A QR code seating chart is a code guests scan at the reception entrance. Their phone opens a page where they type their name and see their table, and their seat if you assigned one. There is no app to download and no account to create. It replaces the crowd around a printed board, and because the page reads your live chart, a change you make the morning of the wedding shows up on every phone right away.
How a QR code seating chart works
- You build your seating chart online, with every guest at a table.
- You create a seat finder page for the chart and download its QR code.
- You print the code on a small sign, a table card or the back of the program.
- Guests scan it, search their name and see where to sit.
The page should show names and seats only. It should never show meals, dietary notes, emails or who else sits at the table, because anyone with the code can open it.
QR code or printed seating chart?
Most couples use both: a printed sign as decor and a QR code so nobody has to squint at a list of 150 names.
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Printed board | A design moment at the entrance | Lines form at big weddings, and late changes mean a reprint |
| Escort cards | Small to mid-size weddings | Cards go missing, and a moved guest needs a new card |
| QR code seat finder | Large weddings and last-minute changes | Older guests may want a printed backup |
What to print
- A 5x7 card at the entrance with "Find your seat" and the code, on a small easel.
- A line in the program or on the welcome sign for guests who arrive from the ceremony.
- A printed backup list at the guest book table, alphabetical by last name, for anyone without a phone.
Print the code at least 1.5 inches wide and test it from arm's length in dim light before the day.
Tips that save the day
- Seat every guest before you print. An unassigned guest who searches and finds nothing is the worst first impression.
- List couples and families under each person's name, so "Maria" and "Maria Lopez" both work.
- Do not regenerate the code after printing. A new code breaks every printed copy.
- Ask one person in the wedding party to stand near the sign for the first ten minutes.
Make a QR code seating chart with PlanSeats
In PlanSeats, open your chart, choose Share or Export, then QR code for guests. You get the code to download, a 5x7 card to print at home, and a report of how many guests searched. The seat finder comes with Plus at $8.99/mo, and it stays in sync with your chart until the last guest is seated.
Related guides
Escort cards vs place cards
What each card does and whether you need both.
Printable seating chart for a wedding
Designs for the board at the entrance.
Wedding seating chart ideas
Display ideas that work with a QR code.
How to make a wedding seating plan
Build the chart the code points to.