What takes time in a seating chart is not the seating. It is the re-seating. Someone drops out, someone brings a partner, and half the plan moves. This order keeps the cost of each change small.
1. Ask the venue how many fit per table
That number decides how many tables you need. Start there, not with names.
2. Seat confirmed guests only
Tentative guests come later. Adding is always easier than removing.
3. Settle the top table
Decide who sits with you before anything else, because it fixes the tables nearest you.
4. Group people who know each other
Work outwards by connection. A table of strangers is more uncomfortable than an empty chair.
5. Use the photos
The photos guests send with their replies appear on the seats, so you are not recalling names by table twelve.
6. Leave yourself margin
A spare table, or a few free seats, saves improvising on the night.
See also: seating chart · guest list
The other guides: Invitation wording · Managing RSVPs
Frequently asked questions
How many guests per table?
It depends on the tables your venue uses. Ask before you start: that number decides the whole chart.
What about guests who have not replied?
Leave them out for now. Adding someone later is easier than removing someone already seated.
Should I keep a spare table?
It helps. One or two unexpected guests is common, and having seats ready beats improvising on the day.