For many events, seating plans are essential. Not only do they allow you to know where everyone will be seated, but they can also help you plan the layout of the room. It’s something that is essential to consider when you are looking at both business and wedding venues. Nottingham has many locations that are suitable for a wide variety of events but either way, a seating plan will still be needed. However, it can often be difficult to know the best seating arrangement for meetings and weddings. So, to give you a helping hand, here is a useful guide to help you plan for both eventualities.
First things first, you will need to work out the number of guests attending. However, this can be difficult – especially if you’re still in the planning stages of your big day. If you plan your seating arrangement on the basis that everyone you invite will attend, then you can’t go too far wrong.
Once you have a definitive number, you will need to look at wedding venues. Nottingham is an ideal location as it’s central and has various travel options for guests, but whatever location you looking at, try and pick a venue that offers various rooms and also has the ability to add more tables and chairs if needed.
It might be a good idea to think about having a large long table at the front of the room to seat the bride, groom and the wedding party. With this arrangement, you could also think about adding two additional tables facing inwards at either end to accommodate immediate family, turning it into a U-shape. If you opt for this design, you could then use circular tables in the middle of the room to seat the rest of your guests.
Alternatively, you could use circular tables for the entire seating plan. Have one for the wedding party, one for immediate family, and another for the bride and groom. Whatever plan you decide to go with, remember it’s the first time that many of your family members will meet one another, so it may be a good idea to consider mixing the seating to ensure the two families have a chance to get to know each other.
With a business meeting or conference, again you will need to know the number of people attending in order to properly arrange the seating plan. Once you know how many guests will be attending, you will also need to think about any specific requirements with regards to equipment. For instance, if you need a projector for your meeting, space will need to be left for it in-between tables.
At a meeting, there is usually one or two people who will be leading the proceedings, so with this in mind, it might be a good idea to consider having a rectangular seating plan. This will enable all guests to see the speaker while also leaving space in the middle for a projector or any drinks that will be served. However, if you are expecting lots of attendees, circular tables may be more beneficial. You can scatter the tables around the room to ensure that you maximise the available space – again, it’s a sensible idea to make sure the seating is mixed up so that everyone can get to know one another.
So, whether it’s a seating plan for a wedding or a meeting, there’s no need to panic. Just remember to make sure that your seating plan works with the venue and mixes all of the guests together.
For more information on wedding venues in Nottingham, please contact us today.