The bride and groom are the center of attention for one important day. They are poked, prodded, and made to look beautiful. Rumor has it; brides often miss out on eating because there are so many things to be done. Well, there’s one more thing to consider. Do you like the sweetheart table or a formal bridal party table?
Table letters are a great way to designate a sweetheart table. Photo by Allie Lindsey Photography featured on Style Me Pretty.
The sweetheart table is a small intimate table for two for the bride and groom. Typically they are seated at the front of the room and guests are invited to visit them while they sit and soak in the love and attention. Most brides find this an intimate way to have a better view of friends and family. Before you make the decision to sit together or alone, consider a few helpful suggestions:
- Your bridal party may want to sit with their dates. If you are inviting single friends who don’t plan to bring a guest then they might prefer to sit at a bridal table. But realistically your guests, including bridesmaids and groomsmen, want to bring a date. If it is important to you that your guests sit with people they know, consider letting your bridal party sit among your friends and family so that their dates and companions aren’t left in the middle of your great aunt and uncle who love to talk about feet.
- However, if you’re certain that you want toasts and speeches at your reception consider having one or two of your bridal party sit at the head wedding table. Invite your honored table guests to have their companion sit with them. This way when they give their speeches or helping run the show, they won’t be abandoning their dates.
- Take into consideration that your cultural and family traditions are important as well. In some cultures the bride and groom are intended to sit separately with the guests so that they can be adored and watched. Indian culture places the bride and groom on a throne during the reception so they can be visited and approached by guests. Other weddings have a welcoming line where one by one each guest is greeted by the bride and groom and their parents. It is important to consider which traditions are important to your culture as to not offend anyone.
Whatever you decide, at the end of the day it is your wedding and you have the final decision. If you want to have the time away with your new spouse then you can create a loving sweetheart table and invite guests to visit you. Or if you prefer to have a long bridal party table, plan a table nearby for dates of the bridal party. Consider a special table with a custom table runner to designate your bridal party. During the toasts and speeches, the bridal party can sit at the bridal table and during dinner they can sit with their dates.
