King’s table at Raspberry Plain Manor photographed by We Are the Cashmans. Tall centerpieces with greenery flank the long table with a raised floral design overhead. Floral garland and bridesmaids bouquets with groupings of votive candles.
Last week, I shared some ideas about décor options for your sweetheart table from simple to more elaborate designs. The same principles can apply if you have chosen to sit with your wedding party at a head table or king’s table.
First, what’s the difference? A head table usually seats the entire wedding party on both sides of the table. Some couples limit this seating to the wedding party members, while others include a “plus one” for significant others. One bride that I am working with will be sitting at a sweetheart table and also has a separate head table for the bridesmaids and the groomsmen, each member accompanied by a guest.
Head table photography by Chi Chi Ari at the Salamander Resort and Spa in Middleburg, Virginia.
A King’s table was a standard seating style at weddings for decades. Members of the wedding party flank the bride and the groom on one side of the table, facing the guests. If you’ve not read my blogs before, you’ll have missed the fact that I was a Maid of Honor at 16 for my older sister. We sat at a King’s table on a raised dais in Western Pennsylvania. I wonder what I was thinking at that young age.
You’ll likely know the right seating style for you and your wedding party, but if you don’t, ask your venue if there is a layout that suits your space. In the meantime, your floral provider will help you create a lovely look for the tables where you and your party will be seated. I do feel that the head table become a bit of an afterthought because of the care and concern that couples show their invited guests. This is an honorable sentiment, but you, your finance and your wedding party are the guests of honor for the day and we also want you to be able to enjoy beautiful florals and décor.
Emily Clack Photography at Raspberry Plain Manor, a King’s table with pillar candles in cylinders. bridesmaids bouquets and tall floral centerpieces on vintage gold plant stands.
If your wedding party consists of more than a handful of bridesmaids, we can plan to use their bouquets in vases on the table. We’ll put about an inch of water in each vase and place them along the head or kings table. You don’t have to repurpose your bouquets in this way, but it is a good idea to pop them back into a little water somewhere in the space as they will begin to fade. If this route is attractive to you, we can add a little light greenery and candles down the table and keep the look very simple.
We can add florals in matching but varied vases for a fuller look, or use garland or floral garland to dress the entire length of the table. If you are feeling a little short on table space, we can raise the florals above the head table for a dramatic look that has the ability to change the entire room. Like a sweetheart table, we can simply use a tall vase or suspend the design from a ceiling. We can also secure a long plank to stands set on either end of the dressed with beautiful florals and greenery. This creates a picture-perfect frame for the table.
Head table decor at Stone Tower Winery in Leesburg, Virginia. Photography by
If your tables are round, we can add a beautiful centerpiece for the center of the table and use the bridesmaids bouquets as centerpieces on tables or accent tables throughout the space.
Head table at Riverside on the Potomac near Leesburg, Virginia photographed by Sarah Beth Photography.
Accent piece on head table at Riverside on the Potomac photographed by Sarah Beth Photography.
Most venues allow candles if they are enclosed and a few even allow candlesticks. Candles really make the day. Hair, make-up, suits and ties are all heightened with the cast of a warm candlelight glow. Your florist will have several options for you to consider as rentals so that you can carry your décor through every element of the evening. Recently, I have noticed that brides are adding even more candles to the head table for just a little more drama. I think this really suits the mood and works for every wedding style.