A seating chart is 20% spreadsheet and 80% diplomacy. Most couples and event planners get stuck not because of the tool — but because of the decisions: who with whom, how many per table, and what to do when an aunt cancels two days before. Here's a working method.
How many people per table
It depends on the table size the venue provides. A common rule of thumb:
- 150 cm round table — 8 people comfortably, 10 tightly.
- 180 cm round table — 10–12 people.
- Banquet tables (long rectangular) — count by length, roughly one person per 60–70 cm on each side.
It's better not to fill every table to the brim. A table with 9 people instead of 10 leaves room for bags, gifts and a couple joining at the last minute — and saves you from breaking it down and rebuilding.
A common mistake: planning exactly by the RSVP count. Plan for 90%–95% of them. There are always some who don't show and some who do, despite everything.
How to group guests
The simple way: divide the whole guest list into "worlds", then cut each world into tables.
- The immediate family of each side — usually near the dance floor / the couple.
- Extended family — by branch (the aunts and uncles on Mom's side, the cousins...).
- Friends — by era: high school, army, work, university. People like to sit with those they already know.
- Parents' friends — their own table, usually not next to the younger crowd.
- "Mixed table" — for singles and couples without a clear group. Try to have at least one sociable person who knows the rest of the table.
Guests you need to separate
Almost every event has two or three flashpoints: exes, feuding siblings, colleagues who don't get along. A few principles:
- Physical distance, not just a separate table. Two sides of the venue, not two adjacent tables.
- Line of sight. Try to keep them from seeing each other directly from their seats.
- Don't put anyone "on guard duty". A guest whose only job is to prevent friction — won't enjoy it.
- If the parents are divorced — each at the head of their own table, at a distance, and both equally close to the couple.
A kids' table — yes or no
If there are 6+ children aged 4–10, a dedicated kids' table (with coloring pages, near the parents but not among them) works well. Fewer than that — it's better to spread them among the parents. Babies and toddlers always with the parents.
Tip: mark in the list who is a child (in the "notes" or "party size" column), so you can easily count kids' meals for the venue.
Timeline
4 weeks before
- Make sure the guest list is up to date and that every record has a phone number.
- Get the number of tables and their size, and the dance floor location, from the venue.
- Create an event in QSeat and upload an initial list — How to do it.
Two weeks before
- Most RSVPs are in. Group into worlds and start assigning to tables.
- Activate the QR code (one-time payment) and prepare the print file.
3–4 days before
- A final RSVP round. Update tables in the dashboard.
- Print the QR sign. You can also make a few small copies to place around the venue.
The night of the event
- Post the QR sign at the entrance, at eye level, well lit.
- Keep one staff member with dashboard access for changes and name searches.
- A last-minute change? Edit on your phone — the guest sees it right away.
Cancellations and last-minute changes
It always happens. With a printed board it's a nightmare; with a digital tool it's 20 seconds:
- A single cancellation — don't touch the table. One empty chair goes unnoticed.
- A table that emptied halfway — merge it with another half-empty table and rename the table (all its guests move together with one click).
- A couple joining — add them to a table with a free spot, or to the "mixed table".
Why digital wins here
Every change you make in the dashboard shows up immediately for the scanning guest. There's no "old printed version" that keeps sending people to the wrong table.
Where QSeat comes in
QSeat doesn't decide who sits with whom for you — that's still you. What it does do: take your finished table list and turn it into a smooth entrance experience. Upload an Excel file, get one QR code, and each guest finds their table by phone number — no queue and no name board everyone pushes toward.