20 Unique Wedding Table Plan Ideas & Expert Tips
Wedding table plans can be tricky, but we’ve got plenty of beautiful table plans to inspire you and make the whole process a little less stressful
Creating your wedding table plan is a task that splits couples - some love the idea of organising everyone's seats, and others dread it, but one thing all couples can agree on is how fun it is to browse wedding table plan ideas.
Because once the hard work of deciding who will sit where (with the help of the Hitched table plan tool) is done, the fun bit can begin.
When it comes to choosing table plan ideas, wedding venues, themes and colour schemes will play a huge role in your decision. You'll want your wedding table plan ideas and themes to match the look and feel of the rest of your decor and stationery, so nailing the right design is crucial.
As well as being gorgeous to look at and unique - if that's what you're after - seating plan ideas also need to serve the practical purpose of telling everyone where they should go.
- Wedding Table Plan Ideas & Themes for Every Kind of Celebration
- How to Make Wedding Table Plan Ideas Yourself: Expert Tips
Wedding Table Plan Ideas & Themes for Every Kind of Celebration
If you're looking for table planner ideas that perfectly balance the aesthetics with the practicalities, you've come to the right place.
Here you will find several of our favourite table plan wedding ideas including unique themes and ones you can make yourself!
1. Wedding Table Plan Ideas With Photography
If chic and stylish is your wedding theme, consider wedding table plan ideas which include black and white photography like this design by Ivy Gold Stationery.
The minimalist font and monochrome colour scheme means the picture remains the star of the show here, and we particularly love this idea if you had an engagement shoot or caught the proposal on camera.
2. Wedding Table Plan With Special Pictures
Did you and your partner bond over your love of jetting off to new and exciting locations? If so, wedding table plan ideas and themes around travel are perfectly suited to you.
Ivy Gold Stationery have created a really cute wedding seating plan here using pictures of the couple in different locations they've travelled to. The table numbers and font have been kept simple so it doesn't complicate things for the guest, but each picture acts as a great conversation starter for your guests once they are seated.
3. Themed Chest Wedding Table Plan
How adorable is this seating plan display by Miai Events Planner?
If you're looking for themed table plan ideas, wedding chests like this are a great shout. This particular one is perfect for couples planning rustic weddings around Halloween, but you could theme the chest with anything you like and display the table names on cards for your guests to look at at their leisure.
We can imagine this themed for a Christmas wedding with baubles and tinsel everywhere, or a summer table plan chest bursting with flowers and greenery.
If you're wondering how to make wedding table plan ideas yourself, this is definitely one you can recreate and DIY.
4. Find Your Name Table Plan Idea
Another one of our favourite table plan wedding ideas that is super creative is this set up by Ivy White.
Here, each guest has to find their name tag which is printed on a tassel label, and on the label is the table number they have been allocated.
Not only does this add an interactive element to seating plan ideas, but it's great for couples who want to allocate tables to their guests, but don't necessarily want a rigid seat allocation. Guests will have a table number to sit at, but how they arrange themselves on that table is up to them.
This works perfectly for social groups and all-adult weddings in particular.
5. Unique Newspaper Table Plan Theme
The Occasional Press are a wedding stationery company who create unique and bespoke wedding newspapers for couples getting married. Whether it's a newspaper invitation or an on-the-day newspaper you go for, your guests are bound to be surprised!
This particular paper was created to be handed out to guests on the day and has the seating plan and table allocation written inside. Each guest gets a copy at the wedding and can use it to find out where they're seated. As well as being one of our favourite table plan ideas, this also doubles up as a unique wedding favour that everyone can take home with them.
6. Personalised Caricature Table Plan Design
Couples looking for super fun and personalised wedding table plan ideas and themes will love this caricature seating plan by Standout Stationery.
Just imagine how touched your guests will feel to know that you've gone to such effort to have them represented on your seating plan.
It'll act as a great talking point for everyone attending, guarantee some laughs and makes for an excellent keepsake for the happy couple after the wedding,
7. Retro Pink Table Plan Display
Funky and retro wedding themes are all the rage these days, and if you're planning on embracing them at your wedding, this Miai Events Planner design is ideal for you.
The wire board that this wedding table plan is presented on adds an industrial feel to the overall look, as does the brick wall. We can picture seating plan ideas like this in a warehouse wedding venue, and love how bright the colours are that have been used. Anyone else got this Chicago song in their head now?
8. Alphabetical Gold Foil Table Plan
Yes, we're sharing more table plan ideas for weddings from Ivy White because they're all so brilliant, and there are a number of genius takeaways from this particular design.
