Sweetheart Table or Head Table?
September 8, 2008
This is a question that often comes up from my socially-inclined brides. They love the idea of a head table to visit with their friends throughout the evening. However, they *also* love the idea of having a few intimate moments with their new husband to share a bite to eat and a few private words. To decipher this common issue, I recently asked Kate – one of my most favorite brides who ended up choosing a head table – what she thought.
Her response was perfect: ”It’s not very often that you get all of those loved ones together at one table. Enjoy their company at your wedding. You can talk to your husband during the honeymoon!” Well said! Stay tuned for some more thoughts on head tables…
Great post Sarah! I’m kind of against “head tables” and encourage my couples to think about being seated as their guests are, with members of their wedding party with them at a “normal” table. I agree with your bride Kate, too, about the sweetheart. It is the one time all your friends and family will be in one room eating dinner together — why sit by yourself??
I am going for the sweetheart table. I have a number of reasons, one being that most of our bridal party does not know each other. My best friend is my maid of honor and I know her from grammar school, I know she would much rather be sitting with my hometown friends (the rest of whom are not in the wedding party). Similarly, two bridesmaids are family members and I know they would like to be with other people in the fam.
One other reason – FH and I are not big “sitters”. I know we will be either on the dancefloor or chatting it up with guests the whole night, I would rather not leave a big hole. We are having our sweetheart table sort of caddy cornered to the dancefloor so we can pop in and out.
That said – when done right, a head table is pretty cool but I think it dates a little back to the seventies.
We are going to have our own table. I see everyone that is going to be at the wedding on a very regular basis. I do agree that I can talk to my husband on our honeymoon but that is my best friend and we enjoy talking to each other. I want to know how he is feeling about everything, in the moment.
Besides, I know my family and friends. Everyone is pretty silent when they eat becaue they are stuffing their faces. For that matter, I LOVE good and I will be stuffing mine.
In conclusion, there is plenty of time to mingle during cocktail hour, in between courses and after the food. But, that’s what works for me. I’m a foodie.
I contemplated this one too! We’ve decided on an estate table that will seat our bridal party on one end, and our immediate family on the other end…with us sitting at the head of the table: )