Bridal Party seating at the reception

Both ways are fairly common. However, most people appreciate being able to sit with their SO's, especially if their SO's won't know others at the wedding, so it would be nice of you to let their SO's join them.

The BP should be seated with their spouses. It’s proper etiquette to do so. It’d be rude to make their spouses sit somewhere else.

I agree....thank you so much!

We are having bridal party sitting with spouses and SOs. I would feel bad especially for our Best Man to not be able to sit with his two young children and wife at dinner.

I've been to weddings where both have happened (the head table with solely the wedding party has been more common in my area) and I haven't really noticed a major difference as a guest. Having your wedding party sit with their significant others is technically proper etiquette but it can get tricky in certain cases. We're personally having a head table with only the wedding party and the significant others will be at a separate table.

I’m a second wedding bride. For my first, I had a head table for only the attendants. This time, though I’m having a bigger wedding, I am going to have my bridal party sit with their spouses and SOs at tables nearby. I think everyone will be happier. When I had everyone at the head table, it felt weird having everyone stare at us. It was annoying walking around it, and besides eating, no one stayed there because they wanted to be with everyone else. It’s great for “pictures” but in reality, I felt that it was more cumbersome than anything. I hope that helps!

I like that! Totally makes sense

They should definitely sit with their spouses/dates.

I'm going to insist on it, I think everyone would be more comfortable that way

Both my FH and I agree that the members of the bridal party will be seated with their spouse or fiancé/fiancée. We want them to enjoy themselves once all the pictures are done. We felt that if we didn’t let them sit together then why bother inviting the spouse?

We're doing a sweetheart table and having the bridal party sit with their SO's.

We r also having a sweetheart table. WP will sit with their families.

I definitely am doing bridesmaids with spouses/dates/significant other at one table and groomsmen with spouse/dates/significant other at another table. I am having a sweetheart table too. I couldn’t imagine not having our married bridal party not sitting & having dinner without their husbands or wives. I find that very rude & disrespectful towards the other half. I would really just place myself in that persons shoes. If I were at a wedding with my husband & he was party of the wedding party would I feel good not being able to share dinner at less with him knowing he would have to be apart from me most of the day due to his duties like going for pictures, siting with wedding party at Ceremony, hanging with the guys at the reception & etc. I would at least like my husband to have dinner & dance with me of course. Just my opinion.

Both are doable, but personallly would prefer to sit with my partner after “duties” are done. Would hate to separate their partners, especially if they don’t know others , etc.

I think that the general opinion is going more towards allowing WP members to sit with their SOs.

We are going to do a sweetheart table and then another table with WP and their SOs.

I agree with your FH, the wedding party table is meant for you to showcase those closest to you, not their spouses, it one evening the spouses will get over it just put all the spouses together at one table

Especially if you're not sitting with them, I agree with you let their partners sit with them. Just about everyone in our BP has thanked us for doing a sweetheart instead of a head table so everyone can sit with their SO's!

Sorry, but your WP does not care about being "showcased" - they will get plenty of that at the ceremony and in the pictures. They care about getting back to their family/SO who they've been separated from all day and who may or may not know anyone else (recently FH was in a wedding and couldn't wait for him to get done taking pictures - felt a little awkward trying to find people to talk to as most of the younger crowd already knew each other).