The first is the gold foiling, which is always a good idea! The next is the unique layout of the names. Instead of having the seating plan broken down by table, the couple have decided to list all of their guests' names alphabetically with their assigned table number next to their name.
Much like the cool tassel idea, this works for couples who want their guests to sit at a particular table, but aren't so fussed about where - however you could still have an idea like this and be specific about where you want people to sit by using place card names.
As far as your guests are concerned, this is actually a much easier way for people to find their names, and could lead to less build up around the table plan with everyone trying to find which list their name is in. Clever!
9. Minimalist Script Wedding Table Plan
Not all wedding table plan ideas need themes, as proved by Wonder Wedding Stationery's script collection showcased here.
There's something really pretty about how simple the template is. The pretty cursive font and monochrome colour scheme would really suit a modern wedding theme, we reckon.
10. Animal Themed Wedding Table Plan Ideas
Calling all animal lovers - here's some wedding table plan ideas and themes to get you excited. Sophie Botsford Stationery has used her expert illustration skills to create a wedding seating plan themed around game birds.
Whilst this couple decided to name their tables after their favourite birds and have them illustrated for them, the idea can be recreated for any animal group or breed you like. Perhaps you're planning to have dogs at your wedding and want to name your tables after your favourite breeds, or you're getting married at a farm wedding venue and want to represent each of the animals they have there.
Whatever you choose, the hand-drawn illustrations really help to bring the theme to life.
11. Rustic Wedding Table Plan Theme With Flowers
As far as table plan wedding ideas go, this is one of the most simple ones to recreate yourself, however it's one of the smartest of all.
One couple who married at Holmfirth Vineyard had the genius idea to use bottles with labels showing the table plans on filled with flowers - and the best part? Once everyone has taken their seats, the vases can then be used as simple table centrepiece decorations. We love a multi-purpose piece of décor and it's one you can definitely create yourself if you're into DIY.
12. Mirrored Table Plan Idea
Mirror mirror on the wall, what are the best wedding table plan ideas of all? Ones with mirrors of course!
Another really simple idea that's easy to recreate yourself is to present your wedding seating plan cards on a large mirror like Ivy Gold Stationery have done here.
The best thing about this idea is that you can tailor it to almost any theme depending on the style of mirror you choose. Modern, sleek weddings can have a simple mirror, nuptials in grand luxury wedding venues can use antique mirrors and so on.
13. Mirrored Writing Table Plan Idea
Another of our wedding table plan ideas that involves mirrors was inspired by this Camilla Boniek Events display.
Camilla and her team decided to display the wedding seating plan by writing it on an antique mirror and the idea works so perfectly at this romantic outdoor Italian wedding.
14. Table Plan Design With Dried Flowers
This seating plan idea by Say it With Print is pretty enough on its own, but the dried pampas grass flowers add a three-dimensional element to it that makes it really stand it.
The texture of the dried flowers and wax stamps works so well for a bohemian wedding theme and you could have matching seals on your wedding invitations to complete the look.
15. Transparent Table Plan Design With Calligraphy
We love a bit of wedding calligraphy and even more so when it's used to create wedding table plan ideas and themes.
Design Inspired by You have used acrylic calligraphy to create a timeless and luxurious seating plan which exudes elegance.
On a practical level, this also works really well for couples getting married in small wedding venues. The transparent board allows guests to see straight through it, so smaller rooms aren't broken up by big, clunky signs.
16. Wedding Cake Table Plan Theme
Here, we have another example of how you can use hand-drawn illustrations to elevate your wedding table plan ideas. Sophie Botsford Stationery has created the most adorable cake-themed seating plan for one of her couples, with each table represented by an illustration of a particular style of cake.
Not only is this so fitting for a wedding, but it's also a great way to share your favourite sweet treats with your guests.
Go one step further and serve each cake to each table, so the lemon drizzle table gets slices of that and so on.
17. Travel Themed Wedding Table Plan Idea
Instead of using pictures of yourselves to represent your love of travelling, consider using Wonder Wedding Stationery's travel collection as inspiration.
They have incorporated a rose gold world map into the middle of their seating plan and although the tables have numbers in this template, you could very easily rename each table after somewhere you've been together.
18. Minimalist Frosted Acrylic Table Plan Design
We absolutely love the frosted look on Inketch Ltd's acrylic stationery sets and the table plan here is one of our favourite picks from the collection.
