Wedding seating plan and table plan maker

How it works

Paste the guest list one name per line, straight from a spreadsheet, an email or a notes app. Anything after the first comma is a party label. Guests who share a label are a party, such as a couple, a family or a group of old friends, and the maker keeps each party at one table whenever it fits. A line that starts with * goes on the top table, in the order you list it.

The largest parties are seated first. Each one goes to the first table with enough free seats, and a new table opens when none has room. Packing tables that tightly can leave the last one nearly empty, so “Even out the tables” then moves the smallest party from the fullest table to the emptiest, again and again, for as long as that narrows the gap. A party bigger than a table is split across neighbouring tables, and the plan tells you.

After that the plan is yours to change. Every guest has a menu for moving them to another table, and the menu shows how many seats each table has free. Your moves stay put when you add more guests or change a setting. Tables can be renamed, so Table 1 can become Oak.

The Guests A to Z view lists everyone by surname with their table. That is the layout for a seating chart board at the door, and the table view is the table plan your venue and caterer need.

Assumptions

• Round tables of 10 and a top table of 8. Change either to match your venue.
• The number of tables is the fewest that seat everyone, unless you set more.
• A surname is the last word of a name. Capitals are ignored when names and party labels are matched.
• A party label that only one guest has is treated as no label.
• A name that appears twice is seated twice and flagged, in case it is two different people.

Questions

Is my guest list stored or sent anywhere?

No. The list stays in this browser tab and is gone when you close it. Save plan downloads a file to your own device, and Open plan reads that file back; neither uploads anything. A copied link carries the table settings only.

How do I keep couples and families together?

Give them the same label after a comma: “Asha Patel, Patel family” and “Ravi Patel, Patel family” will sit at the same table. If a party is bigger than a table, it is split over tables next to each other and a warning says so.

How many guests should sit at each table?

Ask your venue what its tables seat, because that is the real limit. Debrett’s describes small round tables of 8 to 10 as the most sociable. Long tables can take more, but guests can only talk to the people beside and opposite them.

Can I make a seating chart board from this?

Yes. Print the guest list and every guest appears by surname with their table, set in columns. Print the tables for the venue as well; Debrett’s advises giving the caterer the full seating plan with dietary needs marked on it.

Is there a limit on the number of guests?

No. Lists of more than 500 guests work, though the printout will run to several pages. The plan can also be downloaded as a CSV file with each guest’s name, party and table.