Households, couples and keeping people together

A household is the people on one invitation: a couple, a family with kids, or flatmates. Put them in a household and Auto-Seat keeps them at the same table. It’s the main way to make sure couples aren’t split up.

Make a household from several guests

This is the fastest way, especially for families.

1. 1

   Select the guests

   In Guests, tick the checkbox next to each person.
2. 2

   Click Household

   In the bar at the bottom of the screen, click Household. You’ll see a message like “Grouped 3 into ‘Carter household’”. The name comes from the most common last name. If no one has a last name, it’s called “New household”.

Make or join a household from one guest

1. 1

   Open the guest

   Click their name in the guest list.
2. 2

   Find Invited with (household)

   It’s in the Seating part of the side panel.
3. 3

   Create or join

   Click New household, type a name (or leave the suggested one) and click Add. To add them to a household that already exists, click Join existing and pick it.

Household changes save straight away. You don’t need to click Save. To take someone out, click Leave next to the household name.

Keep this household at the same table

Every new household has Keep this household at the same table ticked. While it’s ticked, Auto-Seat always seats the whole household at one table. Untick it if you only want the household as a label, for example a big extended family that can be spread across tables.

See your households

• Each guest in a household shows a small house chip with the household name in the list.
• Click By household above the list to group guests under their household. It appears once you have at least one.
• Guests⋯Seating rules lists every household along with your other seating rules.

Households, plus-ones and relationships

• Household: the people on one invitation. Kept at one table.
• Plus-one: a guest’s +1. Always seated with their guest by Auto-Seat. See plus-ones.
• Must sit with: for two people who aren’t on the same invitation but must sit together. Select them and click Must sit in the bulk bar, or add it under Relationships in a guest’s details. See keep guests together or apart.
• Groups (like College Friends) are looser. Auto-Seat places them together where it can. See groups and sides.

For tricky family situations, our guide on seating divorced parents has practical ideas.