A good wedding seating plan starts before you open a table planner. If your guest list is messy, your seating plan will be messy too. The aim is simple: one guest per row, enough context to group people sensibly, and clear notes for the relationships that matter.

You can build this in Google Sheets, Excel or Numbers, then export it as a CSV. If you use Seated, you can import the names, roles, groups, dietary details and notes, then turn that list into a visual table plan you can move around.

The CSV columns to use

Start with these columns. You do not need a complicated spreadsheet, but you do need enough detail to avoid doing the same thinking twice.

Download the CSV template

Column	Why it helps	Example
Name	The guest's full name, one guest per row.	Karen Taylor
Role	Useful for VIPs and wedding party seating.	Mother of the Bride
Group	Helps you build natural tables before you fine-tune seats.	Bride's Family
Dietary	Gives your caterer a cleaner venue handoff later.	Vegetarian
Notes	The place for relationships, constraints and context.	Divorced from Dave, keep apart

Use one row per guest

Do not put couples into one row. Write one row for each person, even if they arrive together or have the same dietary note. Your venue needs to know where each person sits, and a seating planner needs each guest as an individual seat.

For example, write one row for "Alex Green" and another for "Priya Green". In the Notes column, you can add "partner of Priya" and "partner of Alex" if you want them seated together.

Keep groups broad

Your Group column should help you build tables quickly. Use labels such as Bride & Groom, Bride's Family, Groom's Family, Bridal Party, Groomsmen, Friends, Work, Family Friends, Kids, VIP and Other. Avoid creating tiny groups unless the group genuinely affects where someone should sit.

Broad groups also make it easier to spot gaps. If you have five school friends and a table of eight, you can look for three friendly guests who will fit naturally rather than guessing from memory.

Put the useful context in Notes

The Notes column is where your seating plan becomes more than a list of names. Add anything that affects where someone should sit: partners, divorced parents, people who should not share a table, guests who need a quieter seat, children who need to sit with parents, or guests who will not know many people.

Keep the notes plain. "Keep apart from Karen" is better than a long explanation. "Partner of Morgan" is better than assuming you will remember later.

Track dietary needs for the venue

Seating plans and catering handoffs overlap. If your caterer needs meal choices or allergy notes by seat, keep dietary information beside each guest from the start. It saves you from matching a separate dietary spreadsheet to the final table plan the week before the wedding.

Example CSV structure

Name,Role,Group,Dietary,Notes
Sarah Smith,Bride,Bride & Groom,,
James Wilson,Groom,Bride & Groom,,
Karen Taylor,Mother of the Bride,Bride's Family,Vegetarian,"Divorced from Dave, keep apart"
Dave Taylor,Father of the Bride,Bride's Family,,"Divorced from Karen, keep apart"
Priya Green,Friend,Friends,Vegan,Partner of Alex
Alex Green,Friend,Friends,,Partner of Priya

Check the file before importing

Before you upload the CSV anywhere, scan it for three things. First, every guest should have their own row. Second, the important family and wedding party roles should be filled in. Third, the Notes column should include the relationships you would be annoyed to forget.

Once the guest list is clean, the actual seating job gets easier. You can start with the broader process in our complete guide to wedding seating plans, then check specific issues like seating divorced parents or choosing between round tables and banquet tables.

Wedding seating plan CSV template