Wedding Reception Décor Ideas: 3D Seating Chart Displays

Seating charts are bringing in the wow factor for wedding receptions in 2023 and as a wedding calligrapher, I am HERE for it! More and more couples are bringing in the creativity and over-the-top displays that we typically found with escort displays, and combining them with the practicality (and in some cases, cost-effectiveness) of a more traditional seating chart. While seating charts “on their own” are definitely still a thing (and can be absolutely gorgeous!), today I wanted to share a few of my favorite 3 dimensional seating chart displays to (hopefully!) inspire you to start dreaming big for your own wedding!

If you are looking for a wedding calligrapher to bring it all to life, head here to learn about my day of details wedding calligraphy package, or head straight to my contact form with any questions (and to reserve your date!). Now, let’s dive into it!

Garden Wedding Seating Chart Vases

One of my favorite cheating chart displays over the past summer was at The Willowwood Arboretum. We created a table display with a different table number handwritten on each vase. It was a big project (writing on curved surfaces is not as easy as it looks!), but the result was stunning and it really brought the whole garden wedding theme together in a way that was cohesive, and stunning.

Surfboard Seating Chart Displays

Part of creating a 3-dimensional seating chart is picking an unusual material (like these surfboards!) to be the backdrop. The second part of creating a 3-dimensional seating chart is decorating around it! When using two pieces to make your seating chart (whether that be a surfboard or even two mirrors!), I always ask couples to consider something to “ground the space” like the gorgeous pampas floral arrangements against the blue surfboards below or to have the surfboards surrounding another piece of decor/display (like the “in loving memory” display below). It gives your seating charts a little something extra to not just have the pieces standing alone!

A Boho Seating Chart Display

When you create a 3-dimensional seating chart, part of the appeal is being able to mix and match mediums to create the end result. That was definitely the case for this wedding at the Stone House at Stirling Ridge. We set up woven crates and containers, added candles and lanterns and terracotta florals, and topped it off with clear acrylic table signs showing guests to their seats. If you’ve followed me for a while, you can probably imagine how happy this made my boho heart to create!

Lantern Seating Chart

Speaking of my boho heart, I just want to add a little disclaimer. If mixing and matching mediums is not for you, you can still create something incredibly impactful and memorable. For the below wedding, we used a table of lanterns to display guest names and their tables and it was equally inviting!

Acrylic Pillar Seating Display

If you are leaning towards a more classic and romantic feel for your wedding day, an acrylic pillar display is one of my favorites (am I allowed to play favorites?). The below photos are from Christine and Mike’s fairytale winter wedding, but these pillars are a part of my rental inventory and are available to all of my day of wedding couples if you love them as much as I do!

Choosing an Acrylic or Mirror Seating Chart

If you are soaking up all the 3-dimensional seating chart vibes but want something a little more traditional (due to budget, space requirements, or just as a preference!), just know you can still create something truly incredible with “just” acrylic or a mirror. My advice? Work with your calligrapher and your florist to create something spectacular that works for YOU.

A Case For Investing in a 3Dimensional Seating Chart

If you’ve made it this far, I can only imagine you value personalized details and your guest’s experience as much as I do. When looking at your wedding decor and signage, your seating chart is one of the only pieces you can guarantee every single guest will see (and appreciate). In my opinion, that kind of wow factor is worth investing in!

If you are ready to take one of the above ideas and run with it or want to brainstorm your own unique seating chart ideas, I would love to work with you to craft your personalized wedding day pieces. As a wedding calligrapher, I work with all of my couples to create a design plan that is cohesive throughout their wedding day, and offer rentals to supplement pieces that don’t necessarily need to be personalized (let’s not waste!). If that’s something you are looking for, inquire here today for my remaining 2023 dates.