Pictures of your King's tables?

Those are beautiful tables! I cannot see your book page runners, but the setting looks delightful! I'm certain your wedding will be exquisite!

Ooh I love these tables! Unfortunately I can’t give any real advice, because I won’t have this issue as we are doing a sweetheart table, but would it be possible for you to both sit in the middle on the side where you would be facing most of your guests, and leave some space directly across from you (like no seats across from you)? That way the bridal party wouldn’t be blocking you from the view of other guests. Just a thought!
But what I REALLY commented for, was to ask you to pretty please share a photo of your book page table runners?! Like what??? I need to see these, it sounds amazing.

Could you put three tables in one long row instead of the U shape? I think that would look better. Then have the area in front of you empty (only wasting two spots) and your wedding party seated on your respective sides with their SOs.

I've only been to one wedding with a king's table and it was just one long table, not on display. The bride and groom sat at the head of the table and that was it.

I thought I had more pictures of my table runners but apparently not...here are two I could find for those of you who asked (ignore the giant fake plant, I just wanted to see green on top of it). I had to make them in segments because we are getting married in MI but we live in NY, so we will have to transport them in our car. They are each approximately 3 1/2 - 4ft and we will use between 2-3 for each table, haven't decided yet, but I made plenty of extras. I bought a bunch of books at a church sale for pennies on the dollar and tore them up and made these with the help of my good friend.

book table runners

book page table runners

The problem with the U-shape (I did consider that and do like the look of that better) is that putting the tables in that position would actually take away quite a few seats from where the tables meet on the ends because they are about 4ft wide. The tables can seat 4 people down each side and 1 on each end. Maybe when we get them in person and start moving them around we'll find that it does work out okay to do the U shape.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Could you limit who sits at the table with you to just the VIPs of the VIPs (VVIPs?)? Like have you and your husband, plus both sets of parents. Or you guys and just the BM and MOH plus their dates? Then you could have another table for the rest of the bridal party or disperse them among the rest of the tables.

View Quoted Comment My parents are both deceased so it would be weirdly intimate to sit with just my in-laws. And we have multiple siblings on both sides in the bridal party so it would not be well received to only sit my one sister with us. Thanks for the suggestions though! I appreciate it.

I would reconsider some of your options, I'm kind of with your FMIL. Three tables pushed together wastes two sides of one table. What about putting them into a horseshoe shape?

Your MIL sounds very old school. Stick with your plan and stop chatting with her about it. I see these sort of tables all the time. It’s nice not to be on display.

We’re getting farm tables too!! Love them. We’re thinking of doing 8 groupings of two tables. We wanted to do longer rows but we’re going to be under a tent and I wanted people to be able to move around easily. We’re still figuring out our seating layout and where we should sit. My biggest issue is we might have to split the BP in two groups since we will need 4 tables to fit everyone and their SOs but maybe we can find a way to make one long table of 4 and the rest tables of two. The layout has been the most stressful part of my whole wedding planning experience!