Having a translucent background allows you to stick to white fonts without it being difficult to read, and without you having to incorporate lots of different colours.
We also like the way that the table names are written vertically next to each list of names. It's different and a really modern way to lay out your plan.
19. Simple Celestial Wedding Table Plan Theme
We're huge fans of celestial wedding themes, and we particularly love celestial wedding stationery, so it'll come as no surprise that we've included this design in our edit.
Ivy Gold Stationery have used small stars to decorate this chic seating plan, and they look adorable, but what we love most is the way that they have laid out long banqueting seating arrangements.
Many wedding seating plan ideas are landscape, but having it made vertically works so well for those super-sociable long tables.
20. Rustic Botanical Table Plan With Greenery
Another great way to showcase a banquet-style table layout is this design by Otto & Nibs. The line separates guests on either side, showing people exactly where they need to sit, and the slightly-aged paper really adds to the rustic theme.
How to Make Wedding Table Plan Ideas Yourself: Expert Tips
When it comes to creating your wedding table plan, the first thing you need to do, before deciding on any designs or visuals, is create your seating plan.
Deciding who is going to be sitting where, how many tables you're going to have and what shape they're going to be is the most important part of the process. Without knowing this, how can you possibly ask someone to design your seating plan?
Fortunately, wedding styling expert and founder of Sauveur, a luxury events company, Matthew Shaw is here to answer your burning questions.
What is the Traditional Seating Plan for a Wedding Head Table?
"Wedding top tables are a traditional feature that highlights the bridal party and close family, but over the years other alternatives like sweetheart tables for the couple or mixed seating arrangements have become more popular.
"Traditionally, a wedding top table has a rigid setup which goes, left to right; maid of honour, groom’s father, bride’s mother, groom, bride, bride’s father, groom’s mother, best man. Whilst this can be an elegant and quick solution for many, it is also very important to consider the many different family, couple, or wedding party formats people can have.
"These days most do not fit this rigid mould which can allow you to play around with your seating plan and top table. The thought of sitting looking out over the room can also be a turn off for some. Do not force yourself into any format because it is the ‘done thing’, approach this from what works for you and your guest list.
"A first step is to consider whether you would like a top table, in a traditional or adjusted format, or whether you want to go down a completely different route."
Do You Put Surnames on a Wedding Table Plan?
"There is no hard-and-fast rule for this. We usually opt to include everyone’s full names on the seating plan as it helps guests who might have the same name. I also think it helps with the formatting and design of the table plan to have two columns for each table (first and last names)."
Do You Put the Top Table on a Wedding Seating Plan?
"Whether you opt for a top table or not you are still left with the consideration of who sits near the bride and groom which will always give an element of “being at the top”.
"Look at your guest list and see if you would like to keep it in the family, or maybe stick to your wedding party of bridesmaids and groomsmen. Maybe you have a best friend separate from your other groups who has travelled a long way and should be hosted with the couple.
"It is important to remember that you will likely spend a lot of dinner circulating so you want to ensure those left at the table can hold their own and entertain each other. I often find it can be very successful to give parents on each side their own tables to host.
"This often ensures that they, and their guests, are happy and that will also give you more freedom to play around with your top table seating. The one format I generally advise against is the ‘sweetheart’ table. It can be very isolating and you will, after all, be spending the rest of your lives together so make the most of your wedding to spend your time with your friends, family, and loved ones."
Some final tips from Matthew...
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Your top table should always be considered in the wider context of your overall seating plan. Whether you have decided on rounds or long tables will have an impact here.
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I always recommend that our couples colour-code their guest list (family, friends, colleagues - whatever works!) and use this to spread people out around the room.
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Do not feel obliged to sit couples next to each other! I also always suggest that you have your ‘quieter’ tables in the middle of the room and your potentially rowdier tables towards the edge. The energy will then fill the room instead of simmering out.
- Before going into the details I cannot stress enough that this should be started early! Give yourselves time to do a few different versions and time to adjust to accommodate last minute changes.
And to make things even easier, the Hitched table planner has everything you need to plan and finalise your seating plan.
Once this is done, you can take ideas from the inspiration above and decide on a look and feel for your own.
We'd always recommend asking your wedding stationery supplier (or approaching one if you didn't have one for your invites) to work on this with you. Professional stationers and designers will be able to take your ideas, theme and colour scheme and create something that perfectly matches what you're visualising in your head!
Once your table plan is complete, you need to think about other signs you're hoping to have, like a welcome sign and unplugged wedding sign, as it's always nice to have everything matching.
