Help! My friends and family keep dictating to me who they should sit next to at ‘my’ wedding!

by Daily Wedding Blog
Filed under The Reception

I was recently talking to a bride who was feeling overwhelmed with the prospect of planning the seating arrangements for her upcoming wedding. She didn’t know how to begin and was afraid of seating people who might clash next to each other. Adding to her stress, were friends and family requesting to sit next to certain people. This had resulted in her making promises that she was not certain that she could actually keep.

The first thing I told this bride, was that she needed to have a response ready for her friends and family who were asking for special seating requests. Let them know, that the bulk of the seating arrangements have been predetermined by grouping families, couples and co-workers together and the rest of the arrangements will be sorted at a later date with you and your partner.

Alternatively, you could tell your friends that due to your large workload planning the wedding, you have delegated that task to your maid of honour, bridesmaid or mother-in-law you believe that they have finalised the arrangements.

It is important that you do not promise anyone that you can accommodate their seating request. Even if you are fairly sure that you can do so, plans always have a way of changing. Additionally, if your other guests find out that you have been accommodating other guests, they too might ask you to be seated next tot certain people.