Not allowing dates at the head table?

We actually did a sweetheart table with two extra chairs at it. It was so nice to look out at the reception and see everyone seated at tables with people they knew, chatting and having a good time! Then other guests could come up and grab a seat and chat with us as well!! We only had two people in our bridal party and neither had dates there, but we thought it would've been so much more awkward if they'd sat with us instead of their other friends and family, especially considering we were up and mingling through the night anyway!

I'm very against separating bridal party from their SO's or dates. And the argument that dinner is only 45 min makes me even more annoyed. Have you ever been in a bridal party? I have been in 4 (every time I was appropriately seated with FH for dinner) but I spent ALL day with the bridal party. You basically you spend 9am-dinner time without you date, so that argument is invalid. They are your best and closest friends, your VIP's! Treat them accordingly!! They may have thrown you parties, bought clothing you required, gotten hair hair/make-up/nail done, bought you presents and in many cases traveled. ugh just had to get that out

Your MOH is right on this one. you are being rude! sorry not sorry.

How would you like attending a wedding for your best friend and not being about to sit with your fiance/boyfriend/husband???

Always put yourself in Their shoes first!

We had a King's table and allowed all bridal party members to sit with us and their dates. I would consider this, instead of the "old fashioned" head table, which is really only good for bridal parties that have single bridesmaids/groomsmen, and again is really old fashioned.

@julie I have been to a wedding where my fiance was a groomsmen and I was sat at a table near the front head table. I had to sit with an obnoxious, hateful, and just plain rude girlfriend of one of the other groomsmen. Was it awful? Absolutely. Did I get over myself? Yup. Was I going to complain and wine that I couldn't sit with my fiance for an hour? No. Did I think the bride and groom were rude because of their seating choices? Not once.

My fiance and I decided that we are going to have a head table with bridal party members only. We will have a table near the head table with their dates. We are planning on introducing everyone who doesn't know anyone at an earlier time. Perhaps it is just our region but no one here does sweetheart or king tables. I've talked with the other bridal party members and all of them are supportive except my maid of honor. And honestly I don't care anymore.

OP, your admitting that you had an awful experience with this exact type of situation, WHY would you want your guests to go through that as well? There's nothing I can do to make you not do this rude thing, but I just had to point that out.

OP, Every wedding I have ever been to, had ONLY the wedding party at the head table. I get your reasoning. However, you cant make everyone happy! At the wedding I attended (Sacramento, CA)the SO's of the wedding party were complaining about not sitting together. I totally get this, on the other hand, you have a VISION of your wedding., and really its only for a moment, eat and off to the dance floor. It really is up to you, but for us, Nope. Then again we are getting married on a beach and will be sharing one table with our wedding party and guest (20 people total) at our reception location out doors of a restaurant on a golf course in Maui. So our setting arrangements will be us two at the head, then our parents on either side of us, after that I want the table mixed with guest, friends next to family. but with only 20 people it will be fine.

@OP - Yes, sitting away from your date for 45 minutes kinda sucks, I've been in that sitch but we are still doing a head table with BP only because that is the only way we do it here. It's tradition! I mean, my venue said to me "How do you want the head table laid out? One long table? Three rounds pushed together? a back table on a riser?" They never even gave us an option for a sweetheart table or a king's table (not that we wanted one anyway). I feel some traditions should be kept and that's ultimately your decision on which ones!

I agree with your MOH, its rude. Your bridal party DOES NOT want to sit with you, I'm sorry. They would prefer to sit with their spouse/SO. I have been in just 1 wedding that had a head table. I was the MOH, and my now-husband could not sit with us. It SUCKED. When you sit at a head table, you can only talk to the person next to you-- which was a fellow BM I met at my friend's shower and saw at her bachelorette party, and that was it. I mean, we could have a conversation, but it wasn't like she was my friend. I hated being on display and having people come up and take pictures, and I barely ate any dinner. My now-husband had to sit at a table of strangers. I couldn't even really talk to the bride because of course, she was talking to her husband! Have a sweetheart table and call it a day.