My Favourite Wedding Seating Chart Ideas
What do I mean by marrying form with function? Itâs pretty straightforward â your seating chart has a very important purpose: corral your guests and tell them where to go to avoid a chaotic dining experience. Itâs also an opportunity to create an interactive design focal point that wows your guests while getting the job done.
The seating chart: the perfect place to marry form with function.
Madeline Kate Photography
What do I mean by marrying form with function?
Itâs pretty straightforward â your seating chart has a very important purpose: Corral your guests and tell them where to go to avoid a chaotic dining experience. Itâs also an opportunity to create an interactive design focal point that wows your guests while getting the job done.
Before we get started, a few tips on putting together your seating plan:
Order names alphabetically by last name, not by table number!
Ask your parents to help figure out their friendsâ seating
Do away with the singles table
Whether you assign people to tables or to specific seats at tables, make it all REALLY clear
One more general piece of advice that seems common sense until you start going deep into design and you start to lose common sense: make it legible. Thin script fonts, clear acrylic or glass backdrops, too many mirrored elements all make it hard for your guests to actually read.
And now, letâs get into the pretty and inspirational! These are all from weddings Iâve designed the florals for in the past few years, and each was amazing for different reasons. Read on for more (And PS â if youâre newly engaged, congratulations! If youâre new here, welcome! I share a deep look into my real weddings, along with sharing planning advice and tips!).
Looking for more? Iâve also created a Pinterest Board rounding up some seating chart designs that recently caught my eye. Check that out right here!
Fun Colour Use
Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVED the way this bold seating display came together for Jess and Donnyâs wedding a few years back.
Emily from Feast & Festivities is very detailed in her design planning, and sheâs definitely not afraid of colour. Using this orange acrylic is just SO MUCH FUN, right? It also helps to make the names legible, as clear acrylic can make it pretty tricky to read.
The florals were all repurposed from the ceremony, and the staggered plinths takes this design from basic to extraordinary, while also being cost-effective!
As featured on Carats & Cake.
Arches and A Little Disney
This seating chart is simple but impactful. The repetition of the arched elements makes a big statement, pairing the seating chart (hung from a black arched frame) with an arched backdrop displaying their name a touch of Disney. Note that the names are arranged alphabetically! Woo!
Thereâs almost always an opportunity for some florals, but I definitely prefer a statement floral piece as opposed to âjust a little something added to the sign.â If youâre not going to go big, then just go home â as in, donât bother adding florals to your seating chart if the budget doesnât support it. Adding a âlittle somethingâ just adds up quickly without making an impact to the design and often just feels like unnecessary fluff.
See more from this wedding here!
Enter in Style
One of my design goals for Tiff and Stephâs tent wedding was to really bring the outdoors in, which was especially good as it rained most of the day. We designed this lush, delicious tent entrance and then nestled my seating chart base into it. Feast & Festivities put together the seating chart itself, and I just ADORE the magenta. Itâs an unexpected colour pop, which really grabs everyoneâs eyes and makes sure they canât miss it.
Modern Base with Florals Added
I had this modern, clean white base custom-made for this wedding that I provided both florals and event design for. The seating chart itself was printed on a large piece of foam-core, and slid right into the base.
We positioned the seating chart at the entrance to the room in SNAC, which served to bring a little more purpose and presence to the cards table while welcoming everyone in.
I then designed this all-white floral piece to place on the ground in front of the seating chart base, and I was lucky to incorporate a lot of locally grown white lilac, which is one of the brideâs faves. More to come from this wedding soon!
Big, Bold, and Creative
This coupleâs wedding was inspired by their love for Big White, the ski hill where they first met and shared their first NYE midnight kiss (adorable). So for their seating chart, they took inspiration from the ski runs, using it as a graphic backdrop for the chart itself. And instead of a typical seating chart, each guestâs name and photo was printed to look like a ski hill pass, and then clipped onto a custom lanyard. It was so creative!
I LOVE a good colour blocked floral moment. While itâs not right for every wedding or coupleâs style, colour blocking your florals can make a big design moment feel even more impactful.
See more featured on Green Wedding Shoes!
Go for the Wow (and Fill Space!)
Everything about Karleigh and Mattâs wedding was a designerâs dream, and this seating display was certainly no exception.
