How many people fit at a wedding table?

Seating capacity for every standard round and rectangular wedding table, plus the difference between what fits and what is comfortable.

Round tables

Round tables are measured by diameter. The comfortable number assumes a place setting of about 24 inches of table edge per guest, which leaves room for elbows, a glass and a handbag. The maximum assumes about 20 inches, which works for a short meal and stops working during a long one.

Rectangular and banquet tables

Rectangular tables are quoted by length. Capacity is roughly one guest per two feet along each long side, plus one at each end if you choose to seat the ends — many couples do not, because the end seats face down the table rather than across it.

How many tables will you need?

Divide your guest count by eight if you are using 60-inch rounds, then add one. The spare table is not waste — it absorbs the late RSVP, the plus-one you did not expect, and the two people who cannot be seated together after all. Almost every couple needs it.

Ask your venue before you plan around any of this

Every venue owns a specific set of tables, and it is rarely the set you assumed. Ask two questions: what sizes do you have, and how many of each. A room that has twelve 60-inch rounds and four 72-inch rounds constrains your floor plan in a way no general guidance can tell you.