Wedding seating! Help.

I think I agree with your idea better of sitting each person with their SO’s. Yeah sure it may look nicer for pictures if all of the groomsmen and all of the bridesmaids are uniformly sitting with each other only as if they’re photo props for a magazine shoot(if that sounds harsh I’m really not trying to be), but at the end of the day you have to ask yourself if that’s what your bridesmaids and groomsmen would really want. Also, not everyone is good at socializing and the so’s might feel very awkward and out of place and not have a good time sitting with others they don’t know.

The worst thing to do would be to separate people from their SOs. You are correct with this one, not your husband! I don't understand why he would be worried about the pictures? Nobody really needs pictures of people eating their meals

Keep in mind too, your photographer won’t be taking a whole lot of pictures of people eating, so I think you should try to talk your FH into your idea.

So your FH wants the wedding okay seated alone, not with you two or their SOs?? For.. Pictures?


Assure him that there won't be very many photos of people sitting and eating, that's boring (and weird lol.) Your photographer will be taking photos of more interesting things, like when people get up to mingle with their SOs and are happy and smiling. I agree with you 100% these are people, not props. I'd rather see happy couples at their tables than 16 people who are likely all looking at other tables at the partner.

I don’t have any pictures of our bridal party (or any guests for that matter) sitting at tables during the reception. I don’t think it’s common for photographers to take those pictures. I know mine was eating the same time we were. So reassure your FH that no pictures will be ruined it will be ok to allow your bridal party to be comfortable with people they know.

Wedding party** not okay lol.


Also, to add, can't you just put the wedding party tables together? Then they're still "grouped" but with their SOs. Like 3 GM and their partners at a table, the other nearest tables set with wedding party and SOs.

Seat them with their dates. I don't think pictures of people sitting down and eating dinner are the most memorable or interesting ones your photographer will take.

Your H is wrong. Seat them with their spouse/partner/dates. I'm sure you'll have picture taken during the dinner, but it's not like you're going to be framing pictures of people eating, you know? There is literally zero reason to need all the BM's or GM's sitting together

Seat guests with their partners. Even when head tables were a thing, everyone hated them for being separated from their significant others. Photographers do not film anyone eating.

I would sit them with people they know and are comfortable sitting with. I don't really think pictures are a reason to make people sit together if they don't really know each other. Once at the reception, your photographer likely isn't going to take a bunch of photos of guests sitting at their tables. The only real photos we have from our reception with guests sitting at their tables were during toasts otherwise the reception photos were of special moments like toasts, first dance, cake cutting, etc. or guests on the dance floor dancing. To give you an idea, I have posted below how we had our bridal party sitting.

Table 1 (closest to the sweetheart table on the right)

- Maid of honor/My Sister & Her Husband (were not married when we got married)

- Bridesmaid #2/Husband’s Sister & Her Husband

- Groomsman #1/Husband’s Brother & His Wife

Table 2 (closest to the sweetheart table on the left)

- Groomswoman/Husband's Friend (she didn’t bring a date)

- Groomsman #2/Husband's friend & Bridesmaid #3/My Friend (married to each other)

- Groomsman #3/Husband's Friend, His Wife, & Their Baby

- Best Man/Husband's Friend (his fiancée wasn’t able to attend)

Table 3 (2nd closest to the sweetheart table on the right)

- Bride’s Man/My Brother & Bridesmaid #1/My Brother’s Wife

- My Mom & Dad

- My Mom’s Two Friends (neither of their husbands attended)

As you can see, my brother and his wife didn't sit at either bridal party table even though they were in the bridal party. However this was done for a few reasons. My brother and his wife (both underage at time of our wedding) are very religious and don't agree with consuming alcohol so they asked not to sit with anyone who would be drinking a fair amount of alcohol as that would've made them very comfortable. My dad is also a recovering alcoholic so it made sense to have them sit with my parents since they didn't want to sit with people who would be drinking and we tried sitting my dad with people who wouldn't be consuming alcohol.

View Quoted Comment I agree with this! It’s important that everyone is comfortable (especially for the significant others that probably don’t know as many people as your bridal parties)

Honestly sitting them with their SO makes way more sense. I can tell you that taking pictures at the table is probably pretty unlikely honestly seeing them as a couple will look cuter. Can always have them group together for a picture. Doesn’t need to be on a table eating food.