In many venues, youâre really limited by the amount of space you have to work with. But here, we had the entire 7th floor of the Fort Garry Hotel, with the dinner in one ballroom and the party in the other, so the entire hallway served as a welcome and cocktail area, and that left a lot of space to add in a statement making seating display.
The plinths were a combination of clear acrylic and mirrored gold, which felt very glamorous and also allowed us to design some florals inside the pedestals, some outside, some on top.
See the entire wedding here for some more jaw-dropping design elements!
Cottage-Core Influence
My dear bride Brenna planned and designed her wedding and every element was a perfect reflection of her personal style. They created this backdrop that served to guide guests in to their backyard, added a guest book on their adorable console table, and the seating assignments were added to the pegboard backing, too. Multi-functional and tres adorable. Oh, and it hid the wood pile behind it!
I cannot wait to share more from this backyard wedding. In the meantime, take a look at this cutie reel showing their romantic ceremony setting.
Define Your Tent Entrance
If youâre hosting a tent wedding in the summer, chances are pretty good that youâll have the walls open to bring in some fresh air. And if thatâs the case, then it can be tricky to get your guests to enter from the correct spot, which could interfere with the serving staff or bartenders, cause people to trip over electrical wires, and so on. So, integrate your seating chart into a tent entrance design that defines the entryway.
This particular seating chart was super simple â just individual names with their table number hand-calligraphed and pinned onto a linen-wrapped board, and topped with a little greenery sprig!
If youâre looking for more tent wedding ideas, Iâve rounded up my top 5 tips for designing a beautiful tent wedding right here.
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Weâve got a small handful of 2023 dates remaining, and 2024 bookings are now open.
Call me biased, but I think flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. I would love the creative challenge of taking your wedding vision and spinning it into a reality that you never could have dreamed of.
Wistful Romantic Wedding Photo Shoot
Now that Iâm finally back to blogging on a regular basis and sharing some of the gorgeous weddings and events Iâve been part of over the last year, I knew I needed to share these images from Florence Photography from our Portfolio Builder last spring.
These images are romantic, and wistful, and have a bit of old-world charm to them, with a really sleek editorial vibe that Iâve come to know as Florence Photographyâs signature style. I love the moody flirtation she captured!
Now that Iâm finally back to blogging on a regular basis and sharing some of the gorgeous weddings and events Iâve been part of over the last year, I knew I needed to share these images from Florence Photography from our Portfolio Builder last spring.
These images are romantic, and wistful, and have a bit of old-world charm to them, with a really sleek editorial vibe that Iâve come to know as Florence Photographyâs signature style. I love the moody flirtation she captured!
Portfolio Builder designed in collaboration with the one and only Emily from Feast & Festivities.
A dreamy outdoor location in a leafy grove, a delicate butterfly theme, a whimsical floral gardenâŚI loved designing this photo spot with the intention of creating a naturally growing garden. We wanted to add the ladder and I had the perfect old ladder in my yardâŚexcept I didnât realize quite how rickety it was đ Itâs not surprising that she didnât climb the ladder lol!
This location â it was such a dream! Emily found this circular grove of trees in Churchill Drive Park and always thought it would make an amazing wedding spot. She was right. With champagne draping and wicker pendant lights suspended from the trees, itâs the perfect little spot for an intimate dinner.
If youâre spending money on a wedding cake â PLEASE make it a focal point at your reception. Give it its own table, throw a specialty linen on it, add some flowers around it (you know I love doing that!), add a specialty bottle of champagne for the two of you to toast withâŚjust give it its own moment.
There are so many pretty textures and elements tucked into this overall design that make it what it is. â repeated butterfly details (the sweetest sugar butterflies on the cake, gold butterflies on the escort cards, 3D butterflies on the brideâs gloves) is one of my favourite pieces. Add to that the layered table linens with dual runners lining the length of the table on either side, the rattan baskets, and the ribbed beeswax candlesâŚit all adds up to an overall lovely design!
I chose to do one long, lush floral arrangement down the centre of the table here, tucking in the earliest locally grown flowers of the summer (ranunculus, delphinium, and pansies) in a juicy palette.
Looking for a Wedding Floral Designer in Winnipeg?
2023 wedding dates are now booking! Whether itâs an intimate wedding for 30 or a celebration the likes of which have never been seen before, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
Summer on the Prairies Styled Wedding Shoot
I loved working on this summer on the prairies styled shoot with Soiree Event Planning back in late June! The perfect prairie location, an elevated and fuss-free aesthetic, and a cheerful colour palette â you know thereâs nothing else that I could want!
