Head Table: Rectangular, Round, or None at All?

At some wedding receptions,, the entire wedding party – along with the bride and groom – sits at a long, narrow, rectangular “head table,” typically situated in the most prominent spot in the room, and sometimes even placed on a raised platform.

This is intended to be an honor for those sitting there. But I’ve observed that sometimes those seated at that kind of head table don’t look like they’re enjoying it.

Why? Because they are sitting in one long row, each facing outward, and with only the person to their immediate left or right to converse with. And I don’t know about you, but personally I don’t like being on a stage so everyone can watch me eat!

Deborah Tannen, a Georgetown professor and best-selling author, is probably the world’s most popular and prominent linguist, specializing in how people communicate with each other. In a recent Washington Post article about Thanksgiving dinners, she recommended seating guests at round tables. “A round dining table,” she wrote, “is best for promoting a lively conversation because everyone faces one another.”

So even if you’re having a head table, consider a round head table. It might not look as dramatic as a 20-feet long rectangular table, but it’s more conducive to conservation and comfortable dining, in my opinion.

Another problem with head tables, round or rectangular, is that you may have to exclude some people. For example, there might not be room for the spouses or significant others of the wedding party. Or if you want to include spouses, there might not be room for all the groomsmen and bridesmaids.

Personally, I think you should consider having just a sweetheart table for the bride and groom, and seat everyone else at round tables. Of course, some of those round tables can be reserved for members of the wedding party and their spouses and/or for immediate family. But that way, you have more flexibility as to who sits with who, rather than having to shoehorn all your VIP’s into one head table.