Follow the idea.
A concept, in three framesKeep the guest list.
The same people and constraints apply.
Compare priorities.
Familiarity, introductions and inclusion can differ.
Inspect a swap.
Look at every affected guest, not just the total.
A WORKING DEFINITION
Constraints and objectives
A constraint determines which assignments are allowed. An objective ranks the allowed assignments using a stated measure. Multiple objectives can prefer different assignments, and a high total can hide a poor outcome for one person.
FOLLOW ONE EXAMPLE
Decide what matters before moving the chairs.
Every guest occupies one of 24 seats, with six seats at each of four tables. Alex and Morgan need designated accessible positions. Blair and Harper, and Noor and Taylor, must sit at different tables. Within those constraints, familiarity ranks known pairs together; introductions ranks cross-circle pairs. Both break a tie by minimizing guests with no known contact. Inclusion first minimizes guests with no known table contact, then maximizes the minimum contact count, then known pairs. Any remaining ties keep the supplied candidate order. Changing the priority changes the ranking, not the seats. Applying a plan is a separate action.
Work through the investigation →WHERE THE CLAIM STOPS
Keep the assumptions attached.
These are fictional relationships and three supplied arrangements, not a wedding-planning recommendation or a global optimum. A known contact is not a measure of comfort. Cross-circle pairs need not be new acquaintances.
Inspect this model’s assumptions and definitions
- All guests, relationships and constraints are fictional and supplied. Connections do not measure happiness, compatibility or relationship strength.
- Cross-circle pairs are opportunities to mix; some already know each other. They are not predicted friendships.
- Rankings compare three supplied arrangements, not every feasible seating plan. Designated accessible seats are model constraints, not a venue accessibility assessment.
Definitions used in this instrument
- fixture
- wedding-24-v1-fixed-guests-undirected-connections-and-constraints
- pairs
- unordered-co-seated-known-pairs-counted-once
- introductions
- unordered-cross-circle-co-seated-pairs-not-new-friendships
- inclusion
- minimize-zero-known-contacts-then-maximize-minimum-contacts
- candidates
- three-supplied-arrangements-not-global-optimization
SOURCES & SCOPE
Read beyond the model.
Google OR-Tools: Constraint programming ↗
Primary background on feasible assignments and optimization objectives. This page uses an original fictional fixture and compares three supplied plans; it does not run an OR-Tools solver. Verified 24 October 2026.
All example data, figures and exact calculations on this page are original constructed teaching material. Source publications provide conceptual background, not the example dataset.
Open the instrument →