I loved working on this summer on the prairies styled shoot with Soiree Event Planning back in late June! The perfect prairie location, an elevated and fuss-free aesthetic, and a cheerful colour palette â you know thereâs nothing else that I could want!
You might remember that June was absurdly hotâŚand this day was no different at all. We were setting up for a few hours before the lighting was just right for photos, and Iâll tell you what, we were scorching đ But, I still didnât get a sunburn!
Bridal Bouquet Ingredients: Ranunculus, delphinium, feverfew, and grasses. And thatâs it! Sometimes itâs best to keep things sweet and simple, and the colour does all the talking here.
I finished the stems off with this gorgeous golden silk ribbon from Tono & Co.
My concept for the ceremony florals was to keep it all understated â I wanted everything to feel very natural so I actually went in and created all of the wildflowers that you see here. This was just a grass aisle before me! I hammered in water tubes in clusters along the seating, each with little bundles of grasses, wheat, and feverfew, just to bring in a little more of that prairie wildflower vibe. Itâs not overly noticeable, but without it, the aisle would have fallen a bit flat.
Of course I am obsessed with the mixed seating options for the ceremony seating. It feels casual and comfortable, while still giving a very chic vibe. The mixed seating also enhances the intimacy of a smaller guest list, making things feel more personal and more interesting!
I love working with the Soiree team because they are seasoned professionals who really know how to make it all come together. Iâve most often worked with them on weddings, and the way they tie together the little details with the larger design goals, while ensuring an efficient day for the wedding professionals and a fun, enjoyable atmosphere for the couple and their guests is really admirable and not that easily done. If youâre looking for a planner, be sure to consider them!
A few of the notable design elements that their team customized for this shoot are the leather name tags wrapped around each salad fork (LOVE! If I were a guest, you can bet Iâd be taking that home) and some of the stem vases! They purchased some of the glazed vases, and then added that terracotta wash to others. Itâs a really cool project that can allow you some more flexibility with picking up random vases from the thrift or dollar stores, and still making sure they all look good together â and letâs be honest, is far more interesting and current than spray painting everything gold.
Want to know something amazing about these flowers? Every SINGLE stem of flowers and foliage used for this entire photo shoot was grown right here in Manitoba, by my friend Kelly at Lilystone Gardens. She provides the most stunning blooms, all summer long (I have no idea how she does it!) and is an incredible designer as well. Sheâs also just about to open her own wedding venue at her flower farm! If you love flowers, supporting local, or have an interest in weddings or farm life, then be sure to check her out on Instagram. Thank you Kelly, for growing and providing these flowers so that I can do what I love!
Lynsey Corbett Photography ~ Soiree Event Planning ~ Planned Perfectly ~ Union Table ~ Trend Rentals & Decor ~ Sugar & Salt Bakeshoppe ~ Karina Walker ~ Minted ~ Bliss Bridal Boutique ~ Eph Apparel ~ MYUZ Artistry ~ 204 Red
LOOKING FOR A WEDDING FLORAL AND EVENT DESIGNER IN WINNIPEG?
2022 wedding dates are limited, and my 2023 wait list has been started!
Flowers are the best way to make a statement at your wedding. Whether you already have a specific vision or want me to dream up something custom just for you, reach out to Stone House Creative for stunning bridal bouquets, truly unique ceremony backdrops, and beautiful floral centrepieces to create the perfect ambiance for your wedding!
The 2020 Portfolio Builder: Part 3
The countdown to the next Portfolio Builder is ON! Emily from Feast & Festivities and I have been having a great time conceptualizing all of the details for our next event for photographers and videographers, and I thought this would be the perfect time to share the final set of images from last fallâs event. These images are from Jensen Maxwell of the Winnipeg Wedding Photographerâs Collective, and theyâre so gorgeous! Letâs dive in to the customized look we created for her.
Have you heard the news?
Our next Portfolio Builder event for photographers and videographers is oh so soon!
SAVE THE DATE
Saturday, June 12, 2021
The countdown to the next Portfolio Builder is ON! Emily from Feast & Festivities and I have been having a great time conceptualizing all of the details for our next event for photographers and videographers, and I thought this would be the perfect time to share the final set of images from last fallâs event. These images are from Jensen Maxwell of the Winnipeg Wedding Photographerâs Collective, and theyâre so gorgeous! Letâs dive in to the customized look we created for her.
