Our preference is a sweetheart table, but we also want to seat our parents prominently during the reception (If we had a head table, we'd seat them there). I don't love the idea of a head table because most of the dates/so's of the wedding party won't know anybody else, and because I think head tables look a little sad later in the evening when no one is sitting at them anymore.
I was thinking about having a sweetheart table with a long table behind it (I think this would fit naturally in the space. All the other guest tables will be round) My mother could be at the head of one end, and his mother could be at the head of the other, with wedding party and dates in between.
Has anybody done this before? Is there any reason why it might be strange? Does anybody have any other in-between ideas?