Nothing creates a bottleneck at the reception faster than 100 guests trying to find their tables without a clear seating chart at the entrance. Each design is fully editable in our free browser-based editor for poster-size displays at 18x24 and 16x20 inches, with smaller 11x14 options for intimate weddings. Customize guest names, table assignments, and the design to match your wedding aesthetic. Choose alphabetical layouts (most common) or by-table layouts (organized by table number) depending on your reception flow. Filter by style below to coordinate with your wedding invitation suite.
A wedding seating chart is the large printed display that tells guests which table they are sitting at. It is set up at the entrance to the reception, usually on an easel, so guests check the chart before walking in to find their seat. Our wedding seating chart templates are fully editable in our free browser-based editor. No Canva account, no Photoshop, no software to install. Customize the title, the bride and groom's names, the wedding date, and every guest name with their assigned table. Whether you are searching for a printable wedding seating chart, an editable wedding seating chart template, a poster-size wedding seating chart sign for your reception entrance, or a DIY wedding seating chart you can print at home, every template here is built to be customized in your browser and printed at home or at any local print shop. Most templates are sized at the standard 18x24 or 16x20 inch poster size, with 11x14 options for smaller intimate weddings of 30 to 50 guests.
Clean lines, modern serif typography, and generous white space. For weddings with a contemporary or modern aesthetic.
Watercolor florals and soft botanicals. Pairs with garden weddings, vineyard receptions, and floral wedding suites.
Earthy textures, terracotta tones, and hand-drawn details. Great for outdoor and desert weddings.
Formal typography and traditional layouts. Ideal for ballroom receptions, country club weddings, and black-tie events.
Warm wood tones and hand-lettered scripts. Perfect for barn weddings and farmhouse-themed celebrations.
Every wedding seating chart uses one of two organizing approaches. Most of our templates support both layouts. Pick the one that fits how your guests will use the chart:
Alphabetical by guest last name. The most common layout. Lists every guest alphabetically with their table number next to their name. Easiest for guests to find themselves quickly, especially at large weddings of 100+ people. Best when you want guests to spend less than 30 seconds at the chart.
By table number with guests grouped underneath. Lists each table (1, 2, 3, or named tables) with the guests at that table grouped below. Looks more visually polished and works well as a decorative reception element. Slower for guests to find themselves because they need to scan multiple tables. Best for smaller weddings of 50 to 100 guests where the chart doubles as decor.
A hybrid layout (alphabetical column on the left, table grouping on the right) is also popular for very large weddings, but takes more space and works best at 24x36 inches or larger.
Wedding seating charts are typically printed poster-size and displayed on an easel at the reception entrance. Recommended sizes by guest count:
11x14 inches: intimate weddings, 30 to 50 guests. Tabletop or small easel display.
16x20 inches: small to mid-size weddings, 50 to 100 guests. Standard easel size.
18x24 inches: most common. Mid-size to large weddings, 100 to 175 guests. Standard easel size, most poster framing options.
24x36 inches: large weddings, 175 to 250 guests. Larger easel needed.
Multiple panels: very large weddings of 250+ guests. Print as 2 to 3 separate posters and display side by side.
Most poster easels accept frames up to 24x36 inches. If your venue does not provide one, easels are available at any party rental company for $15 to $30 per day, or at office supply stores for purchase at $40 to $80.
Wait until your RSVP deadline has passed plus 1 week of follow-up before designing the chart. You need a final guest count to avoid reprints. Most couples finalize seating 3 to 4 weeks before the wedding.
Pick a template that matches your wedding invitation suite. Filter by style above (Minimalist, Floral, Boho, Classic, or Rustic).
Open the template in our free browser-based editor. Add your title ("Find Your Seat" or "Please Be Seated At" are common), the couple's names, the wedding date, and every guest name with their assigned table.
Pick your layout. Most templates support both alphabetical and by-table layouts. Decide which fits your guest count and reception flow.
Choose your size based on guest count (see size guide above). Download the print-ready PDF at poster size.
Send the file to a local print shop or online printer (Staples, Office Depot, FedEx Office, or online options like printpaper.io and printful.com). Poster prints typically cost $15 to $35 for 18x24 inch on standard paper, or $35 to $65 for foam board mounting. Pick up 1 to 2 days before the wedding.
Wedding seating charts are part of the day-of stationery suite that includes place cards (mark each guest's individual seat after they find their table), table numbers (label each table at the reception), welcome signs (greet guests at the entrance, often placed near the seating chart), and wedding programs. Most couples coordinate all four pieces in the same style. Browse our Ceremony & Reception Essentials collection for the full set.
You only need one wedding seating chart per wedding. The seating chart is a single large printed display set up at the entrance to the reception on an easel. All guests use the same chart to find their assigned table. This is different from place cards, which are individual cards at each seat (one per guest). For a 150-guest wedding you need one seating chart and 150 place cards.
Alphabetical by last name is the standard recommendation for weddings of 100+ guests because it lets guests find themselves quickly without scanning every table. By-table organization (with guests grouped under each table number) looks more visually polished and works well at smaller weddings of 50 to 100 guests where the chart doubles as decor. Pick alphabetical for speed, by-table for visual impact, or a hybrid layout for the largest weddings.
Wedding seating charts are typically printed poster-size at 18x24 inches or 16x20 inches and displayed on an easel. Use 11x14 for small intimate weddings of 30 to 50 guests, 16x20 for 50 to 100 guests, 18x24 for the most common 100 to 175 guests, and 24x36 inches for large weddings of 175 to 250 guests. For weddings over 250 guests, print as 2 to 3 separate posters displayed side by side.
Print your seating chart 1 to 2 weeks before the wedding, after your RSVP deadline has passed plus 1 week of follow-up. You need a final guest count and final table assignments before printing because reprints take 1 to 3 days at most print shops. Avoid printing more than 2 weeks early because last-minute guest list changes (an RSVP no-show, an unexpected plus-one, a family emergency) will force a reprint.
Most home printers max out at 11x14 or 13x19 inches, which only works for very small weddings of 30 to 50 guests. For the standard 18x24 or 16x20 poster size, send the file to a local print shop or online printer. Print shops typically charge $15 to $35 for 18x24 inch on standard paper, or $35 to $65 for foam board mounting that does not require a frame. Most print shops can deliver in 1 to 2 days for standard orders.
A wedding seating chart should include a title at the top ("Find Your Seat," "Please Be Seated At," or "Welcome to Our Reception" are common), the couple's names, the wedding date, and every guest name with their assigned table number or table name. Optional additions are a decorative monogram or wedding crest, a thank-you note at the bottom, and a small key or legend if your tables have themed names instead of numbers (such as cities you have visited together, song titles, or meaningful dates).
