Head Table with Dates

I believe this is called a King Table or something similar. A friend of mine did this and they had two tables, the table in front had bridal party and dates and then the table in the back which was higher up had some more bridal party, best man/MOH and bride and groom. I will say though, it was a looooooot of people. I almost felt like the bride and groom got lost in it all and I believe they only had 5 on each side, so 10 people plus them.

Honestly, do a sweetheart table, and then a bridal party next to you. That's what we did and it worked the best. They were close by and had their dates.

We are just doing a sweetheart table, then sitting the bridal & groom's party with their dates and guests they know. I think people have more fun that way. But if you want to sit the party with you, make sure to include their dates like you said. I've seen large tables like that, it's not uncommon.

I went to a wedding as the date and sat at head table with the rest of bp. It was such a long table, like you described 8 on each side. Honestly it’s the reason I decided on sweetheart table because it was bad. I did not like feeling trapped behind that table. We dont want to separate dates either, thus sweetheart table with two round tables near by on either side so my girls can still be close and easy to walk around. Just my thoughts and experience with this.

We just did a regular head table. With 6 maids and 6 men plus us, it would have been a little much to have their dates with them. The only time they were separated was during the actual dinner, so once the food was done, no one minded that they weren't sitting together since they were on the dance floor anyway

My SIL did this and it was amazing. I really didn’t know anyone at the wedding except the bridal party so being able to sit with them was great. They had 6 bridesmaids and 6 groomsmen (one married couple as a BM/GM). The table was set at the same level as the rest of the party and we all had a great time.

I'll be doing this for my wedding in a few weeks! We're having (3) 8 ft farm tables all together that will accommodate our bridal party and their dates. It'll look like this under the loggia at our venue

We’re doing a head table with us and bridal party plus dates, 15 people total. We have a farmhouse table and seating will be on both sides/end (except no one will be sitting in front of us in the middle). It saves a lot of space to not have everyone on one side of the table.

View Quoted Comment They are also separated from their dates all day while the wedding party is getting ready, and during the ceremony while your wedding party is standing with you, and after the ceremony for pictures. For most couples, dinner is the first chance they get to spend together all day. Maybe it worked for your wedding, but as someone who has been separated from FH at several weddings, I can say it sucks to be separated. Just a view from the opposite side of this for OP.

We didn’t want to do a head table but we ended up doing one and it worked out great and wasn’t awkward at all! We had our two tables of of our bridal party in either side of us. It worked out great. But you could just do a super long table!

I also was having the same issue, I didnt want that long table but I knew we had to sit the dates or spouses with our bridal party. My FH does not want a sweetheart table so we decided that we are going to do similar style to what Nicole said above. But since not all my bridal party will have a date/spouse then the ones that dont will sit next to us so that we dont have random chairs in front of them that didnt bring anyone. So I will probably not have my MOH or Best Man sit next to us since they will be bringing dates. The picture below was the best I could find to show what I tried to explain. Hope it helps, I also have the same amount as you for my bridal party.

Head table

Maybe make the head table just y'all and then the MOH/BM and their significant others?

View Quoted Comment

This looks like a good idea! I also found some examples where the head table was kind of a "U-Shape" and people were seated similarly to your example.

Thanks for your suggestions everyone!

View Quoted Comment

Beautiful!!

I'm reserving a table for bridal party dates near the head table, I don't want them sitting at the head table with us lol

CHECK OUT MY SEATING PLAN! I know you said you don’t like sweethearts tables but this is what i planned out so it accommodates everyone! So what i did was put my and my FW at the table in the middle front, on the left of the diagram i have (from left to right) Brady [Future wife’s sister’s husband who is also our ring bearer, non traditional wedding], Curt [my brother], Jake [Future wife’s brother and our flower Man], Eric [my father], and Mark [her father] so all of the men are on the left, then on the right side is Alicia [Her mother], Lolita [my mother], Megan [her Maid of Honor and sister], Makayla [her bridesmaid and sister], and Susan [my maid of honor and BASICALLY my sister. She’s me best friend]. I have 6 reserved tables for all family so they’re up close and at table 1 i have all the remaining bridesmaids (which is 5, we have 8 in total) and their +1’s

We are doing this and I was just in a wedding that did this! I think it depends on the size of your party and how many have dates. Also how well you know those dates!

The one I was just in, only 2 people of 6 had dates: a groomsmen's wife and my fiance so we all knew each other really well and were very close so it worked and wasn't huge. They had a rectangular head table down the center of the room and we sat on either side of it.

For mine we have 8 people (plus us) and 3 have dates (my moh's husband, my bm boyfriend of over a year, and another groomsmen's more recent groomsman.) one bridesmaid is also dating the best man. So we are doing 3 long tables set up in a U shape with us at the center and then bridesmaids, groomsmen and dates mixed up on either side. So some of his guys sit on my side and vice versa to put people where we feel they will truly be most comfortable

If I had a large wedding party or everyone had dates, we would have done a sweetheart with 2 other tables in front for wedding party and dates.

We are doing a head table. We will put the significant others with friends. I have had to do that when my fiancé is in a wedding party. It works out fine. I could still go chat with him and before and after dinner, I was with him.

View Quoted Comment

Nice! I love the diagram! I tried making one of those for myself. ALSO now I want to have a Flower Man at my wedding!!! I love it