Wedding Reception Sweetheart Table

Wondering whether you should go with the wedding reception sweetheart table or wedding party head table? Here is just about every combination of wedding seating set up possible and their pros and cons!

1. Wedding Reception Sweetheart table

If you’re wondering what a sweetheart table is, it’s a smaller dinner table just for you and your new spouse to share during dinner!!

Pros:

1 – Believe it or not, you don’t actually spend that much time together on your wedding day unless you intentionally build it into the day!! A sweetheart table is an amazing way to do this.

2 – It really looks exceptional for photos. There’s nothing obstructing you during speeches so you get amazing shots of your reactions. Plus you can decorate the sweetheart table with extra florals and a back drop that may not be possible at a larger head table.

3 – You know for a fact everyone at your table (aka just the two of you!!) will still be in your life a decade from now!

Cons:

1 – If you feel like sitting with your wedding party is an absolute must, this wouldn’t be the option for you!

2. Wedding party head table

Before we dive into wedding party head tables, I want to address that there are the two most common ways people set this up at their wedding.

A. Just their wedding party with everyone facing forward

B. Their wedding party and significant others sitting all the way around a table

2A. Just your wedding party with everyone facing forward

Pros:

1 – The guests (and your photographer!) have a perfectly clear and unobstructed view of you two during dinner and toasts.

2 – You’re sitting with all of your best friends!

Cons:

1 – Depending on how big your wedding party is, this can be tough because it only allows people to chat with the people directly next to them. I often see the least amount of chatting when this table is set up. It works great for small wedding parties though!!

2B. Wedding party and significant others at head table (so everyone is sitting all the way around it)

Pros:

1 – Your wedding party gets to sit with their partners. I think in terms of eating dinner, it does feel natural for people to be sitting with their significant others. Otherwise, it creates another table dedicated to pretty much just significant others of the wedding party who may not know each other.

2 – You’re sitting with all of your best friends!

Cons:

1 – If you are hoping to have photos that capture your candid reactions to the toasts and other reception events, this table set up makes it a bit more difficult. While you can get those photos, you’ll pretty much always have the back of someone’s head in the front of your photos. Those are the people sitting across from you.

2 – If one of your wedding party members has a newer significant other, you may have lots of head table photos with someone who is no longer in your life a year later. Plus, you’re less likely to know what kind of energy they’ll be bringing to your table!

Whether you do a sweetheart table or a wedding party head table, you can’t go wrong!!! It’s just important to know the pros and cons before you decide!!

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Photos by Rachel Christopherson Photography LLC, Sacramento wedding photographer