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The right seating configuration is a vital part of any successful event, including a wedding. While most couples go to great lengths to devise the right seating plan for their wedding reception, mistakes can still happen. If you're planning the seating for your wedding celebration, consider these four errors that could cause problems for you on the big day.

Cocktail party seating and elderly guests and children

Cocktail party seating is increasingly common with younger couples looking for a more relaxed atmosphere. High tables and stools offer a glamorous look and feel and will encourage people to mingle, especially if you don't have allocated seating. If you've chosen an outdoor venue, a swimming pool or water feature can add even more class.

Unfortunately, older guests can struggle with this type of seating. Put simply, stools aren't always very easy to navigate, especially if you're frail, and you can easily upset these loved ones if they can't easily get to their seats. Cocktail seating doesn't generally work well for wedding parties with lots of young children either, so think carefully about your guests before you pursue this idea.

Family-style seating with few guests

Family-style seating is an impressive, traditional style of seating that works well in many venues. With two long tables, you can create a dramatic, stylish impression that allows both families to mingle and celebrate the event.

This type of seating doesn't always work well if you only have a few guests, especially if the bride's family outnumbers the groom's (or vice versa). If the 'long' tables are actually quite short, or if one is longer than the other, you can't really create the visual impact you need. Don't let family-style seating expose the fact that the bride or groom doesn't have many friends and family members.

Formal seating in a strangely shaped venue

Some wedding venues have an unusual floor plan. The room may wind around a corner or narrow at one end. In these venues, you need to design a seating plan that matches the venue, so it's often a good idea to use different arrangements in each part of the room.

If you adopt a very formal style, you will accentuate the eccentricities of the room, which could spoil the effect. Worse, some of your guests may end up in cramped spaces, while other guests feel lost in a wide, open space. Unusual venues can offer a quirky, individual style to your wedding celebration, but you need to make sure your seating plan matches the room.

A seating plan that doesn't match the dining menu

Each part of your wedding plan needs to co-ordinate with the overall look and feel you are trying to accomplish. For example, you probably wouldn't choose a beautiful, traditional wedding dress and then ask the bridesmaids to wear casual dresses. Similarly, it's important to make sure your seating plan matches the sort of food your guests will receive.

For example, family-style seating lends itself to a formal three-course, silver service meal with fine dining. As such, if you're serving up finger food, tapas and cocktails, you should probably opt for lounge-style seating with a more casual seating arrangement. Think carefully about your seating plan, and look for ways that the arrangement encourages guests to enjoy the mood you are trying to create.

The seating arrangement you choose for your wedding celebration will make a big difference to the success of the day. Think carefully about the guests you want to invite, the venue you intend to use and the overall style of the event, and choose a creative seating plan that perfectly co-ordinates the every part of the wedding. If you need help planning the setup of the room, you may want to work with a party rental company like Chair Covers & Candelabra.