Etiquette
Head Table Seating Order: Who Sits Where (and Why)
The traditional head table seats the couple in the centre with the bridal party fanning outward — but the modern question is what to do with the spouses.
13 min read
Loved by event hosts — used for events up to 2,000 guests
Seating Planner App for Weddings and Events
Build a drag-and-drop seating chart for events of any size — from an intimate dinner to a 2,000-guest wedding, gala, or conference — and share it through a single QR code. Guests find their seat in seconds by name, alphabetically, or by table.
Free for up to 30 guests·$9.99 per event beyond that
How it works
Make a seating plan in three steps
Upload your guest list, drag each name to a table, and share the generated QR code. The first 30 guests per event are free.
Step 01Upload your guest file
Free templates
QR code templates
Once everyone is seated, use our free, fully customizable Canva templates as inspiration. Hover any design, copy the link, and drop in your event's unique QR code. Printable in all standard sizes (A1–A4).
Classic Wedding Seating Chart
Bat Mitzvah Seating Chart
Birthday Party Seating Chart
Christmas Celebration Seating Chart
Baby Shower Seating Chart
Graduation Party Seating Chart
Company Gala Seating Chart
Quinceañera Seating Chart
The QR codes shown are placeholders — upload your own once you assign guests to tables.
What's included
Everything you need to seat the room
Core features available on every account, including the free tier.
Digital Seating Chart with QR Code
Every seating plan generates a shareable link and QR code. Guests scan once and instantly see their table.
Real-Time Updates
Move a guest and the change syncs instantly. The QR code never needs to be reprinted.
Multiple Events, One Account
Plan a wedding, a corporate gala, and a sweet 16 from the same dashboard. Each event has its own guest list, chart, and QR code.
Built for Large Events
Seat hundreds or thousands of guests across dozens of tables. Find anyone in a single keystroke, and let guests find their own seat just as fast — by search, alphabetically, or by table.
Reviews
Loved by hosts and planners
Real reviews from Facebook
We used Simplify Tables for a very large fundraising event last year, and it was a game changer. Guests could simply scan a code and instantly find their seats, which made registration fast, organized, and stress-free. Our registration volunteers loved it — and happy check-in volunteers are priceless. They are already begging me to use it again this year because of how smoothly everything ran. True to its name, Simplify Tables really is simple… so simple even our most tech-challenged committee members looked like pros. Highly recommend!
I used Simplify Tables for my daughters Quince party and it was fantastic. I was able to save money bc it was all digital and so user friendly. It was easy to make changes, which I had to do even on the day of. I also loved that I could customize it with a picture of my daughter as the background. It was absolutely beautiful. Loved, loved, loved it and would highly recommend. Paper seating charts are a thing of the past !!!
Simplify Tables makes the whole seating arrangement process so much easier. You just upload your guest list, drag and drop names onto tables, and it automatically generates a QR code that guests can scan to find their seat. No more crowding around a paper chart! The real-time updates are a game-changer — you are able to shuffle people around right up until the day before, and the QR code never needs to be reprinted. The customisation options (background image, fonts, event name) keeps everything on-brand with your theme. Highly recommend for weddings, corporate events, or any gathering with assigned seating.
The signature feature
One QR code. Two views.
Guests switch between the venue floor plan and the guest list with a single tap — the only seating planner that turns a wall of names into a “you are here.”
Guest list Floor plan
Help every guest find their table at a glance. Upload a photo or map of your venue, then drop a pin for each table — one click to place, move, or relabel. Every pin shows its table number and is colour-coded by how full the table is, so the layout reads clearly the moment it loads.
When guests scan the QR code, they see your venue come to life: tap any pin to instantly reveal who's seated there. No more crowding around a printed chart at the entrance — just a beautiful, interactive floor plan that guides everyone to their seat.
- Drop a pin per table — click to place, move, or relabel.
- Pins are colour-coded by how full each table is.
- Tap a pin to reveal who’s seated there.
- No app install — guests just scan the QR code.
Make it yours
Personalize your seating plan
Full control over how your guest list looks, so it matches your invitations, your venue, and your style — a polished, on-brand seating plan that feels designed, because it is.
Fonts, Sizes & Spacing
Choose distinct fonts for your event title, guest names, table numbers, and letter headings, then fine-tune their sizes and spacing until everything sits just right.
Colours & Background
Set your own colours for text, buttons, and the page background, then drop in a background image with adjustable overlay opacity so it matches your invitations and venue.
Alphabetical or by Table
Decide whether guests are grouped alphabetically by name so they find their own seat in seconds, or by table so they can see who else is sitting with them.
