I am often amazed by seating charts and how they come to be. Most of the time, the bride and groom count on the caterer to help them with the layout of the room…
But wait! Maybe the Bride and Groom should ask the DJ? I mean, after all, the DJ is right in the thick of things and knows how a room responds to layout, right?
The big mistake people make is to seat the older guests right next to the DJ. That never is a good idea, but it happens all the time. The best idea is not to seat any wedding guests right in front of the DJ or speaker system. If the room is packed and seating is limited, at least seat the younger, party crowd near the DJ for more favorable results.
Another mistake is placing tables in the path between the dance floor and the DJ. That means that no matter who is sitting there, they will be uncomfortable. Even with the best sound, the DJ will have to play that much louder for the sound to push to the dance floor for your guests to dance. This makes it impossible to have comfortable conversation for guests at these tables. If the volume is turned down to accommodate these guests, then the music isn’t heard on the dance floor at appropriate levels. The energy on the dance floor suffers as a result. Always place the DJ nearest to the dance floor, if possible; but avoid seating your guests in the space between the DJ’s equipment and the dance floor.
My recommendation… Take a walk through in your reception room with a seating chart and try to visualize your friends and family sitting where you have assigned them. It may give a whole new prospective to your seating chart.
