To get familiar with Aisle Planner's Layout & Seating tools, we recommend following this step-by-step guide that will review each feature available to you, and how to use it.
OR, you can reference the glossary located to your right ➡️ to jump to any section of interest.
This is a robust feature with a lot of functionality, so take a little time to play around to get familiar with everything it can do.
We also encourage you to watch this Layout & Seating webinar for a deep-dive into all of the functionality within these tools... some great tips and tricks! You can watch that HERE
Here are some feature highlights to help you navigate our newest additions!
Creating A Layout
When you're ready to create your first layout in a wedding or project in Aisle Planner, head on over to the Layout & Seating tab, where you'll be welcomed with two different options to get started:
Option 1:
If you want to start a layout from scratch, select the Start with a Blank Canvas option.
Learn more about starting a layout from scratch here.
You will be able to choose from your layout templates or upload an image of a floor plan from your venue that you'd like to use as a backdrop to build a layout on.
Learn how to upload a floor plan and set the scale to create an accurate floor plan here and learn more about venue templates here (link coming soon!)
Option 2:
If you don't need to create a layout for whatever reason, you also have the option to just use our simple seating tool.
This is where you can create table lists and arrange and accommodate your guests with easy drag and drop seating.
If this is the case, select the Start with Simple Seating option.
Learn more about our simple seating feature here.
Creating A Layout from Existing Tables with Assigned Seats
If you've already created a seating list using our simple seating tool prior to creating this layout, you'll find the tables you've already created in the Your Tables menu in your Library to drag and drop into place to keep your tables and seating assignments synced between your layout and table list.
While these pre-existing tables are defaulted to ROUND tables when you drag and drop them onto your canvas, you can always update the table type and size and adjust chair counts as needed within your shape menu. AND you'll also still find your list of tables and seating assignments over in the Tables view towards the top of your layout. Learn more about creating a layout from Existing Tables with Assigned Seats here (link coming soon!)
Fine Tuning Your Canvas
An important part of designing the perfect floor plan is setting up the canvas in a way that works best for your needs.
Our Canvas Menu gives you the option to:
Change your measurements from feet (Imperial) to meters (Metric)
Adjust the spacing of your canvas grid and hide gridlines if you don't need them
Show or hide service area guides to ensure there's enough room between each table for service and comfort
Turn on or off helpful Snap to 1' increments to help with object placement
Show or hide Pan and Zoom Controls
The Object Library
From tables with chairs to ceremony seating and even lighting, lounge, and décor elements, our pre-populated library is filled with the most common objects you’ll use on a regular basis so you don’t need to create your own.
Find what you need quickly by typing what you are looking for in the search bar and then drag-and-drop the item into place and further customize each object to suit your needs in the Shape Menu.
Do you have objects you use on a regular basis either from your own inventory and from a rental company you absolutely love? Add it to your Object Templates in your account settings for them to appear at the top of your object library list. Sky's the limit on what you can add! Find more information on building your Object Template Library here.
The Venue Library
You can create and manage all of your most used venues' layout templates and when you are ready to use them, simply drag and drop which template you would like to use right on your canvas. How simple is that?
Learn more about how to create your own custom venue library here.
The Style Menu
Select any item or object in your layout and use options in the Style Menu to:
Customize the outline of any object by adjusting the line width and color - or change a solid line to dashes
Fill your objects with color to bring some life and detail to your layouts
Add Color To Your Layout
Our color picker allows you to enter in RGB or Hex codes for the perfect color match, and select colors using our color wheel and adjust the opacity.
We'll also save any colors you've already used in your layout to make color matching and consistency in design a breeze.
Even better—if you've created color palettes in the Design Studio for your event, we'll display those colors to make it easier for the design to match your event.
Drawing Tools
Our easy-to-use drawing tools, located in the Insert menu to the top left of your layout, helps spark creativity and makes designing a custom layout for your event easier. From this menu, you can:
Add shapes
Draw custom objects
Include arrows
Add text to label your objects and note important information
Add images—perfect for dropping in your logo or including more details for set up.
Learn more about using all the features in the Insert menu here (link coming soon!)
Undo & Redo Options
We built in a helpful undo option into our layout tool to make it easy to undo accidental changes and deletions.
The redo option is just as helpful when fixing mistakes or undoing any actions.
Pro Tip: Keyboard shortcuts also work to quickly undo accidental actions and mistakes!
For Apple/Mac: Command + Z
For PC: Control + Z
Learn more about all of our keyboard shortcuts for layouts here.
Alignment Tools
Helpful alignment tools, located to the top left of your layout, provide a quick and easy way for you to line up your tables and other design elements beautifully and evenly within your layout.
Learn more about how to align design elements within a layout here.
Placement Tools
Sometimes when you have multiple objects overlapping, it's nice to be able to specify how the images are layered or are "placed" in order, from back to front.
Placement tools, also found toward the top left of your layout, help you do just that.
Creating Additional Layouts for An Event
Whether you'd like to propose different layout design options to your clients, create additional versions, or design multiple spaces for the ceremony, cocktail hour, or reception, you can create as many layouts as needed to get the job done.
With the option to create multiple copies with a single click, you can create options for your clients without having to reinvent the wheel each time.
You can also quickly and easily rename, reorder, copy, and delete any layouts within an event all with the Manage Layouts menu.
Learn more about managing existing layouts and creating additional layouts within a wedding or event here.
Pro Tip: Use keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste to quickly replicate a part of (or all of) your layout to create slightly different versions or contingency rain plans.
Assigning Guest Seating
Once you've finalized your layout, quickly and easily get everyone seated with easy drag-and-drop guest seating.
We’ll automatically pull all confirmed guests (as well as those handful of guests you might still be waiting to hear back from) into your seating list, and organize each guest by group, to help make it easier to settle on who sits where.
We’ll also call out special guests and VIPS, such the bride and groom, bridal party and immediate family members to make seating assignments easier to navigate.
You can also toggle on and off the seat numbers around each table, who is sitting where, who is eating what, and if there are any special considerations associated with whom.
Seating Stats
Seating stats provide a quick reference to help you be sure your layout includes enough chairs for your guest count
The option to switch from Layout View to Table View via the tabs located just above your layout canvas provides a list view of each table and each guest seated.
Downloads
Download your event layout to PDF to share and collaborate with your team, clients and vendors or to have on hand for the event day.
Decide if you'd like to include the table names, guest names, seat numbers, and meal indicators with legend prior to downloading.
You can adjust page size, orientation and margins to fit your needs.
You can also download the full guest list, which includes seating list by table, dietary restrictions, and other guest considerations.
Keyboard Shortcuts
When it comes to productivity and creating a beautiful layout FAST, a long list of keyboard shortcuts might quite possibly be one of our very favorite features within Layouts.
Taking a moment to learn just a few of these quick and easy keystrokes will save you a lot of time in the long run.
Check our the Aisle Planner power user's guide to keyboard shortcuts here.