Wedding table plan maker
Lay out your tables, paste in your guest list and seat everyone by hand or automatically, with couples and families kept together. Add a top table in the traditional order with one click, then print the plan for the easel, escort cards and table lists for the venue. Free, no sign-up, and your guest list stays in your browser.
New table plan
Start with your room
Pick a rough layout. You can add, remove and move every table afterwards.
Free, with no account and no watermark. Your plan is saved in this browser only: nothing is sent to us.
Want a ready-made layout? Seating plan templates for 50 to 200 guests open straight into the maker.
The traditional top table order
Debrett's gives the traditional order like this:
“If the bride and groom decide to have a top table which is oblong facing towards the room, the traditional seating plan (facing the table from left to right) is as follows: chief bridesmaid, the father of the groom, the mother of the bride, the groom, the bride, the father of the bride, the mother of the groom, and then the best man.”
Source: Debrett's, Sorting the seating plan, checked October 2026.
- Seat 1Chief bridesmaid
- Seat 2Father of the groom
- Seat 3Mother of the bride
- Seat 4Groom
- Seat 5Bride
- Seat 6Father of the bride
- Seat 7Mother of the groom
- Seat 8Best man
Seats run left to right as the guests look at the table. To use it, choose “Traditional top table” when you start a plan, or Tables > Add a traditional top table. Each seat is labelled with its role; rename each one to the person's name in the guest list.
If there are speeches, Debrett's says the father of the bride, the best man and the groom should sit where “they will be clearly visible and audible.” The traditional order already puts the father of the bride and the groom in the middle. Writing one of those speeches? There are complete father of the bride speeches and best man speeches to adapt.
Changing the top table
Debrett's explains that the traditional layout has “a top table effectively hosted by the bride's parents, who flank the newly married couple”, and that “frequently weddings are hosted by the couple themselves, rendering the traditional top table redundant.” Other ways to do it:
- A sweetheart table for just the two of you, with parents hosting their own tables nearby.
- A longer top table that includes partners of the wedding party. Change the seat count on the table and rename the seats.
- No top table, sitting with friends instead. Debrett's: “The bride and groom need not feel obliged to sit with their families.”
- Divorced parents. “Foregoing the top table is a good way of steering clear of complications when dealing with divorced parents,” says Debrett's; the parents “can be seated at separate tables”. Add them as a keep-apart pair and the maker warns you if they end up at the same table.
How to do a wedding table plan
- Start once most replies are in. Debrett's: “There is no point starting the seating plan too early, as names and numbers are bound to change, but it shouldn't be left to the last minute.”
- Draw the room, then place the important tables. “A plan of the room should be made first, locating the wedding party's table(s). Important family or guests' tables can then be allocated.” Ask the venue for its floor plan and table sizes.
- Add guests by invitation, one per line, so couples and families stay together: Anna & Ben Smith, Tom Lee +1.
- Mix the tables with care. Debrett's suggests arranging tables so guests recognise at least one other person at theirs, seating “at least one lively extrovert at each table”, and adds that “it's often a good idea to match generations.” Give guests a group and auto-arrange keeps each group together.
- Name or number the tables. “Tables are numbered or may be named after something relevant to the bride and groom, such as places they have visited.” Rename any table in the Tables tab.
- Print the plan for the entrance. Debrett's says it should be “clearly displayed at the entrance to the seating area.” Print table lists with meals and dietary needs for the venue at the same time.
How many guests per table
Hire companies give slightly different numbers for the same table:
| Table | Seats, by hire company |
|---|---|
| 4ft round | Allens Hire: 4 (2024 guide), 6 (2010 article) |
| 5ft round | Allens Hire: 8–10; BE Event Hire: 8 |
| 5ft 6in round | Allens Hire: 10; BE Event Hire: 10 |
| 6ft round | Allens Hire: 10–12; BE Event Hire: 10–12 |
| 6ft × 2ft 6in trestle | Allens Hire: 6; BE Event Hire: 6 (3 down each side) |
Sources: Allens Hire, Table Size Seating Plan Guide (2024), Allens Hire (2010), BE Event Hire. Checked October 2026.
Allens Hire works on “2 feet per person along the length of the table”. The maker draws tables the same way, about 2ft (24in) of table edge per guest, so a table that looks tight on screen will be tight on the day. Your venue will tell you which sizes it has.
Printing the table plan
The Print tab makes the board for the entrance (by table or A to Z), escort cards, folding place cards, table lists for the venue and meal counts for the caterer. It prints on A4, A3, A2 or A1 (A1 is 594 × 841 mm, A2 is 420 × 594 mm, A3 is 297 × 420 mm). Choose “Save as PDF” in the print dialog to get a file you can send to a print shop or a stationer.
Still writing your vows? The vow builder drafts them in two minutes, or start from 24 complete wedding vows.
Common questions
- Is the table plan maker free?
- Yes. There's no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on guests or tables, and every printout and download is free. It runs in your browser, so there is nothing to pay for.
- Where is my table plan saved?
- In this browser on this device. Nothing you type is sent to us. Clearing your browser's site data deletes the plan, so use Save > Download backup file to keep a copy or to carry on from another computer.
- Do we have to have a traditional top table?
- No. Debrett's says the traditional top table reflects a time when the bride's parents hosted the wedding, and that "frequently weddings are hosted by the couple themselves, rendering the traditional top table redundant." A sweetheart table for the two of you, a top table with partners, or no top table at all are all options in the maker.
- When does the venue need our table plan?
- Each venue sets its own deadline, usually with final numbers and menu choices. As one example, the University of Aberdeen's wedding venues ask for table plans "no later than fourteen (14) days prior to your wedding date". Check your contract or ask your coordinator.
- Can I import my guest list from Excel?
- Yes. Copy the cells from Excel or Google Sheets and paste them into the guest list box, or save the sheet as CSV and import it. Columns such as Name, Party, Side, Group, Meal, Dietary, Child and RSVP are recognised, and guests whose RSVP is no are skipped.
- What size should the table plan board be?
- It depends on how many names it holds and how far away people read it. When you choose a paper size in the Print tab, the maker tells you roughly how large the names will print, so you can compare A3, A2 and A1 before you order. Save the plan as a PDF and any print shop can print it.