Not allowing dates at the head table?

It's rude to separate couples, period. Do people still do it? Yep. But it's still rude.

This is why I'm doing sweetheart. My entire BP is married, so I'm letting them sit at a table with their husbands.

I don't think it's rude. I've had to sit apart from my date at multiple weddings. I survived lol. It's only an hour - if they can't deal with that there is something wrong.

Interesting OP goes to private user..

Why wouldn't you want to make your wedding party a little happier? Yes they can "survive" but is that the best you can do? Who in the world wants to sit at one of those awful traditional head tables where the wedding party is "on display" and can barely have a conversation sitting side by side? They are not fun for your WP. Your WP would rather be sitting with their SOs. And they don't even look good. They now look outdated when there are so many more interesting and creative alternatives. Mrs.Morales - just because you haven't seen anything except an outdated table, doesn't mean you can't do something different. Why not set a new trend in your circle and make your WP happy at the same time? The last thing I wanted was for my wedding to be like everyone else's and making my WP happy was important to me. I guess that's not the case for everyone.

@Emily, that is my exact same thought process.. I hate the argument of "if they can't be separated from their SO, they have bigger problems" . It's not about being ABLE to be apart. But we constantly say our bridal party shouldn't be used as props... so why is it okay to use them as props for dinner?

Don't you want your bridal party to have just as much fun as you are on your wedding day? I just don't see the point-- put them where they want to be. Is it really a big deal?

Absolutely agree with Emily that head tables are totally outdated.

I just wanted to add that I sat at the king's table at a wedding a month ago and I felt awkward because I wasn't a part of the BP and felt like I didn't really belong up there and people were probably looking at me like "who is this girl?" because it was only me and 1 other woman up there who weren't in the BP and everyone else was.

I haven't seen a 'head table" in a gazillion years. Almost every couple here does a sweetheart table, or in a couple of rare instances, a 'kings table' with their parents.

I've still had fun at the head table. You are usually up there with your closest friends. How is that not fun? We did a King's table, which can be a good alternative. But at the end of the day, nobody is going to look back at your wedding and be like "omg can you believe they had a head table?" Tell your MOH to chill. She is being ridiculous.

@stichingbride- nothing makes a BP happier than telling them they can't bring their SOs to the wedding.

I have been in a bunch of weddings, and been to weddings where s/o stood up in the wedding. Never has my s/o sat at the head table with me or vice versa. No biggie. The bridal party eats and disperses.

I had no idea that head tables were outdated. Perhaps it is just where I'm from EVERYONE does a head table.

We are doing a "headtable". It is not going to be the one where you are all starring at the guests. We are going to be at a rectangle table with people on all side of it so we can still talk to each other. I am putting the dates at tables with people they know. They are adults, they can survive for 1 hour. Dh was in a wedding in Feb and I sat at a different table. My table was a blast, it was great talking to different people. One of the girls at my table was the date of a GM as well and she knew no one. She was the life of the table. Our bridal party is huge so a kings table is not an option.

Samantha, not all wedding parties are composed of friends. Some don't even know each other if they are from different parts of the B&G's lives. And I personally don't thinking sitting up on a stage while on display to the entire room and trying to have a conversation with a person next to me is "fun". But of course that varies by situation. I will just never agree that a traditional head table is the ideal option for seating. It should be left in the 90's along with big puffy sleeves and tiaras.

This is so weird to me that this is being asked. I have never,

ever seen significant others sit at the head table if they were not in the bridal party. Usually the plus ones of the bridal party sit a table together relatively close to the head table.... The only time the bridal party is away from their date is for toasts and eating... then everyone goes all over the place.

ETA - it really must be regional because head tables are not at all outdated here in Ohio. They have been at every single wedding I've photographed aside from one, which had a sweetheart table. And again, dates have never sat at the head table.

Of course people can survive eating alone.

Do I think head tables are weird, very "LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT US!' and crazy, crazy 80s, and I've only seen currently on those annoying NJ receptions with overflowing cocktail hours and excessive purple uplighting.... yeah, yeah I do.

When FH and I first met he was a groomsman in his friends wedding. They had a head table and I was seated with the grooms family. I had met a couple of them once before. It was awkward at first, but they were so nice and welcoming that by the time dinner was over I was more comfortable.

We are having a sweetheart table and a kings table. This way they can sit with there SO's. I think sitting them away from their dates is old fashioned and selfish.

ETA: grammer

Just do a sweetheart table.