How the calculator works out your tables
It divides the guests by the seats per table and rounds up, because a half-full table is still a table. 104 guests at tables of 10 is 10.4, so you need 11 tables.
Eleven tables of 10 hold 110 people, which leaves 6 free seats. Instead of ten full tables and one with 4 guests, the calculator spreads people out as 5 tables of 10 and 6 tables of 9. Every table looks full and nobody ends up at the leftover table.
If you’re having a top table, enter how many people sit there and the calculator counts them separately. Our top table guide covers who sits where.
Finally it estimates the floor area of the dining tables, at about 1.1–1.4 m² (12–15 sq ft) per seated guest.
Round table sizes and how many people fit
Round tables are hired by diameter, and 150 and 180 cm are the usual sizes at venues. In feet, a 5 ft (60 in) round is about 152 cm and a 6 ft (72 in) round about 183 cm.
| Diameter | Comfortable | Maximum | Floor space with chairs and aisles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 cm (4 ft) | 4–5 | 6 | 6.5–8.5 m² (70–90 sq ft) |
| 150 cm (5 ft) | 6–7 | 8 | 9–11 m² (95–120 sq ft) |
| 180 cm (6 ft) | 8–9 | 10 | 11–14 m² (120–150 sq ft) |
| 200 cm (79 in) | 10–11 | 12 | 13–17 m² (140–180 sq ft) |
Comfortable leaves room for elbows and a centrepiece; maximum means chairs set close together. To check, allow about 60 cm (2 ft) of table edge per guest. A 180 cm round has about 5.65 m of edge, so 10 guests get 56 cm each and 9 get 63 cm.
Rectangular and long (imperial) tables
Rectangular tables are usually 75–80 cm (about 2.5 ft) wide. Allow about 60 cm of length per guest on each side, plus the ends if you’ll seat people there.
| Size | Along the sides | With the ends |
|---|---|---|
| 120 x 75 cm (4 ft) | 4 | 6 |
| 180 x 75 cm (6 ft) | 6 | 8 |
| 240 x 75 cm (8 ft) | 8 | 10 |
A long banquet table, often called an imperial table, is several rectangular tables joined end to end. Five 180 cm tables make a 9 m (30 ft) table for about 30 guests, 15 per side. At 90–100 cm wide there’s room for centrepieces and sharing platters.
Long tables usually fit more guests in the same room because they need fewer aisles, so with long tables treat the calculator’s area estimate as an upper figure.
How many tables for 50 to 300 guests
These figures are for guest tables only, so leave out anyone at the top table.
| Guests | Tables of 8 | Tables of 10 |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 7 (1 of 8 and 6 of 7) | 5 |
| 80 | 10 | 8 |
| 100 | 13 (9 of 8 and 4 of 7) | 10 |
| 120 | 15 | 12 |
| 150 | 19 (17 of 8 and 2 of 7) | 15 |
| 200 | 25 | 20 |
| 250 | 32 (26 of 8 and 6 of 7) | 25 |
| 300 | 38 (34 of 8 and 4 of 7) | 30 |
Exact figures leave no spare seat. For some slack, plan one seat fewer per table: 100 guests at tables of 9 need 12 tables, with 8 seats to spare.
How much space a wedding dinner needs
For round tables, allow about 1.1–1.4 m² (12–15 sq ft) per seated guest. That covers the table, chairs pushed back and the aisles between tables, so 100 guests need roughly 110–140 m² (1,200–1,500 sq ft) for dinner alone.
Use the lower figure with slim chairs and the higher one with large chairs or guests in wheelchairs. Leave around 1.5 m (5 ft) between neighbouring tables so staff can pass behind seated guests.
The estimate doesn’t include:
- the dance floor;
- a stage or space for the band or DJ;
- buffets, food stations and the bar;
- the cake table, photo booth or gift table;
- service routes from the kitchen and clear routes to the emergency exits.
Ask the venue for its seated dinner capacity with and without a dance floor. That figure already accounts for pillars and doors.
Tips before you book the tables
- Keep a few spare seats spread across different tables for late plus-ones and last-minute changes.
- Count each child in a high chair as one seat. Babies in arms don’t need a place, but tell the caterer.
- For a guest in a wheelchair, remove a chair and leave about 90 cm (3 ft) of table edge, at a table with a clear route to the door and toilets.
- Avoid odd tables of 3 or 4. Spread a small remainder across the other tables, as the calculator does, or move a group.
Then our guide on how to make a wedding seating chart helps you decide who goes where, and the printable templates give you a plan to sketch it on in pencil.
Frequently asked questions
How many tables do I need for 100 guests?
10 round tables of 10, or 13 tables of 8. Count the top table separately.
How many tables for 150 guests?
15 tables of 10, or 19 tables of 8 (17 of 8 and 2 of 7).
How many people fit at a round table?
About 6 at a 120 cm (4 ft) round, 8 at 150 cm (5 ft), 10 at 180 cm (6 ft) and 12 at 200 cm.
What size round table seats 10 people?
Usually a 180 cm (6 ft) round. For more elbow room, use a 200 cm table or seat 9.
How much space do I need for 100 guests?
About 110–140 m² (1,200–1,500 sq ft) for round dinner tables. The dance floor, stage, bar and buffet come on top of that.
Should I leave spare seats?
A few, yes, so you can add a late plus-one or move someone without redoing the plan.