Wedding Glossary

    Reception

    Sweetheart Table

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

    Sweetheart tables let the couple sit together facing the room, while the wedding party is distributed across regular tables with their own dates and friends.

    Upsides: couples actually get to eat together, no awkward 'who sits where on the head table' politics, and wedding party members get to enjoy their own table. Downsides: less photogenic than a long head table, and you lose the option of a wedding-party group photo at the table.

    Related terms

    Head Table

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

    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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