I loved the peach tones that we focused on for this stationery suite, which was custom created by local calligrapher Blake Creative Co. Calligraphy naturally has a very feminine feel to it, and the addition of a velum over-wrap, a mottled pink wax seal, and of course, that peach tone ink amps it up. Notice the combination of different envelope colours, to layer in more visual interest to the complete suite.
Whether the wedding youâre planning has an intimate guest list or youâre holding out until you can host 200+, in my personal opinion, escort cards (and the way theyâre displayed) immediately take a wedding design from 1 to 10. This is such an easy way to add in personalized style and further develop your design plan.
I love using an escort card table near to the entrance of your reception space, because it serves both form and function. Here, the combination of a champagne tower and a modern floral display welcome your guests with a celebratory mood.
This might be a little braggy, but guys: I did a dang good job on this bouquet, didnât I? The palette is so juicy and the bouquet had the perfect amount of bounce and jiggle đ
Bridal bouquet ingredients: roses and garden roses, scabiosa, carnations, ranunculus, stock, godetia, ninebark, and camellia foliages.
Clean lines, layered textures, and a feminine feel. This tablescape came together so beautifully. We swapped out everything from the place settings to the candles, so that Jensenâs portfolio was unique to her.
Vendors:
Photos: Jensen Maxwell - Winnipeg WEdding Photographerâs Collective
Planning and design: Feast & Festivities
Florals and Design: Stone House Creative
Linens, Chairs: Planned Perfectly
Place Setting Rentals: C&T Rentals
Venue: Cloakroom Wellness
Dress: Bliss Bridal Boutique
Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes
Makeup: Tiopo and Co
Hair: Tori Lynn Hair
Rings: Mokada
Accessories: Luna + Stone
Calligraphy: Blake Creative Co
Cake: Sugar & Salt BakeShoppe
Model: Havilah for Panache Management
Want to be part of the next portfolio builder?
June 12, 2021 is the date and registration is NOW OPEN!
This is a day exclusively for photographers and videographers who are looking to build their portfolio and attract their dream clients. Youâll find an expertly planned and thoughtfully designed styled shoot and bridal editorial created to give you the time and space to get inspired, explore, try new things, and hone in on your skills in a one-of-a-kind outdoor setting.
Whether youâve been in business for several years already or if youâre just starting out, or maybe youâre thinking about branching out to offer video services to your already established photography business, the Portfolio Builder is the right fit for you.
And letâs be honestâŚafter the dumpster fire that was 2020 and that 2021 is turning out to be so far, we all need some inspiration.
The 2020 Portfolio Builder: Part 2
Iâm back at it, with a little more from the Portfolio Builder last fall! As weâre gearing up for this yearâs Portfolio Builder, Iâm so excited to share more of these images and the work behind the scenes that we did to make this a one-of-a-kind experience for our photographers.
Today, I want to share with you all about the customizations that we do to ensure that each photographer walks away with a unique set of portfolio images, AND, if youâre planning a wedding, this also shows you how you can easily make small adjustments to make a design your own!
Have you heard the news?
Our next Portfolio Builder event for photographers and videographers is oh so soon!
SAVE THE DATE
Saturday, June 12, 2021
Iâm back at it, with a little more from the Portfolio Builder last fall! As weâre gearing up for this yearâs Portfolio Builder, Iâm so excited to share more of these images and the work behind the scenes that we did to make this a one-of-a-kind experience for our photographers.
Today, I want to share with you all about the customizations that we do to ensure that each photographer walks away with a unique set of portfolio images, AND, if youâre planning a wedding, this also shows you how you can easily make small adjustments to make a design your own!
These images are all from Tiffany Marie Photography, who actually photographed 2 of our designs, so you can really see all the work we went to to make this happen!
First up, this is the gorgeous design board that Emily from Feast & Festivities laid out to inspire us in creating these wedding designs. I love the feminine, organic feel and it was very rewarding to bring it to life.
Below is a quick overview of the 2 wedding designs that we created for Tiffany Marie Photography to capture: a rectangular banquet table with mocha and taupe linens, clear Napoleon chairs, and textured elements, and a round table with dusty mauve linen, white chivari chairs, and feminine details. Letâs dive into this a little more!
