The wedding head table and protocol

Head table formats and what each one gives you

Format	People	Who usually sits there	Main advantage
Classic head table (rectangular)	6 people	The couple, witnesses and parents	Maximum visibility towards every guest
Round head table	8 – 10 people	The couple plus close friends and witnesses	Relaxed, easy conversation, less formal
Sweetheart table	2 people	The couple alone	A private moment and complete freedom to move
Open head table (oval)	6 – 8 people	The couple and immediate family	No hard corners, easier to photograph

Traditional protocol: the order of seats, left to right

In classic Spanish and European protocol, the bride sits to the groom's right. To the bride's right sits the male witness (usually the bride's father or a close friend), and to the groom's left the female witness (usually the groom's mother).

Beside each witness sits their own partner, completing the row of 6 with an open view of the room.

Modern alternatives: friends at the table, or just the two of you

In families with separated parents, or when the couple want a more relaxed atmosphere, sitting with the witnesses or closest friends at a 180 cm round table avoids tension and lifts the mood.

The other growing trend is the sweetheart table for two: the couple eat together in peace and use the gaps between courses to get up and visit their guests' tables.

How much space to leave in front of the head table

Whichever format you choose, leave at least 1.5 m to 2 m of clear space in front of the head table. That space carries the constant traffic of photographers, videographers, toasts and priority table service.

Frequently asked questions

Where should the head table go in the room?

At the main end of the room, with a wall or neutral background behind it and a direct line of sight to the main door and the dance floor.

Who should sit at the head table when the parents are divorced?

The most elegant, friction-free option is to seat the couple with their closest friends and witnesses, and give the parents two tables of honour in the first ring facing the head table.

This, in MisePlan

Floor plan

In MisePlan you draw the room’s real outline on a grid — whatever shape it is, L-shaped or with a cut corner — place the columns and set the doors. The usable floor area is worked out with the voids taken out, not from the rectangle around it, and that plan is reused for every event that passes through the room.

The wedding head table: traditional protocol versus modern options

Head table formats and what each one gives you

Traditional protocol: the order of seats, left to right

Modern alternatives: friends at the table, or just the two of you

How much space to leave in front of the head table

Frequently asked questions

Where should the head table go in the room?

Who should sit at the head table when the parents are divorced?

Place the head table and check its sightlines

This, in MisePlan

Floor plan

Estates and farmhouses

Keep reading

Wedding seating with separated parents

How to make a wedding seating plan

What wedding venue software has to do

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