Table seating arrangement (An Old English Home and Its Dependencies)

A seating plan is a diagram or a set of written or spoken instructions that determines where people should take their seats. It is widely used on diverse occasions. Seating plans have a wide range of purposes.

Formal dinners

formal dinner Dinner usually refers to what is in many Western cultures the largest and most formal meal of the day, which is eaten in the evening. Historically, the largest meal used to be eaten around midday, and called dinner. Especially among the elite, ...

s, plans are usually used to avoid chaos and confusion upon entrance and to follow the etiquette. In this case, it is customary to arrange the host and hostess at the opposite sides of the table, and alternate male and female guests throughout.

Place card A place card is a piece of paper indicating what table a guest at an event, such as a wedding or banquet, is assigned to sit. Place cards generally have the guest's name and table number, and frequently have some design as well to add style. Ba ...

s can be used to direct guests.

State dinner A state banquet is an official banquet hosted by the head of state in his or her official residence for another head of state, or sometimes head of government, and other guests. Usually as part of a state visit or diplomatic conference, it is h ...

s have their own protocol and arrangements are made so that the most distinguished guests can have the possibility to engage in conversation. In Chinese culture, like many other cultures, the place at the table is a sign of social importance. In the United States according to Peggy Post, "tradition dictates that when everyone is seated together, the host and hostess sit at either end of the table. Honored guests (moms, dads, and in-laws) are placed to the host's and hostess's right and then left." This can also be the source of humor.

Politics and government

An election apportionment diagram is a form of seating chart used to visualize electoral results. Often, they are in the form of a

hemicycle In legislatures, a hemicycle is a semicircular, or horseshoe-shaped, debating chamber (''plenary chamber''), where deputies (members) sit to discuss and pass legislation. Although originally of Ancient Greek roots, the term and modern design der ...

Transportation

Plans are also made for

airplanes An airplane or aeroplane (informally plane) is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and wing configurations. The broad spectr ...

, where the objective is to differentiate passengers between the various travel classes and ensure everybody has a place.

Entertainment venues

Similarly,

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

s or

cinema Cinema may refer to: Film * Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography * Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image ** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking ...

s may allow spectators to choose their seats beforehand. A seating plan is of crucial importance for musical ensembles or

orchestra An orchestra (; ) is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which combines instruments from different families. There are typically four main sections of instruments: * bowed string instruments, such as the violin, viola, c ...

s, where every type of instrument is allocated a specific section.

References

External links

*{{commonscat-inline , Election apportionment diagrams Etiquette Diagrams