UK wedding seating
A wedding seating plan for the breakfast, not the whole day
In the UK, the seating plan is for the wedding breakfast: the sit-down meal after the ceremony. Evening guests do not usually need an assigned seat. Start by splitting the list into day guests and evening guests, then plan tables only for the people who will be eating.
Day guests and evening guests
Day guests are there for the ceremony and the wedding breakfast. Evening guests arrive for the party. If someone is both, they need a seat. If they are evening only, keep them on the guest list so you can count heads for the evening, and leave them off the tables.
A clean spreadsheet makes that split obvious. Download the free guest list template and use the Attendance column.
The top table
The top table is what many venues still call the head table. A common traditional order, as guests look at it, mixes the two families: chief bridesmaid, groom's father, bride's mother, groom, bride, bride's father, groom's mother, best man. You do not have to follow it. A sweetheart table, or no top table at all, is just as common now.
The detail is in the top table seating plan. If the two families have barely met, read how to mix two families.
Who sits together, and who needs space
Couples sit together. Children sit with a parent. People who are not speaking sit on different tables. Write those pairs down before you start dragging names, because every later change can break one of them.
Seated lets you add those pairs as rules: must sit together, or keep apart. The free AI seating run uses them, and you can still move anyone by hand afterwards. Free includes up to 30 guests. Pro is £7.99 once if the wedding breakfast is larger.
Guides
- The complete wedding seating plan guide
- Where to seat single guests
- Wedding breakfast seating plan
- Day guests and evening guests
- How to seat divorced parents
- Hitched table planner alternative
Questions
Do evening guests need a seat?
Usually no. The seating plan covers the wedding breakfast. Evening guests arrive after the meal, so count day guests when you work out how many seats you need.
Who sits on the top table?
A traditional UK top table puts the couple in the middle, with parents and the best man and maid of honour either side. Many couples now use a sweetheart table or seat both sets of parents without a formal top table.
Can I keep two guests together or apart?
Yes. In Seated you add a must-sit-together rule or a keep-apart rule for a pair. Auto-seat and the seating check both use those rules. This is included on Free and Pro.
How much does Seated cost?
Free covers up to 30 guests, one AI seating run and a PNG with a centred Made with seated.life footer. Pro is £7.99 one-off for unlimited guests, further AI changes, CSV export and a PNG without the watermark.