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Where to put feuding relatives, exes, a couple who split after RSVPing and friends who fell out, so the tension stays out of sight and out of the photos.
Seat them at different tables in the same half of the room, not facing each other, each with people they like. That keeps them apart without making the arrangement obvious. Putting them at opposite ends of the room is usually more noticeable than the conflict itself, and it tends to push one of them somewhere that feels like a demotion.
Two guests who don't get along mostly want the same thing: to enjoy the day without having to deal with each other. They don't need to be kept 40 feet apart. They need to not share a table, not sit face to face, and not be the only familiar faces for each other.
Seating guests with tension between them: Relatives who feud, Different tables, each with their own branch of the family, One "family table" that forces them together; Exes who are both invited, Different tables, not in each other's sightline, each with their current partner or friends, Seating one ex with the other's new partner's friends; A couple who split after RSVPing, Ask each separately if they still plan to come, then seat them at different tables, Assuming one will stay home; Friends who fell out, Put each with a different part of your friend group, A table where they are the only two who know each other; A guest who drinks too much and starts arguments, A table of calm, trusted people, away from the bar, Next to the other person, or near the dance floor speakers; Divorced parents, Two parents' tables at the same distance from yours, Putting them together "for the photos".
Sightlines. Two tables side by side are better than two tables facing each other across a gap. People notice who they can see. The route to the bar and the restroom. If both paths run past one person's table, the other person walks past them all evening. Check the floor plan, not just the table numbers. Their people. Each guest should be at a table where they know at least one person well. A guest with no allies at their table is more likely to go looking for company, which is how people end up where you didn't want them. Cocktail hour and dancing. Seating only covers dinner. If the conflict is serious, ask a trusted friend to keep an eye on things during the unseated parts of the evening.
For a serious conflict, yes. A short private message ("We've seated you with the college group, and Chris is on the other side of the room") takes away the dread of the unknown and makes a scene much less likely. For a minor one, say nothing. Drawing attention to it makes it bigger.
If a guest doesn't get along with one of you, seat them with the people they are closest to, at a table that is neither very near nor very far from yours. The goal is a normal evening for them, which is also the best chance of a normal evening for you.
This is much easier to judge on a floor plan than on a list of table numbers, because the decisions depend on distance, sightlines and who is on the walking route. Drag tables into position, place each guest, and look at the room as your guests will see it before you commit. Forever Farrah's seating chart is built for this, and a free account seats up to 40 guests.
Different tables in the same area of the room is usually enough. What matters most is that they aren't facing each other and each has friends at their own table.
No. Seat them at different tables, preferably out of each other's direct line of sight, each with their current partner or friends.
Put them at opposite ends of the head table, or seat the wedding party with their partners at nearby tables instead of at a head table.
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