Sweetheart table
A small table for just the two of you, usually facing the room. Good for: a few quiet minutes together, divorced parents (no forced proximity), wedding parties whose partners would otherwise be stranded. Watch out for: it can feel isolated — plan to visit tables between courses.
Traditional head table
A long table, one side only, with the couple in the middle and the wedding party spreading out either side. Everyone faces the guests. Good for: formal weddings and speeches. Watch out for: partners of the wedding party sitting elsewhere, and a very long table that is hard to talk across. In the UK this is the “top table”, often with parents included in a traditional order — see our UK table plan guide.
King’s table
A long, two-sided table for the couple, wedding party and their partners — sometimes the whole family. Good for: relaxed, convivial dinners and feasting-style receptions. Watch out for: half the table has its back to the room, and it takes a lot of floor space.
Family table
A round or long table for the couple plus parents and grandparents. Good for: close families, smaller weddings, cultures where parents host. Watch out for: it doesn’t suit tense family situations, and the wedding party needs a good table nearby.
No special table
Some couples simply join a table of friends, or move between tables course by course. Good for: very small or very informal weddings. Watch out for: photographers and speech-givers need to know where you’ll be.
Choosing quickly
| If… | Consider |
|---|---|
| Parents are divorced and tense | Sweetheart table, each parent hosting a nearby table |
| Large wedding party with partners | King’s table, or sweetheart + wedding party table |
| Formal reception with speeches | Traditional head / top table |
| Under about 40 guests | Family table or one long table for everyone |
In the planner, the head and sweetheart tables are “reserved” — auto-seat won’t fill them with random guests, so you can seat them by hand.
Plan it, then print itPaste your guest list, seat everyone on a to-scale floor plan, and print the sign and cards — free, no account.
Open the planner