SeatingChartMakerConference, Theater & Event Seating Chart Maker
Conferences, galas, award ceremonies, community halls and theater-style events all need the same thing: a fast way to lay out seating and know exactly who's sitting where. This free tool handles both long theater-style rows and banquet-style tables, so it flexes to whatever your event actually looks like.
Match the layout to your event
Not every event seats people the same way, and this tool doesn't force you into one shape. A keynote or screening usually calls for straight theater-style rows facing a stage. A gala dinner, fundraiser, or awards banquet calls for round or rectangular tables spread across the room. A hybrid event — talks followed by a networking dinner — might need both, and you can build each on the same canvas.
How to plan event seating in 4 steps
- Pick rows for presentations, tables for dining. Use seat rows for theater/lecture-style seating, or round and rectangular tables for banquet-style events.
- Add your attendee or guest list. Paste in the full list at once, and tag VIPs, sponsors, or speakers with a group label for quick color-coded identification.
- Seat VIPs and speakers first. Reserve front rows or head tables for speakers, sponsors, and VIP guests before opening up general seating.
- Auto-fill the remainder and export. Fill general attendees automatically, then export a CSV for your check-in desk or print a chart for the entrance.
Event seating tips
- Reserve front-row or near-stage seats for VIPs, sponsors and speakers, and mark them clearly on the chart before general seating opens.
- Keep aisles wide enough for accessibility and fire-safety codes — don't just maximize seat count.
- Place accessible seating near entrances, not tucked in the back corner.
- For networking dinners, mix organizations at each table rather than seating whole companies or departments together — it drives better conversation.
- Print a chart for your check-in desk so staff can direct guests to the right seat without radio-ing a coordinator every time.
Theater rows vs. banquet tables
Rows maximize capacity and work best when everyone faces a single focal point — a stage, screen, or podium. Tables (round or rectangular) work better when the event includes dining or networking, since they let small groups face each other. Large conferences often need both: rows for the keynote sessions, tables for the dinner or reception afterward.
Frequently asked questions
Yes — add as many rows, round tables, and rectangular tables as you need, and drag each one anywhere on the canvas to match your actual floor plan.
Add VIPs, speakers, or sponsors with a group label like "VIP" or "Speaker" when you add them to your guest list — they'll be color-coded automatically so reserved seating stands out at a glance.
Export your chart as a file (Export button) and share it with a co-organizer — they can import it into their own browser and pick up exactly where you left off.
No hard limit — add as many rows or tables as your venue needs. Use the search box to instantly find any attendee and see exactly where they're seated.