| It will vary depending upon your group -- no solution or "formula" is going to work as well every time. But here are a few observations that may help. At family events, I have noticed that seating alternate generations together is very successful -- they don't press each others buttons, as it were. So let's say your group of 11 includes 3 of the oldest generation, 4 middle generation, and 4 kidz. I would put the 4 "middles" at the little table and the other 8 at the big one. Otherwise, I usually start with who needs to sit near the kitchen, or in some other spot for some reason, then fill in from there. For Passover, we have the big DR table, then 2 or 3 other tables. I start with my husband, who leads the seder, in the middle of the big table (which is sort of analogous to the "head" of the whole room), and my mother, my best friend, and myself in the "anchor" positions at each of the other tables, at the ends nearest the kitchen. Because Passover is about telling the story to the youngest generation, the children are at the main table, each with one parent. Once I get all that done, it's pretty easy to distribute the rest of the adults. When I feel like one table is not as nice as the other, I often try to put the nicer chairs, table linens, and fancier china or crystal at that table, and make sure to distribute the "ranking" guests, so they sort of equalize. Maybe that would help in your case. At a dinner party, I don't sit couples next to each other anyway, so if I have 2 tables, I split them by table, trying to balance quiet and sparkly people. It both avoids an "A" and "B" table and makes the conversation more lively. And I always put myself at the "lesser" table. (It's usually nearest the kitchen, anyway.) |
