Post # 1
Member
259 posts
Helper bee
Help me out ladies, wedding etiquette is not one of my strongest skill sets to say the least.
My sister’s boyfriend is invited to my upcoming wedding but we have no idea where to seat him at the reception. They are both 24, have been together almost 4 years and are currently living together. My Fiance and I both really like him as does the rest of my family.
Obviously he can’t sit with my sister as she is a Bridesmaid or Best Man and will be at the head table. I don’t know if we should have him sit with my parents and FI’s parents who will be at the same table? With other extended family members that know him? With friends of Fiance and I that are his age but that he hasn’t met? Help!
Has anyone had a situation similar to this? What did you do?
Post # 3
Member
246 posts
Helper bee
Sounds like you are fairly close with him. Could you just ask him which group he would prefer to sit with? Or have your sister ask him?
Post # 4
Hostess
7561 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
@VeggieBee: I agree, I’d just ask him.
Post # 5
Member
1851 posts
Buzzing bee
I asked my husband what he would want to do in that situation and he said he’d rather sit with people that he already knew so I guess I’m saying to go with family (assuming that his relationship with them is a positive comfortable one).
Post # 6
Member
1902 posts
Buzzing bee
Personally, I’m not a fan of splitting up couples for the sake of a head table, but I think just seat him with people that he will know and that he gets along with. I was a bridesmaid in my brother’s wedding and my fiance sat separately from me – he just sat with some of my cousins that he knew, and it wasn’t a big deal.
Post # 7
Member
7758 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
@hlayers: I think it’s always important to look after partners of bridal party members, and sit them with whoever they know best. In this case it will probably be your immediate family, since he’s practically a son-in-law.
My sister was a Bridesmaid or Best Man, and her bf sat with my immediate family. (But he wasn’t the only person his age there, there was also my brother and his gf).
Post # 8
Member
9056 posts
Buzzing Beekeeper
I had three tables in the front row. Each of our parents took one, and the third was used to seat bridal party guests and the MC (who needed quick access to the podium). Looked like a fun table.
Post # 9
Member
7489 posts
Busy Beekeeper
@hlayers: I’m with the PP’s: ask him. If you have space and budget for it, it would be nice to let him bring a buddy or his parents. Otherwise though, just ask what he’d prefer.
Post # 10
Member
95 posts
Worker bee
What is the reason for splitting up couples? That sounds awful!
Post # 11
Member
2335 posts
Buzzing bee
Are you super set on a head table?
Fiance and I wanted a few minutes to relax during the reception and eat a few bites of our meal in peace, so we opted for a sweetheart table.
That way all the members of our bridal party are able to sit with their friends or SOs.
Post # 12
Member
259 posts
Helper bee
@rachelmichelle: I am pretty set on a head table for some reason. It’s one of the few “traditional” wedding things that I have wanted to keep. Your date is so close! How excited are you??
I have asked him what he’d prefer but he is so laid back he just says he doesn’t care and will be happy wherever. I guess it won’t matter too much since people will really only be at the tables for the meal.
Post # 13
Member
655 posts
Busy bee
@BrooklynBride2013: Her sister is a bridesmaid.
I’m with PPs- ask him where he’d like to sit.
Post # 14
Member
2335 posts
Buzzing bee
@hlayers: LOL honestly I’m so busy trying to get all my work turned in early for school so that I can duck out early on Friday to go to our rehearsal that I’m not even thinking about it a lot.
I’m sure it’ll hit me on Friday.
Post # 15
Member
525 posts
Busy bee
If it’s possible, I would sit him with people he knows. If that isn’t possible, then I would seat him with people of the same age group. Do other members of the bridal party also have dates coming? Perhaps you could add him to a table with them?
My fiance and I are both set on a head table, so we will have the same problem.
Post # 16
Member
452 posts
Helper bee
If you can’t/don’t want to ask him as PP have said, I would seat him with whichever family members he knows best or might have the best time with. I was seated without my partner as his brothers wedding (same situation) and his SIL thought that it would be good to seat me with their university/college friends. In theory it sounds good, but you tend to end up like the 9th wheel in a group of friends who all know each other!
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