seating chart for wedding party

AileenK18

I have always wanted that one table for the bridal party but it seems like no one likes that idea due to their dates will be sitting by themselfs. Im not sure what to do.

notyetavet

At my best friend's wedding where I was the MOH, my FI (boyfriend at the time) had to sit at a table with some random people he didn't know and he had a really awkward dinner.  Thus, I tend to agree with your bridal party.

I don't see any reason to have a head table.  You can do a sweetheart table with just you and your H and put your wedding party at tables where they fit in.  If you don't like sweetheart tables, you could have a larger table with you and your H, your best man and MOH and their dates (+/- your parents). There are a ton of options that don't include splitting couples. 

libby2483

We are doing a head table at our wedding where our wedding party will be sitting separate from their dates/SO.  Some people would call this rude, but in our case, every date/SO will know several other people at the wedding, so it won't be awkward.  I think you just need to figure out what will work best with your particular group.

saric83

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_seating-chart-for-wedding-party?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:37Discussion:78d1b1ba-b47e-4b9e-bcee-3b6b20469747Post:a81ee799-7d04-4758-bd10-92a1d59c9d3f">Re: seating chart for wedding party</a>:
[QUOTE]We are doing a head table at our wedding where our wedding party will be sitting separate from their dates/SO.  Some people would call this rude, but in our case, every date/SO will know several other people at the wedding, so it won't be awkward.  I think you just need to figure out what will work best with your particular group.
Posted by libby2483[/QUOTE]

I've been in weddings where we had the head table, and yes, my now-husband was friends with everyone and wasn't necessarily uncomfortable.  But if given the choice, we absolutely would have preferred to sit together!!  So even if it's not considered rude with your circle of friends, it's still not a very considerate option. 

This idea may not work for all groups, but I hated the idea of a sweetheart table (it felt like we were on display), but we didn't want a big head table.  So we sat our wedding party and their dates, along with our parents, at a few different tables, and we saved two spots for us at each one of the tables, so we spent time sitting at each one.  Just another option...

mbcdefg

In Response to Re:seating chart for wedding party:[QUOTE]We are doing a head table at our wedding where our wedding party will be sitting separate from their dates/SO. nbsp;Some people would call this rude, but in our case, every date/SO will know several other people at the wedding, so it won't be awkward. nbsp;I think you just need to figure out what will work best with your particular group. Posted by libby2483[/QUOTE]

Why do you and your FI get to sit together, but the other couples can't?

katehar01

We're doing sweetheart table, BMs at their own table with SOs, and GMs at their own table with SOs.  Works for us.  If you don't like the idea of being on display, my best friend is having a couple bridal party tables with their dates, and she and her FI are sitting with their parents/siblings (who all get along very well).  I like PPs suggestion of switching between tables, too.  Lots of options.  Splitting up dates kind of stinks, especially if they don't know lots of people at the wedding.

JaxInBlue

Ditto PPs.  Don't split up couples.  You could do a longer/bigger king's table to accommodate SOs and your party with you, a sweetheart table with your party at nearby tables, or seat yourselves with part of your party and their SOs or your family/parents at a regular table.  DH and I had a sweetheart table and our party was seated normally, with people from our guest list with whom they would be most comfortable.

Mrs.B6302007

I don't get the splitting couples thing at all.  Just because there are groups of friends in attendance, a couple still shouldn't be split.  If you were hosting a dinner party at your home and you needed to have 2 tables to accommodate everyone, would you separate a couple by seating a wife/GF/FI at one table and her husband/BF/FI at another just because they would know other people to chat with at dinner?

ceh789

What everyone else said.  A wedding reception is a party a) to thank your guests for attending but mostly b) to revel in the awesomeness of being in love with someone special and wanting to share your life with them.

Why do you and all your guests EXCEPT your closest friends, get to sit with their someone special?  It just makes no sense at all.

kdevin27

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_seating-chart-for-wedding-party?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:78d1b1ba-b47e-4b9e-bcee-3b6b20469747Post:36f8126f-83ac-4600-be6e-e92ce221baf1">Re: seating chart for wedding party</a>:
[QUOTE]We're doing sweetheart table, BMs at their own table with SOs, and GMs at their own table with SOs.  Works for us.
Posted by katehar01[/QUOTE]

<div>We're doing this too. It's working great for us so far.</div>

egm900

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_seating-chart-for-wedding-party?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:37Discussion:78d1b1ba-b47e-4b9e-bcee-3b6b20469747Post:2846dd42-584e-42a3-90e2-8e0fbd215119">Re: seating chart for wedding party</a>:
[QUOTE]<strong>So we sat our wedding party and their dates, along with our parents, at a few different tables, and we saved two spots for us at each one of the tables, so we spent time sitting at each one.</strong> Posted by saric83[/QUOTE]

We're doing this.  Even if the dates know people at the wedding, I don't think it's okay to do this for two reasons, the first of which is what has already been said before about splitting up couples, and second, think about your WP.  Long head tables are not conducive to socializing among the same four people you've spent at least the evening before and all day with, all while trying to eat.  This is especially true when you can see your SOs are having a good time and you ran out of conversation that morning when everyone was having their hair done.

SKPM

Please don't split up couples. It doesn't matter, IMHO, whether the SOs know anyone else at the wedding. The fact remains that you are inviting people to celebrate your relationship, so why split up theirs? Not to mention, you would be splitting your WP, your nearest and dearest, from their dates. That means your other guests are getting treated better than your attendants, which is kind of backwards to me.

banana468

Whatever you choose to do, please do not split up established couples.   It's highly rude to ask your wedding party to sit split from their SOs / dates at your wedding reception - an event that is FOR the guests and one that immediately follows your commitment to be together for life.  I can't think of anything more contrary to the entire notion of love and togetherness than doing this.

You can have a sweetheart table and then have your WP sit at tables near you with their SOs, you can have a large king table where you sit with your WP and their SOs, or you can come up with other options.

Splitting up your WP from their SOs should never be ON the table - pun intended.

em01092

So the B&G get to sit together, as do all other guests at the reception, but the BMs and GMs, who are in special, honorary roles get the short stick and have to sit apart from their SOs? It just makes zero sense. I guess it comes from the head table/on display notion, and the B&G wanted the attendants themselves to have that "honor" and not have to "share" it with their SOs, but that just seems beyond stupid. I'm so glad head tables are falling out of favor.

Eliz77

We plan to have a table with us and BM/date, MOH/date. The rest of the WP willl sit with their SOs and similar circle friends. I have been in a couple weddings and been the date of the guy who was in weddings and would have HATED being split from my date/SO, so no way will I do it to me WP.

rocker78

Whatever your decision, I think it's very important to consider the people you've chosen to be in your wedding party.  Accommodating their SO's at the head table would be a huge thank you to them for being part of your special day.

We've opted for 3 round head tables.  (Guest tables are also round).  The center one will seat myself and FI, MOH, Best Man, Bridesmaid, Groomsman and their SO's.  My fiance and I are including our children in our wedding party, my fiance's daughter is one of my bridesmaids and my fiance's son is a groomsmen, they are teenagers and will sit at the left head table with my fiance's parents, my dad & stepmom, my brother and his gf.  The right head table will seat my mom & stepdad, my sister, step-sister, and my maternal grandparents.  My daughter who is the Jr Bridesmaid (she'll be 8), the flower girl, jr groomsmen, ring bearer and a couple of other children whose parents are in the wedding party will all sit at their own table, near the head tables.