Your Wedding Seating Plan in 3 Steps
Import your people
Upload an Excel file or paste the list. Households, tags, and dietary notes group themselves.
Lay out the room
Drag tables into place, duplicate versions to compare, label layouts for special requirements so nothing gets lost.
Share with your venue
Send a view-only link and the venue sees the current plan. Export a PDF for event day when you're ready.
Wedding Seating Made Simple
Import guests without cleanup
Upload your Excel list, 30 guests or 500, and we group households and tag dietary notes for you. No manual reformatting.
Design the room visually
Resize, rotate, and duplicate layouts. Every version stays on file, so you can compare.
Seat teams together fast
Drag guests in groups. Adjust the layout in seconds. Special requirements stay visible on the chart.
Share view-only plans
Send venues or co-planners a view-only copy of the table plan and guest list. Nobody has to open a spreadsheet.
Stay organized through the event
Switch to check-in mode to track arrivals, meals, and last-minute swaps.
Help when you need it
Chat and email support seven days a week, from planners who've run the same events you're running.
Pricing that scales with your guest list
Pay once per year in GBP when you need more than 30 guests. No auto-renewal or surprise fees.
Pricing shown for United Kingdom.
Wedding Seating Questions
Should we do a sweetheart table or a head table for our reception?
Sweetheart tables (just the couple) got popular in the US in the 2000s, especially on the West Coast. Traditional head tables (couple plus wedding party and parents flanking) are still the norm in the Northeast and Midwest. Southern weddings often skip both and just put a couple's table near the dance floor. There's no wrong answer, but the choice affects sightlines for your photographer and toasts. Build both layouts in Magic Table Planner and see which one actually works with your room.
How do I plan Bar or Bat Mitzvah reception seating?
Most Bar and Bat Mitzvah receptions run 100-400 guests over 4-5 hours. Reserve a family table near the stage for the kid, parents, and grandparents. Put teen friends on round tables of 8-10 where they can get up for the Hora without climbing over anyone. Keep elderly relatives away from the DJ speakers. Leave clear floor space for the Hora circle and the candle-lighting. Place cards with table numbers are standard for check-in.
How do you seat divorced parents at a wedding reception?
Give each parent their own round table with their side of the family or their closest friends. Put them on opposite sides of the room. If a parent has a new partner, seat them together with friends they actually know, not strangers who make it worse. If tensions run high, keep both parents out of direct sightlines to the head table so the couple stays the center of attention. Talk to each parent about the plan before the wedding day. Surprises are what cause scenes.
How do I create a table plan?
Import your guest list from Excel (or type it in), then add tables that match your venue layout: rounds, rectangles, or a mix. Drag guests onto tables until the arrangement looks right. When you're done, share a view-only link with the venue or export a PDF for printing. Households auto-group on import, so you're not dragging spouses one at a time.
What should I look for in a free table planner?
Unlimited layouts, drag-and-drop seating, PDF export, and RSVP tracking are the basics. Excel or Google Contacts import saves you an hour of retyping. It should run in a desktop and tablet browser without installing anything. Magic Table Planner covers all of that free up to 30 guests, no credit card.
How many guests can fit at a round table?
A 48-inch round seats 6 comfortably. A 60-inch round seats 8-10. A 72-inch round seats 10-12. Plan on 24-30 inches per person so people aren't eating elbow-to-elbow. These sizes cover most US weddings and formal events.
How do I plan wedding seating arrangements?
Build the guest list first, with household groups and notes on who shouldn't sit together. Pick your VIP tables for immediate family and the wedding party. Put divorced parents on separate tables with distance between them. Mix friend groups so singles aren't stuck next to strangers. Test a couple of versions in Magic Table Planner before you commit. It's free to experiment.
Is there a free seating chart maker?
Magic Table Planner is free for events up to 30 guests: unlimited layouts, drag-and-drop, PDF export, RSVP tracking, no watermark. Look for a tool that auto-saves, works on a tablet, and doesn't ask you to download anything. The free plan covers most dinner parties, showers, and intimate weddings.