Event Planning Guide
Event Planning Guide
Most furniture problems at events come from three things: ordering the wrong quantities, using the wrong layout for the space, or leaving too little time for delivery logistics. This guide covers all three.
Round tables with Chiavari or Wishbone chairs. 5ft rounds seat 8–9, 6ft rounds seat 10–11. Allow 1.2–1.5m² per person including service aisles. Add a top table (6ft rectangular) and poseur tables if a drinks reception precedes the meal.
Padded conference chairs in theatre rows (no tables) or classroom rows (rectangular tables). Theatre style allows 0.65m² per person; classroom style needs 1.0–1.2m². Folding chairs work for shorter sessions where comfort is secondary to speed of setup.
Poseur tables only — no chairs. One poseur table per 8–10 guests. Allow 0.5–0.75m² per person. For a pre-dinner reception, keep poseur tables in the foyer and clear them before guests move into the dining area.
Folding chairs and trestle or steel tables under commercial gazebos. Beer bench sets for food and drink areas. Patio heaters for evening events from September through April. See the Outdoor Events Guide.
Round tables for the wedding breakfast, folding or Chiavari chairs for the ceremony (if separate), poseur tables for the drinks reception. See the full Wedding Furniture Guide.
Large events often need different furniture for different areas: conference seating in a main hall, poseur tables in a break area, dining furniture for lunch. Order by zone and list each separately in your quote request — it keeps logistics simpler on the day.
| Guests | Round tables (6ft) | Chairs (dinner) | Poseur tables (reception) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 5 | 50 + 5 spare | 5–6 |
| 100 | 10 | 100 + 10 spare | 10–12 |
| 200 | 20 | 200 + 20 spare | 20–25 |
| 500 | 50 | 500 + 25–50 spare | 50–60 |
Always order 5–10% extra chairs. Late additions, damaged pieces and last-minute layout changes are common. Returning unused chairs is straightforward; being short on the day is not.
