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5 Wedding Head Table Styles and Stunning Floral Design Ideas

Monday, June 23, 2025 | By: Flowers By Janie

Wedding Reception Design Inspiration: 5 Head Table Styles

You’ve reached a milestone in your wedding planning journey: finalizing your seating chart. While this task may seem purely logistical, your choice of head table design sets the tone for your reception and frames some of the most special photographed moments of your day. Will you sit surrounded by the warmth of your bridal party, share a table with family, or savour an intimate, romantic dinner for two at a sweetheart table?

At our studio, we believe the head table should feel as personal and intentional as every other design decision you make for your wedding. Whether you're envisioning something grand or intimate, we’ve outlined the most beloved head table styles to help guide your decision.

Sweetheart Table

For couples who want to focus on themselves in the midst of celebration, the sweetheart table is one of our favourites. Designed for just the two of you, it’s the most intimate option, and the most breathtaking when adorned with our cascading, waterfall-like florals. This style lets you truly take in the moment, while also creating a stunning focal point — perfect for couples who want to be the focus of attention for the night. This focal point can also be adorned with floral columns and arches reused from your ceremony!

Sweetheart table decorated with mauve, caramel, and mocha mousse coloured florals at Sky Bistro Banff
Sweetheart table with cascading crimson red florals at Mount Stephen Hall
Sweetheart table with magenta, blush, and orange florals
Sweetheart table with blue and beige floral columns at Mount Stephen Hall
Sweetheart table with white and blush florals and luxury mantle florals at the Lake House

King Arthur Table

Bold and inviting, the King Arthur table or King's table forms a large square or rectangular table using multiple banquet tables joined together. This format encourages a shared dining experience similar to the family style table, and the couple often sits at one end of the table. Often placed at the center of the reception space, this design becomes a visual centerpiece in itself.

Our favourite part of King Arthur tables is that they have plenty of space for floral arrangements and centerpieces. Many couples opt to have one end of the table unoccupied so as to not block their view, an ideal spot for cascading florals. Floral arches or columns can also be reused from ceremonies as a showstopping backdrop at the end of the table.

Just keep in mind that more tables and linens may increase rental costs as joining tables together means there are sides where guests are unable to sit. 

King Arthur table with white and caramel waterfall-like florals at Mount Stephen Hall
King Arthur table with white floral columns and centerpieces at Mount Stephen Hall
King Arthur Table with white floral arch at Emerald Lake Lodge
King Arthur Table with blush, coral, and magenta coloured floral hedges and arch at The Deane House
King Arthur table with white floral centerpieces and end table arrangement

Traditional Head Table

The classic head table seats you and your bridal party in a straight line, all facing out toward your guests. It creates a sense of unity and grandeur, allowing everyone to be visible during toasts and the dinner. Floral arrangements placed on the unoccupied side of the table tie the look together, gracefully guiding the eye from the guests to the flowers that frame the focal point. While it works beautifully for photography and speeches, it can require more space and rentals — especially if you have a large bridal party. For a more romantic aesthetic, consider softening the structure with curved Serpentine tables.

Traditional head table with autumnal jewel coloured cascading florals at Norland Historic Estate
Traditional head table with vibrant purple, yellow, and pink florals
Traditional head table with coral, yellow, blue and blush grounded florals
Traditional head table with dainty pink and coral bud vases at The Lake House
Traditional head table decorated with white and yellow florals

Family Style Table

A family style layout brings warmth and closeness, often seating the couple with immediate family or close friends at a round or long rectangular table. This setup ensures your night is filled with heartfelt connection, especially for intimate weddings, and lets bridal party members sit with their dates or families. While this style is considered cozy, everyone facing each other at the table can make photo angles a bit trickier, and some guests may have their backs to the main events like dancing or toasts.

Family style head table with pink, purple, and beige floral arch at Venue 308
Family style table with mauve, magenta, and blush floral hedges and bud vases at Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
Family style table with luxury elevated white floral centerpieces
Family style table decorated with bud vases and candles
Family style table with white and yellow elevated floral centerpieces

Head Table Combos

Blending the intimacy of a sweetheart table with the social charm of a family style table, this option highlights the couple as the focal point while surrounding them with the warmth of an intimate dining experience. This setup also leaves space for show-stopping floral arrangements in front of the newlyweds, since no guests are seated directly across from them. We've also seen couples blend a sweetheart table with a smaller traditional head table to comfortably seat themselves with their children or a more intimate wedding party.

The incredible thing about head table combinations is that there are endless possibilities. We love the unique ways that couples combine sweetheart tables and the creative ways they can be enhanced with florals! Take a look at some of our favourites below.

Sweetheart and family style table with cascading waterfall of beige, mauve, and white florals
Sweetheart and traditional head table with pink, coral, and blush floral arch and hedges at Deane House
Sweetheart and family style table with pink, purple, blue, and blush grounded florals at Malcolm Hotel Canmore

Feeling Inspired?

Your head table is more than just a seat, it’s a reflection of your love story and style. Whether you envision an elegant table lined with loved ones or a floral-draped sweetheart table just for you and your sweetie, our team is here to help you bring it to life with showstopping florals. If you’re feeling inspired to plan your dream floral wedding in Calgary, Canmore, Banff, or beyond, get in touch with us today to inquire about our floral design services!

Photography Credits:

Kim Payant Photography | Breeze Photography | Genevieve Renee Photographie | Kristyn Harder Photography | Corrina Walker Photography | Justine Milton Photography | Katelyn Anne Photography | Heidrich Photography | Nora Hanako Photography | Na Lia Weddings | Sofia Katherine Photography | Kadie Hummel Photography | McKenzie Jespersen Photography | Kaity Body Photography

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