Live Phone Preview
Every change appears instantly in a live phone preview, so you always know exactly what your guests will see before you share it.
Use cases
What can you plan with Simplify Tables?
Weddings, corporate events, and private celebrations — any event with assigned seating, from 20 to 2,000+ guests.
Built for planners, couples, and organizers
Share your seating plan with a co-planner, venue, or caterer by sending a single link. Everyone sees the same live chart, so updates never fall out of sync.
Simplify Tables handles large guest lists without slowing down. Collapsible table views, instant search, and drag-and-drop make it fast to seat 30 guests or 2,000.
Create as many events as you need on one account. The first 30 guests of every event are free; unlock unlimited guests for a single event with a one-time $9.99 payment.
Want to get started?
Sign UpCorporate Events
- Conference Seating
- Gala Dinner
- Award Ceremony
- Charity Event
- Networking Event
- Product Launch
Celebrations
- Wedding
- Barmitzvah
- Batmitzvah
- Anniversary Party
- Graduation Party
Special Occasions
- Family Reunions
- Memorial Services
- Fundraising Galas
- Holiday Parties
- Retirement Parties
From the guides
Plan smarter, not harder
Practical answers to the questions every event planner runs into — from head-table etiquette to fitting 200 guests in a venue.
Planning
Last-Minute Wedding Seating Changes: The Workflow That Holds Up
Almost every wedding loses 5–10% of its guest list in the final week. Here's the workflow that turns last-minute seating changes into a five-minute task.
10 min read
Logistics
60 vs 72 vs 48 Inch Round Tables: Which to Choose
Which round table size to actually choose — guest count, room size, cost, and the mixed-size strategy planners use to break the 60-vs-72 deadlock.
8 min read
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about our seating planner.
Simplify Tables is a seating planner app for weddings and events of any size, from intimate dinners to galas and conferences with thousands of guests. You drag and drop guests onto tables, and the app generates a digital seating chart that guests open by scanning a QR code — they find their seat by searching their name, browsing alphabetically, or viewing by table.
There is no upper limit. Simplify Tables is built for large events and routinely powers seating charts with hundreds or thousands of guests across dozens of tables — weddings, galas, conferences, corporate dinners, and fundraisers. The drag-and-drop builder, instant guest search, and collapsible table views keep even a 2,000-guest plan fast to build, and guests find their own seat in seconds by name search, alphabetical list, or table number.
Yes. Every event you create includes a free trial for up to 30 guests. You can build the full seating chart, generate the QR code, and share it with those 30 guests without paying anything.
Simplify Tables costs $9.99 per event, and only when that event exceeds 30 guests. It is a one-time charge per event — no subscription. Events with 30 or fewer guests stay free.
Yes. One account supports unlimited events. Each event has its own guest list, seating chart, QR code, and free 30-guest trial. You only pay $9.99 for the individual events that go over 30 guests.
No. Guests scan the QR code or open the shared link in any mobile browser. They immediately see the event page with their table assignment — no download or account required.
No. The QR code and link stay the same for the life of the event. Any edits you make to the seating plan appear for guests in real time.
Yes. Upload a custom background image, set the event name, and choose from the full Google Fonts library to match the style of your wedding or event.
Yes, and it is optional. If you upload a floor plan image for an event, guests get the Floor Plan Toggle when they scan the QR code — they switch between the floor plan view and the guest list view with a single tap. Skip the upload and guests just see the guest list.
Yes. As the event planner, you choose how guests see the guest list when they scan the QR code — alphabetical (A–Z by guest name) is the fastest way for a guest to find their own seat, while grouping by table number makes it easy to see who is seated together at each table. You set this in the dashboard and can change it at any time; the guest view updates in real time.
Yes. Upload a CSV or Excel file and each name becomes a draggable item you can place on a table.
Email support@simplifytables.com. The support team replies seven days a week, usually within a few hours.
Still have questions?
Can't find the answer you're looking for? Chat to our friendly team.
Contact SupportPricing
Simple per-event pricing
Free for up to 30 guests per event. Pay $9.99 once — per event — only when you need more. No monthly fees.
Free
Start here$0per event
Plan any event for up to 30 guests at no cost.
Up to 30 guests per event
Unlimited events on one account
Drag-and-drop seating chart
Shareable QR code and link
Real-time updates
CSV and Excel guest import
Most popularGet Started
Event Unlock
$9.99one-time, per event
Unlock unlimited guests for a single event. Pay only for the events that go over 30.
Unlimited guests for that event
Everything in Free
Custom background and fonts
Priority email support
No subscription — charged once
Other events stay on Free
Secure payment
Unlimited events
Instant access