Wedding Table Plan Printing

The Sign Every Guest Has to Read

A table plan is the busiest sign at a wedding. Everyone has to find their name on it before they can sit down, usually at the same moment, usually with a drink in one hand. Get it right and people flow into the room. Get it wrong and there's a queue at the door.

We print table plans on 5mm foam board in A1 or A2, from a single board, in two working days. Upload your design and we'll handle the rest.

Which Size for How Many Guests?

This is the decision that matters most, and it's the one people most often get wrong.

• A2 (420 x 594mm) — workable up to roughly 60 guests. Beyond that the names get small enough that people have to lean in, and a queue builds behind them.
• A1 (594 x 841mm) — the usual choice. Twice the area, enough room to keep names legible for 100 guests or more, and readable from a step back so several people can find their table at once.

If you're between the two, go larger. The extra cost is small next to the difference it makes on the day, and nobody has ever complained that their table plan was too easy to read.

Laying It Out

Two approaches, and they suit different weddings.

Alphabetical by guest name — every guest listed A to Z with their table number beside them. Quickest for guests to use, because they only need to find their own name. Best for larger weddings where speed matters.

Grouped by table — each table listed with the people on it. Slower to scan, since guests have to search several lists, but it shows people who they're sitting with, which some couples prefer. Works better at smaller weddings.

Whichever you choose, keep the type as large as the board allows. A table plan that looks elegantly minimal on a laptop screen can be genuinely hard to read from two feet away in a dimly lit venue entrance.

Already Bought a Design on Etsy?

A lot of table plans start as an Etsy template — often listed as a seating chart or seating plan rather than a table plan, since that's the American term.

Two things worth checking before you order:

Is it the right size? Many templates are sold at US sizes — 18x24 or 24x36 inches — rather than A1 or A2. Printed at A-size that means white edges or names getting cropped off. Most sellers will supply an A-size version if you ask.

Is it a print-ready PDF? A JPEG saved for screen will look soft at A1, and soft type is a real problem on a board people have to read closely.

If you're unsure, send it over — we check every file before printing and will tell you if there's a problem.

When to Order

Later than everything else, and this is deliberate.

Seating changes right up to the final week. Someone drops out, a plus-one appears, a table gets reshuffled — and a table plan printed a month ahead is a table plan that's wrong on the day. Unlike your welcome sign or directional boards, this one can't be ordered early.

Production takes two working days from receipt of your file, with delivery on top. Work back from that: finalise numbers, order, and you've still got a few days in hand. If it's genuinely tight, collection from Burnley removes the courier from the equation.

Our advice is to order welcome and directional signs early, and leave this one until your numbers are properly final — but not so late that a file problem becomes a crisis.

The Board

Printed on 5mm solid PVC foam board — rigid enough to stand on an easel without bowing, even at A1, and light enough for one person to carry and position.

Solid board rather than paper-faced foam, so the edges stay clean and it won't dent if it gets knocked at a busy entrance. It's also water-resistant, which matters more than you'd think at a barn, marquee or garden venue where the plan might sit near an open doorway.

Boards are supplied printed only — easels aren't included. Most venues have them, though it's worth confirming rather than assuming.

Gloss or Matt?

Matt is the better choice for a table plan specifically. It has no shine, so it stays legible from every angle regardless of where the venue lighting falls. Gloss can throw a reflection straight back at someone standing at the wrong angle, which is a nuisance on a board people are reading closely.

Gloss gives richer colour, and suits a table plan with a strong decorative background or a photograph behind the names.

For a text-heavy plan in a venue lit from above, matt.

Artwork Requirements

• A2 with bleed: 430 x 604mm
• A1 with bleed: 604 x 851mm
• Bleed: 5mm all round
• Safe zone: 5mm
• Resolution: 300 dpi
• Format: PDF
• Colour: CMYK
• Fonts: outlined or embedded
• Additional: no printer marks

Free templates are available for both sizes.

Check the names before you send it. We print exactly what's supplied, and a spelling mistake on a table plan is the one nobody misses — every guest at that table sees it. It's worth a second pair of eyes on the file before you upload.

Every file is checked by a real person for print-readiness, but we don't proofread or amend artwork.

Turnaround & Delivery

Production takes 2 working days from receipt of artwork. Turnaround covers production only — delivery is on top of that.

UK delivery is £6.50 per order, reflecting the size of the boards. Collection from our Burnley production facility is also available, which is quicker if you're working to a tight date.

We also print wedding welcome boards for entrance signs, order of the day and directional signage.

FAQs

What size should my table plan be?
A1 for most weddings. A2 works up to roughly 60 guests, beyond which names become small enough to slow people down at the entrance.

What's the minimum order?
There isn't one. Order a single board.

Can I use a seating chart design from Etsy?
Yes. Check it's a print-ready PDF at A1 or A2 rather than a US size — most sellers will supply an A-size version on request.

Should it be alphabetical or grouped by table?
Alphabetical by guest name is quicker for people to use and better for larger weddings. Grouped by table shows guests who they're sitting with, which suits smaller ones.

How late can I order it?
Production is 2 working days from receipt of your file, plus delivery. Leave it as late as your numbers allow, but keep a few days in hand in case there's a problem with the artwork.

Will it stand on an easel at A1?
Yes. 5mm foam board is rigid enough not to bow at that size.

Do you supply an easel?
No, boards are supplied printed only. Most venues have them available.

Should I choose gloss or matt?
Matt for a table plan — it stays readable from any angle regardless of venue lighting. Gloss suits plans with a strong decorative background.

Do you check the spelling?
No. We check files for print-readiness but don't proofread. Please check names carefully before uploading.

How much is delivery?
£6.50 per order. Collection from Burnley is also available.