Seating Chart Sign Size
Which poster size fits your guest list, measured: how big the names print at 50 to 250 guests, how far away they can be read, and how to print it.
Which size?
- Up to about 50 guests: 16 × 20 in, or an 11 × 17 in (A3) list in a frame.
- Up to about 100 guests: 18 × 24 in (A2).
- About 100 to 200 guests: 24 × 36 in (A1).
- More than 200: 24 × 36 in, or two signs split A–L and M–Z so two queues can read at once.
These recommendations come from measuring real signs, below.
18 × 24 or 24 × 36
A 24 × 36 in sign has twice the area of an 18 × 24 in one. With 150 guests in alphabetical order, the names print at about 19 points on the smaller sign and 25 points on the larger, which is the difference between leaning in and reading comfortably.
How big the names print
We laid out the same guest lists on every size in our seating chart sign maker (classic style, with a title and subtitle) and recorded the name size it chose. Sizes are in points, as in a word processor.
Alphabetical list
| Sign | 50 guests | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 × 17 in | 17 | 16 | 12 | 11 | 10 |
| 16 × 20 in | 24 | 18 | 17 | 13 | 12 |
| 18 × 24 in | 27 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 14 |
| 24 × 36 in | 36 | 33 | 25 | 24 | 21 |
| A3 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 10 |
| A2 | 25 | 21 | 17 | 16 | 14 |
| A1 | 35 | 30 | 24 | 23 | 19 |
| 50 × 70 cm | 29 | 25 | 21 | 19 | 16 |
By table
| Sign | 50 guests | 100 | 150 | 200 | 250 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 × 17 in | 17 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 12 |
| 16 × 20 in | 25 | 23 | 21 | 17 | 14 |
| 18 × 24 in | 29 | 28 | 23 | 21 | 17 |
| 24 × 36 in | 38 | 38 | 33 | 31 | 26 |
| A3 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 15 | 12 |
| A2 | 26 | 26 | 21 | 21 | 17 |
| A1 | 37 | 37 | 30 | 30 | 24 |
| 50 × 70 cm | 31 | 31 | 26 | 25 | 20 |
A list by table prints larger than an alphabetical one, because it doesn’t repeat the table number beside every name. Long names, a longer title or a script heading change the numbers a little.
How far away it can be read
Sign makers use a rule of thumb of about 1 inch of capital-letter height for every 10 feet of reading distance, in good light and contrast. In the classic style’s serif, capitals are about five-eighths of the point size, so:
- About 20-point names read comfortably from roughly 2 feet.
- About 36-point names read comfortably from roughly 3 feet.
Guests usually step up to a seating chart, so a couple of feet is normal, but a queue forms when only a few people can read it at once. A larger sign, two signs, or a sans-serif style (which looks bigger at the same point size) all help.
Printing it
- Print at 100%. Send the PDF at its exact size and ask for no scaling, so nothing is cropped.
- Matte, not gloss, to avoid glare under event lighting; mount it on foam board so it stays flat on an easel.
- Check the easel holds the size you choose, especially 24 × 36 in.
- Proofread from the plan, not the poster: fix a name once in the plan and download again.
- Mirror or acrylic: the sign maker’s mirror style and SVG download suit white vinyl lettering. See our wedding seating chart ideas.
Table lists and classroom charts
- A list for each table (for frames or the caterer) prints on Letter or A4 from the PDF download of the wedding seating chart generator.
- Classroom charts print on Letter or A4 for the teacher’s desk, the wall and a substitute folder. For room layouts and aisle spacing, see classroom seating arrangement ideas.
Frequently asked questions
What size should a wedding seating chart be?
18 × 24 inches (or A2) for up to about 100 guests, and 24 × 36 inches (or A1) for about 100 to 200. For more than 200 guests, use 24 × 36 or split the list across two signs.
How many names fit on a 24 × 36 seating chart?
In our sign maker, 200 guests still print at about 24-point type in an alphabetical list and 31-point by table. Even 250 fit, at about 21 and 26 points.
Is 18 × 24 big enough for a seating chart?
For about 100 guests, yes: names print at about 21 points alphabetically and 28 points by table. Above 150 guests the names get small, so move up to 24 × 36.
Is there a standard seating chart size?
No single standard. 18 × 24 and 24 × 36 inches are common poster sizes in the US; A2, A1 and 50 × 70 cm are the usual choices where paper is metric.
What font size should names be on a seating chart?
At least about 20 points, and more if many guests will read it at once. A clean typeface helps: at the same point size, a sans serif reads larger than a delicate serif.
Should the sign be portrait or landscape?
Portrait suits an easel and most entrances. Landscape suits a wide mirror, a wall or a long table display. The sign maker does both at every size.