"Should I have a head table at my reception?"

A very common question I am asked by my brides lately, is if they should have a head table or not. My answer is it's completely up to you and your fiance; however, I personally like the idea of not having a head table. I have several reasons why...First, at a head table you limit your contact time with your guests and often times are only able to talk with the people sitting on either side of you during dinner. Second, there are actually some brides (and especially grooms) that don't really like being the center of attention and having everyone stare at them during dinner makes them feel slightly uncomfortable. Lastly, if your bridal party attendants are married or are bringing a date with them (which is the case the majority of the time), having a head table distances them from that other person and can be quite uncomfortable if their date doesn't know many guests at the wedding.

My advice is to either sit amongst your guests or have a 'sweetheart' table where just the two of you sit together. If you choose to sit amongst your guests, you can do this in a number of different ways...some brides and grooms choose to sit with just their maid of honor and her date and the best man and his date. Or, they choose to sit with their parents/grandparents and close relatives only. Whichever seating arrangement you opt for at your reception, I recommend that the seating chart be done at least 2 weeks prior to the wedding date so you have time to think about the best options for your situation.