Seating Dilemna

We have a small wedding (roughly 35 people) so I think we are having a t-shaped formation - head table for two and one long table branching off of that one.

Should the wedding party be seated closest to us or the parents? I know the wedding party usually shares a table with the bride and groom but we are having our own table.

What about the bm/gm's dates or guests? Can they sit farther off alone or do I need to make room for them up front next to the wedding party? I don't know some of them so I'd rather not have guests of the wedding party sitting closer than relatives, but is it tacky for them not to sit next to the person who brought them?

IMO I would want the attendants SO's to sit next to each other. As far as where to place the parents compared to the attendants, I suppose if you have the SO's sit with them, then I would do the parents first and then attendants, but I really I don't think people care where they sit because the majority of the time they are dancing and talking to everyone. Even more so with a DW.

oh don't seperate the attendant's from their dates, I always feel so bad for those people.

its up to you if you want to put family next to you or bridal party.

If it was me I would have the bridal party sitting closes to you, then the parents and then the dates of the bridal party somewhere farther away. Then it would be sorta like how a head table is laid out.

Ditto pp. I'm not having a bridal party or assigned seating, but i think it's so not cool to seperate the bridal party from their dates. Especially if the dates don't know anyone at the wedding. It's no fun for them.

Ya, when I think about being the date of the person in the wedding party I cringe, because more often than not I end up sitting with a bunch of random people I don't know/care much about and all I can think about is how I'd much rather be ANYWHERE than sitting with these people trying to think of some small talk to make the time go by faster! Don't separate them - for dates of the wedding party's sake! Plus, it's a small enough group that it wouldn't look awkward, especially how you'll have the tables set up. I say go wedding party/dates and then parents.

I would seat your parents close to you and then the wedding party with their dates. Remember it is a more intimate venue then most home weddings, therefore I think dates should be with each other. Nothing more romantic then a wedding, and with romance in the air you want to be seated next to the object of your affection.Kelly~

I agree. I wouldn't separate the SO's from the bridal party either. I've been a SO who didn't know anyone at a wedding and it sucked to have to sit with people I didn't know.

Yup, let your attendants be with their dates! They are there for you, but they deserve to have fun too.

I don't really know how formal you want this to go down, but I would recommend letting people sit where they want with your size of group. That's what we did & it worked out perfectly. We had one big square table, so everybody could see eachother & the only indication that there was a "head of the table" was that's where we (bride&groom) were sitting.