A good seating chart is about table energy, not genealogy alone. Five simple rules, learned after too many « we knew nobody at our table » comments.
Five rules
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1. Never split a couple (or young siblings)
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2. Mix: max 50% of one friend group per table
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3. Seat one social connector at each tricky table
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4. Avoid stacking exes or known tension
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5. Kids' table only with 6+ same-age kids and planned supervision
Placement order
Hard constraints first (couples, families, mobility).
Then friend groups.
Finally solo guests: pair with a connector, not a table full of strangers.
Fiancé highlights unassigned guests so you finish clean.