Every name, number and message on this page is invented. No real guest data appears anywhere on this site.
Here is a made-up seating chart for 87 guests across 9 tables, as it looks once replies are in.
How it breaks down
Top table (8): the couple and both sets of parents. Tables 2 and 3 (10 each): immediate family from each side. Tables 4 to 6 (10): friends. Tables 7 and 8 (10): colleagues and school friends. Table 9 (9): families with young children, nearest the door.
Why table 9 sits by the door
A detail that gets forgotten: parents of small children leave and return several times through the evening. Putting them near an exit saves them crossing the room each time.
Where the margin is
87 guests across 9 tables of 10 would leave 3 seats spare. Here the top table is set at 8 and table 9 at 9, so the spare places absorb a late plus-one without rebuilding anything.
See the feature: seating chart · how to make one
Frequently asked questions
Can I still move people the night before?
Yes. Tapping a seat swaps someone without disturbing the rest of the chart.
What about a table that will not fill?
A table can hold fewer seats than the others. A table of eight is better than a table of ten with two empty places.
Do guests get told their table number?
The chart stays on your side. It is what you use to prepare the display and the place cards.