I had just spent over 2 hours working on my wedding seating chart. I updated and printed out my attendee list, got back in touch with my kindergarten roots and cut out the names of people coming. Then I grouped these people according to a seating chart the Garden provided letting me know how many people can be seated at what table number (half the tables seat 4-5, the rest seat 6-8). I tried my best to move my little slips of guests around and put people together who either already know each other, or whom I know would get along. I paid special attention to requests to be seated next to so-and-so, and to requests to NOT be seated near so-and-so. (I know.) The next part is trickier. Following a map of the Garden layout telling me what table number goes where (reception dinner tables are scattered all over the garden around the pond, on the bridges, under trees, etc.), I ingeniously and strategically placed groups of people either close to or far away from each other. Joe Schmoe wants to avoid Jane Doe? Well, I seated them across the Garden from each other, separated by water. Too many people in the “coworkers” group to put together at one table? I put them in tables next to each other. Mandy Pandy desperately wants to avoid the disapproving glares from her mother? I placed Mandy Pandy at the south end and her mother at the north end on the same vertical line, so that the mother couldn’t look across the water and see Mandy Pandy. I was darn proud of myself.

And then came that awful dreaded moment. I ended up with 2 leftover groups of 4 with no seating. What the heck? I studied the seating chart, compared it to the Garden map, and then realized that the two totally don’t match up. There are some tables that the chart says seat 8 but the map says seat 5, and vice versa. And tables 27, 28 and 29 are completely MISSING from the map.

I guess I’ll be making some phone calls in the morning. Either the Garden is going to send me the correct map and/or chart, or I’ll be calling these guests and asking if they mind taking their dinners with them to their cars in the parking lot. Or MAYBE I’ll float 2 tables for 4 on the koi pond! Hmm…