Home
>
Marriage & Wedding
>
Wedding Receptions: How To Set Up The Tables

Wedding Receptions: How To Set Up The Tables

Getting the wedding tables right can make a big difference to your wedding reception. Get things right, and the reception will be a great event enjoyed by all, with everyone having fun and no-one getting stressed. Get it wrong though, and people will be bored, worried and confused.

There's one common mistake that people make that often kills conversations at a reception before they can even start. It's easily avoided, but I've seen way too many receptions ruined because of this one simple mistake. But I'll discuss that later - first I need to cover the seating arrangements...

When setting the seating positions, you should start with the bride and groom. Place the bride and groom together, with the groom on the left hand-side of the bride.

From here there are 2 standard ways to set up the guests:

With the first way set the Chief Bridesmaid and Best Man to the right-handside of the bride. Then place a groomsman and a bridesmaid to the left of the groom, and then another groomsman and a bridesmaid to the right of the bride, and so-on until the bridal partly are all accounted for.

The other standard way is to just have guests arranged boy & girl around the table.

Really though, it doesn't matter how the guests are arranged. Just arrange them however you think would work. It's more important to ensure that:

The bridal table is situated so it is in plain site of everyone at the reception.
Everyone at the bridal table is facing the rest of the reception. It is important that no-one has their backs to the reception!
There is ample room around the bridal table, so that guests can easily get to the table and congratulate the newly married couple.

The other thing to consider is the table decorations. Keep any table decorations small and to the center of the tables. Your guests want to be able to talk to each other and not around the centerpiece! This can't be stressed enough! Sure, you want nice looking decorations, but making sure that everyone can talk too each other easily is much more important!

If you want to have candles then keep them low. Try candle-float bowls and maybe a few roses (or any other flower heads) floating in the bowl. Candle wreaths also look good, especially when placed on a small candle holder.

The bridal table centerpiece should be something just a little more elaborate than the decorations of the other guests tables but along the same theme. Again, make sure it isn't too big! The guests need to be able to see the bride and groom!

In regards to the colors you use, try neutral colors like pink, cream or white, as these will match most color themes. The bridal table should have a white cloth, offset against a coloured table. Why not mix and match colours on the guests tables? This adds fun and makes things look happy and alive. Don't be afraid to use color!

A final tip: Try not to make the reception too formal. Relax, and have some fun!

Peta D'Silva is the webmaster of http://www.visionsofsilk.com, a website devoted to silk-bouquets, and other wedding-related subjects. Read more of her articles about weddings http://www.visionsofsilk.com

no-contract cleaning service Deerfield ..

In The News:

Learn how to act against cybercriminals in 2026 with essential security steps like two-factor authentication, software updates and credit freezing.

Choose between OpenAI releasing Sora text-to-video model, the AI race heating up, or Waymo driverless cars launching in cities across the country

Learn how to set up Google Maps and Apple Maps on your phone to automatically remember where you parked. Step-by-step instructions for enabling location services and parking detection.

Phishing scammers use rnicrosoft.com domain to impersonate Microsoft by replacing "m" with "rn" in typosquatting attacks that steal login credentials.

OpenAI announces new teen safety rules for ChatGPT users under 18, blocking romantic roleplay and requiring extra caution on body image topics.

A 2025 data breach at fintech company 700Credit exposes personal information of more than 5.8 million people through compromised third-party integration partner.

Retailers lose $76.5 billion annually to return fraud as nearly 10% of U.S. retail returns involve fraudulent activity, with $850 billion in returns expected in 2025.

ShinyHunters claims responsibility for stealing 94GB of Pornhub user data affecting over 200 million records and demands Bitcoin ransom.

ChatGPT 2025 now connects to Apple Music, Canva, Expedia, TripAdvisor and OpenTable through built-in apps that help users create playlists, design graphics and more.

Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.

DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.

Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Wedding Receptions: How To Set Up The Tables

Marriage & Wedding