Eany, Meany, Miney…this seat is NOT for you!

Aunt Sally CANNOT sit by Uncle Fred. Grandpa Sam HAS to be in front or he won’t hear the ceremony. Oh! And Lisa and Mike have to be on opposite ends of the room or there will be a war. Does any of this sound even vaguely familiar to you? If so, then you understand what it is like working with a bride and groom who have specific instructions for their seating arrangements. There was a time, and still happens on occasion, where the bride and groom trust their guests to select their own seats and expect all parties to behave like civilized adults. Well, more brides and grooms are realizing that when you allow people to be in the same room as each other and they do not get along, it can be a recipe for disaster. That is where the wedding planner steps in.

You may be wondering how you, as the wedding planner, are supposed to keep tabs on where the guests sit if you do not know what they look like. Chances are there will only be a few people who have to remain separated and since the bride and groom already know this, ask them for pictures of those individuals ahead of time so that you know who to look for. Another detail to look out for is too much alcohol. If the bride told you that Cousin Jim hasn’t talked to Aunt Jane in 8 years and you notice him indulging in too much liquid courage to where something may be said and cause a bad situation, interfere. Inform the bartender to be mindful of guests consuming too much alcohol. Of course, everyone wants to have a great time and enjoy the celebration, but sometimes too much of something can be a bad thing.

There is another instance I have dealt with recently that I had never expected. I had a couple who requested to be seated nowhere near children under the age of 18. The couple informed me that they had been walking through town and had to deal with children and their parents all day so they would not tolerate any young people while trying to enjoy the reception. I will say, this couple was very dramatic and pretty rude, but it did not take much effort on my part to grant their request and keep all sides happy. Throughout the ceremony and reception, when it comes to who should or should not be by who, make sure you are doing your best to keep any drama away from the new husband and wife. You are responsible for dealing with anything that may arise and letting them smile and have a memorable day!

This is a guest post from Christine Pirkle. Christine Pirkle resides in Galena, IL where she lives with her husband of almost two years. She works as an Author Account Manager for Kendall Hunt Publishing in Dubuque, IA and also works as a wedding coordinator part-time for her own business Rise Events Planning.