With This Ring: March 23, 2018
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
50 <strong>With</strong> <strong>This</strong> <strong>Ring</strong><br />
A newly popular<br />
trend is for the<br />
“top” table to be<br />
located centrally<br />
among the guests’<br />
tables<br />
PLeAse<br />
Be seAteD<br />
The bridal or “top” table is the centre of attention at the<br />
reception. Guests want to see the happy couple and those making<br />
speeches during the occasion, but how to seat the bridal party is<br />
often a dilemma without offending your nearest and dearest.<br />
The traditional seating of the bridal table used to include the bride and<br />
groom and their parents, plus the best man and the chief bridesmaid.<br />
However blended families and the trend to larger numbers in the bridal<br />
party has made this arrangement more difficult.<br />
Contemporary solutions are often to seat the newlyweds and their<br />
attendants at the top table, while their parents each host a nearby table<br />
of their relatives and close friends. <strong>This</strong> can still work even if one or both<br />
sets of parents are divorced. A newly popular trend is for the “top” table<br />
to be located centrally among the guests’ tables, thus allowing them to be<br />
more social and interactive with their guests.<br />
Reception Guest-iquette<br />
When deciding who should sit where and with<br />
whom, the following guidelines are useful for<br />
creating a seating plan that works for your<br />
guests whether they are family, friends, single,<br />
couples, families or different age groups.<br />
• seat guests who already know each other together<br />
• OR seat those together who you think will get<br />
on well<br />
• Don’t split up couples to even the numbers per table<br />
• Don’t stick rigidly to equal numbers of males and<br />
females per table<br />
• The closer people are seated to the bridal table,<br />
the more honoured<br />
• Avoid seating divorced couples next to each other<br />
• Create a specific seating plan for formal weddings<br />
• For informal weddings, designate the table but<br />
allow guests to choose their seat<br />
• Allocate an area for families with young children<br />
with highchairs and activities<br />
• seat older guests together where they can hear<br />
speeches easily<br />
• Display your seating plan prominently<br />
• Don’t allow guests to swap seats – it upsets<br />
numbers and ruffles feathers<br />
• Choose the best table size and shape for<br />
convenience and conversation<br />
• Make sure there is adequate space for guests<br />
to sit comfortably
Change language