A great idea to incorporate into your wedding reception is to create themed tables.  Whatever the atmosphere of your wedding, there are many creative ways to organize your tables besides numbering them.  Imagine a guest arriving at the reception and having their name card on the entry table letting them know they will be sitting at the “UT Longhorn Fans” table!

This not only adds an interesting and conversational detail to your wedding reception, but it may make it easier to determine how to group your guests.  You can categorize your guests not only by how they know each other, but by topics you know they are interested in.  For example, if you don’t have 10 people to sit at table that includes your husband’s friends from the gym, you can turn the table into the Sports and Fitness table, and add guests that you know are big sports fans.  Another example: “University of XX” table.  You can include all your college friends, even though some might not know each other (dorm friends, sports teammates, roomies, friends from you major).  This way, there will be a common topic of interest for all the guests at that table.  It’s more challenging than you may think to group your guests, but themed tables can make the process easier for you.

Another idea for arranging tables, instead of numbering them, is to create table identifications based on the theme of your wedding.  For example, if you are having a vintage or antique themed wedding, considering choosing characters from the past to use as table markers: the Elvis table, the Clark Gable table, the John Wayne table, etc.  Or if you are having a Disney themed wedding, imagine how cute it would be to have a Mickey table, a Goofy table, a Cinderella table, etc!  These can also make it simple to create unique and interesting centerpieces for each table.

Of course, not all brides want to designate the tables their guests sit at, but I recommend it so as to prevent any of your guests from feeling “lost in the lunchroom.”