(PRWEB) March 25, 2005
A recent survey by YouGov shows that doing the table plan is the second most difficult part of planning a wedding (chosen by 23% of respondents) just behind choosing the venue (chosen by 24% of respondents) [1]. As the number of possible combinations for seating 50 guests in 50 seats is over 30 billion billion billion billion billion billion billion it is hardly surprising that it is so problematic and time consuming.
Andrew Brice struggled to produce the table plan for his own wedding last year. "We only had 50 people to seat and we didnÂt have any family 'politics' to worry about. But doing a good table plan was still surprisingly difficult. Using cut-up bits of paper was error-prone and time consuming and I couldnÂt find any software that was any help. I canÂt imagine how difficult it must be for people who have hundred of guests and whose parents have divorced and re-married". Being a professional software developer Andrew decided that this was a problem in need of a solution. PerfectTablePlan is the result.
PerfectTablePlan is a Windows software package that aims to make table planning using cut-up bits of paper a thing of the past. The user decides which guests should sit near (or not near) to each other and the shapes and sizes of tables. Guests are then automatically assigned to seats with a single mouse click, saving hours of effort. Elegant table plans can be printed and last minute changes can be accommodated with minimal stress.
The automatic seat assignment is achieved using a "genetic algorithm". Genetic algorithms mimic Darwinian evolution by mutating and interbreeding a population of solutions to produce better and better solutions. It is believed to be the first time a genetic algorithm has been used to produce table plans.
"We are very impressed with this software. We think it solves one of the biggest headaches in planning a wedding or event." Said Darren Noel, Managing Director of leading UK wedding website hitched.co.uk .
Oryx Digital has sent a complimentary copy of PerfectTablePlan to Prince Charles. "Given the endless press reports about tensions in the Windsor family, we thought Prince Charles staff could use some help to create a harmonious table plan for his wedding." said Andrew Brice.
PerfectTablePlan retails at $35/£18 and can be downloaded from http://www.perfecttableplan.com .
PerfectTablePlan is published by Oryx Digital Ltd, a software publisher and consultancy, based in High Wycombe, UK.
For further information please contact Oryx Digital:
pr@oryxdigital.com
+44-1494-440130
[1] YouGov interviewed a sample of 2,004 GB Adults (Fieldwork: 18th to 20th January 2005). The survey was carried out online. The sample was
representative of all GB Adults. YouGov is a member of the British
Polling Council (http://www.britishpollingcouncil.org).
Question:
ÂThinking back to the most recent time that you were involved in planning or arranging a WEDDING (whether your own or anyone else's), which of the following did you find MOST difficult / time consuming?Â
Results:
Planning the menus  8%
Picking the hymns / readings  4%
Choosing the venues  24%
Arranging the seating plan for the meal / reception  23%
Booking the band / disco  2%
Picking the dresses  18%
Stationery  4%
Other  16%
Does not apply  have not been involved  1%
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