The most important aspect of any event isn’t the food or the entertainment. It’s the seating arrangement. If you choose the wrong one for your audience, you risk making people uncomfortable.
You can ruin even the best venue with crowded seats. If you go with the auditorium style, it will be hard for your guests to maneuver around the room and interact with each other.
Banquet and chevron-styled seating are only appropriate for certain situations. These aren’t the only types of seating arrangements that you should familiarize yourself with. Check out this guide to learn about all your options.
Chevron
The first type on our list is chevron seating. It involves arranging your chairs into two shorter, slightly angled rows with a gap in the middle of the aisle for guests to walk through.
This style doesn’t work for huge groups, but it’s fine for smaller events. The angled rows will save some room, so if you’re working with a tiny venue, this is the arrangement you’ll want to use.
This type of sitting arrangement works best for conferences, training, and any presentations that involve audience participation. Keep in mind that you’ll need to stagger the seats a bit. If you don’t, some of your audience members might not be able to see.
Banquet
If you’re going to have food at your event, banquet seating gives your guests a place to enjoy their meal. You’ll space tables evenly throughout the venue with chairs that can accommodate about 6 people per table.
It’s a laid-back arrangement that encourages your guests to mingle with each other. This makes it ideal for a corporate event that involves a high amount of networking.
The only problem with the banquet seating arrangement is that it sort of puts everyone in their own little bubble. Your guests may be hesitant to venture over to another table to talk. If you still want to go with this option, check out this table for sale.
Auditorium
The auditorium seating style is the one used for theater shows. It’s rows of chairs pointed toward a single focus. Most of the time, this focus is the stage.
It’s great for giving presentations to large groups. As you can imagine, it’s not the best seating arrangement for smaller events.
It’s also bad for encouraging group participation. It’s awkward to walk around and talk to other members of the audience because it’s cramped.
Some presenters have issues with sound as well. It might be difficult for the guests sitting in the back of the room to hear what you have to say.
Types of Seating Arrangements You Can Use for Your Next Event
To have a successful event, you’re going to need to put a lot of thought into the seating. If you choose the wrong types of seating arrangements, it could be awkward for both yourself and you’re guests.
The last thing you want is for your audience to dip out early because they’re cramped up. Choose an arrangement that encourages conversation and comfort. For more tips that will help your event go off wihtout a hitch, visit our blog.
