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Updated Mar 06, 2025What Is a King's Table at a Wedding? Experts Dish on the Layout
Yes, you can sit with your wedding party at the reception.
While some couples prefer the intimacy of a sweetheart table at their wedding reception, others have a "the more the merrier" mindset and want to sit among their inner circle. Enter: the king's table at a wedding. Harkening back to the feasts of kings and queens who ate at a head table, this table style offers a special spot in the wedding reception for the newlyweds and their wedding party to dine together. It's an especially great option for larger weddings of 100 guests or more. Here's everything you need to know about a wedding king's table (also called a head table), from organizing the layout and seating arrangements to finding table rentals.
In this article: What Is a King's Table? | King's Table Layout | King's Table Rentals | Etiquette FAQs
What Is a King's Table at a Wedding?
"A king's table at a wedding is a large, rectangular table where the couple, wedding party, and often their dates or families sit around all sides, creating a more inclusive and sociable seating arrangement compared to a traditional head or sweetheart table," says Jaime Ta, wedding planner and founder of Jaime Ta Creative in Portland, Oregon. It typically has chairs seated on each side and boasts several centerpieces, or a long-running centerpiece, down the middle.
The term "king's table" dates back to the Middle Ages, stemming from the historical practice of monarchs using large tables for coronation feasts and state banquets, with people seated around all sides, Ta explains. This dining tradition signified their power and authority; used in a wedding, it conveys the special status of the newlyweds and their closest loved ones. Given the monarchical roots of the term, modern couples may prefer to call the seating arrangement by a more inclusive name. It's sometimes also known as the head table, harvest table, estate table or long table.
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How to Determine a King's Table Wedding Layout
There are general rules of thumb for figuring out a king's table wedding reception layout, but it's not one-size-fits-all. You can always find a wedding planner on The Knot Vendor Marketplace to help you conceptualize where to fit the head table or king's table in your reception space and how you want to organize the seating arrangements.
The king's table is often placed in the center of the reception space to make it a focal point, according to Ta. But since every venue is different, you should definitely check with your wedding planner or the venue manager on how to best utilize the space for overall flow. For example, if the space doesn't accommodate several long tables, you could put the king's table at the front of the room and circular tables for the guests before it.
When it comes to ideas for your seating chart at the king's table, Tampa-based wedding planner Alexa Kritis likes to center the couple. "Typically, we put the newlyweds in the middle facing out toward the rest of the guests," she says, explaining that she tries to avoid seating anyone in front of them so that all guests can see their faces. Then, she'll insert the wedding party around the couple, with their dates next to them. "Never, ever sit the dates at a separate table. It defeats the purpose of allowing them to bring a date and is really awkward to sit a bunch of people together who may not know each other."
Make sure to stay up to speed on seating chart etiquette so you can avoid making other seating chart mistakes. Kritis says that sometimes she adds an additional small round table in between the feasting tables so the newlyweds feel like they have their own private table and are still flanked by their wedding party on either side.
How to Find King's Table Rentals
Of course, if you want a king's head table at a wedding, you'll need to make sure your venue provides tables that fit the bill. If not, don't worry—you can always find a vendor in your area who does. Head to The Knot Vendor Marketplace, enter your location, and filter by "rentals and equipment" and "tables." From here, you can browse multiple vendors to assess whether they'll fit your needs. Make sure to consult our list of questions to ask rental companies as well as our wedding rentals checklist before reaching out to them, and if you're planning a wedding on a budget, here are a few ways to save on wedding rentals.
King's Table Etiquette Frequently Asked Questions
Curious about all the logistics of a king's table at a wedding reception? Here's the 101 to help you plan your seating arrangements, and don't forget to consult these wedding centerpiece ideas when it comes time to create the tablescape.
Who Sits at the King's Table?
So, exactly who sits at the head table? Typically, it's the newlyweds, their wedding party, and the wedding party's dates who sit at the king's table.
What Size Is a King's Table?
King's table dimensions are typically 8 feet by 48 inches. "It can accommodate four guests on each side and two guests on the end caps, with enough space in the middle for centerpieces and a full table set up," Kritis says.
How Many People Fit at a King's Table?
A king's table typically seats eight to 10 people, but Ta says that the table can be arranged to be as long as the couple wants or to fit within the venue parameters. You'll simply combine several king's tables together to create one extra-long table.
What Is the Difference Between a King's and Queen's Wedding Table?
The difference between a king's and queen's wedding table is only a handful of inches. Whereas the king's table size is typically 8 feet by 48 inches, a queen's table size is typically 8 feet by 40 inches. Kritis points out that the term "queen's table" isn't as commonly used in the wedding industry, so you might know it best as a banquet table. It's designed to ideally fit eight people, whereas the king's table "is great if you want to add a guest to either end of the table, making them 10 tops," she explains.
