Ms. Fierro makes a point of separating couples so the partners focus more on talking to other people.

WSJ: For a Lively Dinner, Bring a Power Seating Plan to the Table

Ms. Fierro believes 12 to 14 guests is the largest number you should have at a dinner table.

WSJ: For a Lively Dinner, Bring a Power Seating Plan to the Table

Ms. Fierro, who throws work or social dinners frequently, says she starts thinking about seating when deciding whom to invite.

WSJ: For a Lively Dinner, Bring a Power Seating Plan to the Table

Ms. Fierro tries to pair up guests who don't know each other well or at all but might benefit from or enjoy meeting each other.

WSJ: For a Lively Dinner, Bring a Power Seating Plan to the Table

Celeste Fierro is senior vice president of ONE Group.

WSJ: Corrections & Amplifications

"When a host has so many different groups of friends, they need to think about which groups would truly mesh together well, " says Ms. Fierro, who splits her time between homes in New York City and Los Angeles.

WSJ: For a Lively Dinner, Bring a Power Seating Plan to the Table

"As a first-time parent, it was so helpful to have role models, moms who had been through it before me, " says Pamela Fierro, the author of "Mommy Rescue Guide: Twins, Triplets, and More" and the mother of twin teenage girls.

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Guests seated next to each other should have something in common, whether it is a hobby or home state, to spark conversation at the beginning. (Ms. Fierro typically introduces seatmates to each other at casual cocktails before dinner.) While she says she enjoys intellectual conversation at the table, she's wary of heated debates.

WSJ: For a Lively Dinner, Bring a Power Seating Plan to the Table