Wedding Glossary

    Reception

    Head Table

    A long table at the reception where the couple and wedding party sit, facing the rest of the room.

    The classic head table seats the couple plus the entire wedding party in a long row facing guests. It's photogenic but separates wedding party members from their dates and guests.

    Modern alternative: a 'sweetheart table' for the couple alone, with the wedding party seated at regular tables with their own dates and friends. Sweetheart tables now appear in roughly half of US receptions.

    Related terms

    Sweetheart Table

    A two-person table at the reception just for the couple, instead of a head table with the wedding party.

    Seating Chart

    An assignment of every reception guest to a specific table (and sometimes seat). Displayed on a sign at the reception entrance.

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