sweetheart table...big no no or good idea?

I personally think its a very nice idea. Go for it, I'm sure your bridal party will like it. I'm doing a traditional headtable and feel bad because one of the people in our headtable won't be able to sit with her boyfriend, although I'm sure people will get up to mingle and dance.

I have yet to be at a wedding where a sweetheart table encouraged people to approach the bride and groom so that is something to consider. I'm not saying you shouldn't, but I would at least not set the table on a platform or stage that would make it higher off the ground. It'll pretty much keep everyone away from you if you do. It will be fine as long as you go to the trouble of moving about and greeting people. If you just stay to yourselves than not really going to give off an inclusive vibe to your guests.

We had a sweetheart table. Originally it was so DH and I could have a few private moments during the reception, and so we'd have a moment to eat. Turned out it was also important for DH because he's not the social butterfly I am. He needed a break from visiting tables at one point, so we "escaped" to our table. It wasn't on a stage or far away or anything, it was just our "personal" space at the reception and it was really nice.

We are actually doing something a little different. My FH and I are don't want a sweetheart table, because we really aren't comfortable with the idea of sitting in front of everyone. So instead we are doing a table of us, our parents, and our grandparents. This will allow our bridal party to sit with their guests and let us sit with a group and not be isolated in front of everyone.

A friend of mine used to manage a country club dining room where they held a lot of wedding receptions. He said that he never saw the sweetheart table work out for the best. The guests never sat down to eat (too busy trying to go visit with everyone). Conversation was very minimal (because it's just the two of them) and overall they seemed to have less fun than those with a bridal party table.

Just repeating info given to me.

I like the sweetheart table. Although, maybe it's a good idea not to raise it....might give it a little more approachability. I was thinking of doing one, but FH said he'd rather do a head table. However, since we have an insanely small wedding party, we are breaking the rules and allowing them to have their SO's at our table. Yeah, that's "wrong" but whatever. =P

We are having one! We are not planning to spend to much time sitting.

We are doing a sweetheart table. I've always hated when I was in a wedding and I couldn't sit with my family. So I'm not going to make my BP do that. I don't see how approaching a sweetheart table would be any different than approaching a head table. I guess if you're all lovey dovey and hanging all over each other then people won't want to disturb you! lol But otherwise I think it will be fine to do that! We don't really plan on being at our table much anyway!

We are having a sweetheart table but it won't be in front of everyone else or raised or anything. Our space reception space will be a little strange in that if weather permits, our reception will be outdoor on wrap around terrace/porticos of the historical mansion. Because our reception space will need to wrap around the building a little bit, our sweetheart table will be in the corner so that we are able to be seen/accessed by anyone, no matter if they are on the portico or the terrace.

The reason we are having a sweetheart table is because we aren't having much of a bridal party. We are having a MOH and BM and that's it. My FH's brother is his BM and he has a wife and kids that he would want to sit with. My MOH is one of my best friends and she has a boyfriend who will know absolutely no one else at the wedding so it would be pretty cruel if we made her sit with us and left him to be completely by himself for the dinner portion.

I really think if you like the idea, go for it!

We are doing a sweetheart table, but it's because of the layout of our reception venue. There just isn't the space for a head table. I also think your BP will appreciate sitting with their loved ones.

I recently went to a wedding where the bride and groom sat at a rectangular table up on a stage facing the reception with just the MOH and best man. The best man is married and the MOH had a bf, who had to sit alone! I don't recommend that

We had a sweetheart table and I loved it. I liked that we could just talk to each other and enjoy each others company after the whirlwind that was our ceremony and then having a few photos taken. We had so many people coming up to talk to us that we didn't have a chance to walk around and talk with everyone. And, although they didn't say anything, I'm sure our wedding party preferred to sit with their families that sit up at a table with us.

I think there's good and bad ways to go about doing a sweetheart table! i agree that you definitely don't want it to be raised up, because that might make it look like what you're trying to avoid. at the end of the day i think it's cool because you will be up and mingling a lot anyway, but it gives you a chance to sit down and talk to your new hubby- even if you only get a few seconds of alone time!

We did a sweetheart table and also loved it - we didn't feel "on display" even though we were front & center. Ppl were eating their own dinners, chatting w/ their table mates. It gave us the time to eat by ourselves, though guests DO come up and want to take your picture, say hi, etc. Our BP was also a big mix of friends/family who didn't all know each other, so they appreciated being able to sit with their SOs or family/friends.

BTW - if you "encourage" guests to approach your table to say hi, you'll never get through your meal. Take at least 10 minutes to eat dinner - it'll take you 20 b/c of guests coming to say hi anyway. You can get up and go greet everyone at their tables or throughout the evening if you want to talk to all of them. But being able to eat an entire meal will really help you get through the evening.

I've only been to one wedding lately where there was not a sweetheart table. Seems more realistic to do this. I think its more intimate to "enjoy" your first meal alone as husband and wife. Our venue doesn't have room for a head table but feel more comfortable with a sweetheart table.

We had a SW table also. It was fantastic. I had the exact same experience as Ashley R and did it for the same reason. I also agree 100% with CrystalS!

I don't think that sweetheart tables are a problem at all...we are having one! In my humble opinion, I actually think that head tables are very pretentious...even from the name of it! I've never liked the idea of a head table and neither does my fiance. We will just have a table for the two of us, not that we will be spending much time actually sitting down at it!

For what it's worth, it is usually the bride and groom's responsibility to walk around at the reception and talk to all of your guests. You don't just sit at the table and make them all come to you. At all of the weddings I've been to, the couple has barely had time to eat and that is when they sat down, if at all.

We are having a banquet style table sitting in front of the dance floor with us facing the dance floor (with no one sitting opposite us, so we can see the dancing and people can see us). Since I am doing banquet style it allows for the headtable to have 16 seats and that way I can include the bridal parties dates. I felt it was a good mesh of all the things we wanted.

My mother got married in 07 and they had a table with the parents, MOH (me) and Best Man and grandparents. They sat facing the dance floor. It was very nice, but they didn't sit for long. My boyfriend at the time (FH now) wasn't able to sit with me and it was a little weird.

For all the reasons to have one for the Bride and Groom.. Lets thing about the BM and GM and the MOH and BM. They are stuck up there next to you while their loved ones are out in the general seating. To me it does really suck. Since I was a BM at a wedding and stuck up at the head table. Now if you did family instead of wedding party then maybe but then that gets really complicated too.

We had a sweetheart table and it worked out nicely. It gave us a bit of private time and in between courses we visited a few tables. I've been to other weddings previously with SW tables and the couple always seemed to comment how much they enjoyed it.

I personally hate head tables, it feels too much like medieval times and the couple is watching over their loyal subjects LOL.