Beautiful & Thoughtful Ideas To Highlight Reserved Seats At Your Wedding Ceremony

Your parents, grandparents, and immediate family make up the VIP guests who deserve front row seats at your wedding. For this reason, designating the first and second rows (and third if needed) at your ceremony is important to avoid any confusion – no one wants to play an awkward game of musical chairs because they unknowingly sat where they shouldn’t have. Often groomsmen double as ushers and are on hand at large weddings, directing guests where to go as they arrive. But for weddings of any size, ‘reserved’ seating signs can be used to ensure your big day starts out flawlessly with everyone comfortably sitting down to the celebrations that are about to begin. From welcoming floral arrangements to personalized name tags, we rounded up beautiful ideas for assigning special seating at your wedding ceremony.

A simple way to differentiate reserved spots at a ceremony is by accentuating the inner most chairs with decorative accents that tie into your overall wedding theme. For their sophisticated Manhattan affair at Bryant Park Grill, Real BB Weddings couple Marisa and James lined rows with romantic arrangements of white delphinium and stock complemented by gold lanterns.

A full-proof way to make the message clear that these seats are taken is with a sign. Year after year, the wooden ‘reserved’ seat sign has been used in Real BB weddings – the fixture works beautifully in outdoor venues, especially those in natural, gardensque settings. Place the sign on the inner most chair so it can be easily seen by guests as they arrive.

 

Looking for an idea that gives special attention to loved ones? Mark their seats with elegant, handwritten place cards adorned with trimmings of fresh greenery.

 

For their unforgettable day at the New York Botanical Garden, Real BB Weddings couple Meg and Alex sectioned off VIP seating with a vibrantly blossoming ‘Reserved’ sign – the floral design matched their lovely wedding invitation suite by Gus & Ruby Letterpress.

 

Make your family feel extra welcome by marking their row with a ‘reserved’ sign made just for them. For added flair, affix the signs to aisle chairs with ribbon and lush floral and greenery accents.

 

Now we don’t want to make anyone choose sides… but designating areas for your and your partner’s families will not only aid a seamless sit-down, but it will also help ease nerves. Many people will be meeting for the first time – letting VIP guests establish a familial connection first allows for a natural transition into socializing later when the champagne starts pouring.

 

When it comes to acknowledging VIP guests, fathers, mothers, and parental figures deserve a special shout out. Let them know how grateful you are by designating their chairs with an individual ‘reserved’ sign featuring calligraphy on handmade paper.

While this idea will take more time and planning on your part, guests will always remember the personalized, handwritten ‘thank you’ note that was waiting for them to read just before your ceremony. You can have be getting married in a stunning venue with lavish decor, but these heartfelt gestures are what will make your wedding feel truly special and unique

If you ask us, the ceremony aisle is comparable to the red carpet. Trade the velvet ropes for shiny satin ribbons to save the front row seats for your A-list guests.

For their Greek Orthodox ceremony at Holy Trinity Church in Manhattan, Real BB Weddings couple Aerin and Steven marked off the front pews for close family and friends with classic floral arrangements of roses, peonies, and olive greenery accented by satin ribbon.

Here’s a great idea if you want don’t want your ‘reserved’ sign to disrupted a polished wedding aesthetic. A small, simple sign paired with a lovely rose and cascading ribbon looks sophisticated while announcing that these seats are taken.

While it may not be at the top of your wedding check list, making sure spots are reserved for VIPs at your ceremony should be a priority. Remember, people’s first impression of a social event is made in those few moments after arriving – a wedding is no different. We hope these thoughtful ideas inspire you to designate special seats so your big day festivities start off without a hitch.