Weddings vs seating plans: what's the difference?

Lovely Seating has two levels. A wedding is the event: its names, date and one guest list. A seating plan is a room layout inside that wedding, with its own tables and seat assignments. Most couples only need one plan. Extra plans are handy when the day has more than one seated part.

What’s shared and what isn’t

• Shared across every plan in a wedding: the guest list, with RSVPs, meals, households, groups and seating rules. Add a guest once and they’re available in every plan.
• Separate in each plan: the tables, venue objects and who sits where.

So you can seat the same guests one way for the ceremony and another way for dinner, without keeping two guest lists in step.

Good reasons for a second plan

• A ceremony layout with rows and an aisle, next to your reception layout.
• A rehearsal dinner or brunch with the same guests.
• A backup layout, for example an indoor plan in case of rain.
• Trying a different arrangement without touching the one you like.

Add a seating plan

1. 1

   Open the plan menu

   At the top of any screen, next to your wedding’s name, click the small plan button. It shows the current plan’s name on a computer, and just an icon on a phone. The menu is headed Seating plans.
2. 2

   Click New plan

   You’ll see New seating plan: “Another layout for this wedding — it shares the same guest list.”
3. 3

   Name it and choose a starting point

   Type a Plan name, then pick Empty room, Duplicate a plan (copies a plan’s layout and seating), or a starter layout such as Classic reception or Ceremony (aisle seating).
4. 4

   Click Create plan

   The new plan opens straight away.

Switch, rename or delete a plan

• Switch: open the plan menu and click a plan. A tick marks the one you’re in. On the dashboard, a wedding with several plans shows a chip for each, so you can open one directly.
• Rename: hover a plan in the menu and click the pencil. On a phone the pencil is always visible.
• Delete: click the bin next to a plan, then Delete plan. This removes that plan’s layout and seating. Your guest list stays. You can’t delete a wedding’s only plan.

When you export, the Seating plan picker on Print & Export lets you choose which plan to print.

How many weddings and plans you can have

• Free: 1 wedding with 1 seating plan.
• Pro: 1 wedding, with up to 5 seating plans.
• Agency: unlimited weddings and seating plans.

When you reach the limit, New plan shows a lock and an Upgrade label. Archived weddings still count toward your wedding limit. Weddings other people have shared with you don’t. See what Pro includes.