Q: I’m having some problems regarding seating at the head table for my wedding reception. How do I seat guests at the head table? My father-in-law-to-be lost his wife and is dependent on myself and his son for care, and one of our bridesmaids is totally wheel chair bound. Please advise us on the appropriate seating arrangements. My fiance’s brother will not be the best man but we would like him at the head table with my brother, but what about his partner – does she sit with us? My other bridesmaid has a long term partner and my Matron is recently married. Please help me. I would like some advice from a wedding planning expert because don’t want to hurt or leave anyone out.
Thanks, Much Purplexed!!

A:

Normally the partners of the people in the wedding party are seated together at a special table up near the head table (top table). The exception might be if these people have close friends who will also be among the wedding guests, in which case, they may prefer to sit with their own close friends as opposed to with people whom they may not know.

In terms of your fiance’s brother, there is no problem with having him seated at the head table. As long as space permits, it is not uncommon to have special people who are not part of the wedding party seated at the head table (you commonly see this with grand parents, for example).

Normally seating at the head table is arranged as such:

Bride & Groom in center
Maid of Honor to the right of the Bride
Best Man to the left of the Groom

Bridesmaids to the right of the maid of honor.
Male attendants to the left of the best man.
Parents of the bride to the right of the bridesmaids.
Parents of the groom to the left of the male attendants.
Any special people on the bride’s side would be seated to the right of the bride’s parents.
Any special people on the groom’s side would be seated to left of the groom’s parents.

With respect to the bridesmaid who is wheelchair bound, she will, of course, sit at the head table with the rest of the wedding party. Just make sure to pre-arrange to have someone wheel her to her place at the table. She should take her place in the procession to the head table along with the rest of the wedding party, certainly not separately.