you as a couple, as children, etc. Guest can write messages around the pictures. This makes a great coffee table book Buy a giant maverick of wine and have guests sign the bottle with silver and gold pens Place a picture of you and your partner or a picture of some significance into a large fram and have it double or triple matted and have guests sign on the matting Have a wishing tree: Each guest writes a wish or message on a blank sheet of paper with a ribbon attached to it. The guest would then hang the message on a branch of the "tree"

Alternative to Tossing The Bouquet

The Anniversary Dance: Select a song that speaks of longevity and commitment, such as Anne Murray's "Could I Have This Dance", Kenny Rogers' "Through the Years", etc. and have the DJ invite all married couples out onto the floor to dance. He then would ask couples married less than a year to sit, less than 5 years, less then 10, etc. until there is one couple left dancing. They would receive the bouquet. Donate your bouquet to a local hospital or nursing home for display in the day room  Honoring the Deceased: Place your bouquet in a vase next to a picture of deceased love one on the guestbook table, with candles lit around it Choose a person who has helped out tremendously with your wedding planning (other than a member of the bridal party) and give them your bouquet Donate your bouquet to your church or house of worship, or some other charitable organization Give your bouquet to a parent of family member you are especially close to Musical Chairs: Have the groom remove the bride's garter and then call all single men and women onto the dance floor. Each single guy is assigned a number and given a chair to stand behind. Each single women sits in a chair. When the music stops, each single woman who doesn't have a chair to sit in leaves the dance floor. A number is pulled and the man with the coresponding number leaves as well. The last single man and woman left receive the bouquet and garter

Interactive Games for Guest to Enjoy

The Newlywed Game: The bride and groom are asked a series of questions and they have to answer them correctly. If they don't, they have to endure a penalty. Sample Questions: To the Groom: Where was your first date? If the bride was stranded on an island, what would she crave first? If the bride won the lottery, what would be the first thing she'd buy? To the Bride:  If someone cut the groom off on the highway, what would be his reaction? Name that tune-- play a sample of some song the groom loves and the bride has to guess it.  Penalties: Squish an egg in their hand, bite into a lemon, dip bread in ginger ale and eat it, squish banana in their hand, etc. Toilet Paper Rally: Have the bride and groom each select two people to help them out. The selected people insert their fingers into the tube of toilet paper. The bride and groom must then race to unroll the roll of toilet paper. A silly prize can be offered to the winner or loser, such as a pail of cleaning supplies. Invite all guests to stand up to witness a special moment and invite them to take pictures. Have the bride hold out her hand, palm down, and then ask the groom to place his palm on top of hers. Then the DJ, or whomever, announces that this is the last time the groom will have the upper hand in the relationship Invite the guests to do a conga line around the reception site Do the YMCA dance with props Photo Scavenger Hunt: If you are having disposable cameras on every table, have the guests fulfill a scavenger hunt. Here are some ideas for tasks: Someone with a great laugh The tallest person Someone with a camera taking a picture Someone who looks like he's way too hot Someone looking very sexy Someone looking very messy Someone looking very stern Someone on the dance floor making a turn Someone whispering in someone's ear Someone dancing with his or her mother Someone with a funny expression on their face Someone fixing his or her attire Someone caught by surprise Someone saying goodbye Someone avoiding catching the garter Someone avoiding catching the bouquet An older couple with their wedding rings A group picture of everyone at your table A couple dipping on the dance floor