DESIGN 1
The first design does a beautiful job of merging modern and timeless styles, with the help of organic textures.
Emily had the genius idea of customizing some of the paper products with dried lavender buds, creating her own wax seal to incorporate lavender, which accented the escort cards and the table menus. This was one of my personal favourite details!
Moving into this table design, youâll see how layering contrasting textures together can create a unique tablescape that touches all of the senses. Emily paired Planned Perfectlyâs taupe panama linen with their oatmeal gauzey runner, custom made taupe napkins with lavender stitching, and the crisp Napoleon chairs.
I created a sense of balanced symmetry with a larger floral arrangement clustered with 2 taper candles, off-set by a smaller floral arrangement clustered with 3 taper candles. This adds a nice sense of undulation and movement to a table, without using the exact same elements over and over again, which can feel a little too repetitive.
I love the way this smoke salad plate pairs with the silver dragonfly flatware from C&T Rentals! The cooler tones feel a little unexpected after the gold and copper craze of the last few years. Iâm sure youâll also agree that the detail on the plate edge adds that touch of femininity that we needed!
DESIGN 2
This second design relies a little more on the bolder ochre colour in the palette (one of the things I love about working with Feast & Festivities is that Emily is not afraid of colour!), while also emphasizing the femininity.
We pulled that honey tone throughout, using silk ribbon to customize the simple invitation suite and even adding a touch to each menu â and of course, on the bridal bouquet.
The lavender touches in the invites also play really beautifully into the toffee belize linen from Planned Perfectly, pulling out the mauve undertone in an unexpected way.
Is it just me, or am the only one in the wedding world who still loves round tables? I know that theyâre kind of basic, BUT hear me out: you can have some fun with designing on a round table! Thereâs something about a round table that feels both fresh and classic at the same time.
Now, there are a few things that I can never forgive, with the main one being those crappy little half length table linens on a round table. Who on earth ever thought that that should be a product?
But moving past that, here are a few of my personal design thoughts about round tables:
-You can still create an asymmetrical design. Instead of placing that centrepiece dead centre in the table, create groupings: move that centrepiece over a bit, and group a clustering on candles to balance it.
-Consider seating fewer people at the table, both for comfort and so thereâs more space on the table. Round tables do get full pretty quickly, but if you seat 6 people at an 8 person table, you leave more room for charger plates, bread plates, glassware, favours, candles â all of the pretty elements that go into making a tablescape truly special.
Want to know a shameful secret about this cake? It was supposed to be tied with actual ribbon. I ordered some gorgeous gossamer ribbon from Tono & Co specifically for this, and thenâŚI lost it. I think it must have accidentally fallen into the trash can in my studio, because I have torn this place apart and not come across it. I even went through two entire garbage bags to find it đ¤Śđźââď¸ BUT Kayla from Sugar & Salt Bakeshoppe came to the rescue at the last minute, and added this gorgeous sugar bow that she made by hand. Saved by the baker.
Vendors:
Photos: Tiffany Maire Photography
Planning and design: Feast & Festivities
Florals and Design: Stone House Creative
Linens, Chairs: Planned Perfectly
Place Setting Rentals: C&T Rentals
Venue: Cloakroom Wellness
Dress: Bliss Bridal Boutique
Shoes: Bella Belle Shoes
Makeup: Tiopo and Co
Hair: Tori Lynn Hair
Rings: Mokada
Accessories: Luna + Stone
Stationery: Minted
Calligraphy: Blake Creative Co
Cake: Sugar & Salt BakeShoppe
Model: Havilah for Panache Management
Want to be part of the next portfolio builder?
June 12, 2021 is the date and registration is NOW OPEN!
This is a day exclusively for photographers and videographers who are looking to build their portfolio and attract their dream clients. Youâll find an expertly planned and thoughtfully designed styled shoot and bridal editorial created to give you the time and space to get inspired, explore, try new things, and hone in on your skills in a one-of-a-kind outdoor setting.
Whether youâve been in business for several years already or if youâre just starting out, or maybe youâre thinking about branching out to offer video services to your already established photography business, the Portfolio Builder is the right fit for you.
And letâs be honestâŚafter the dumpster fire that was 2020 and that 2021 is turning out to be so far, we all need some inspiration.