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King Arthur changed the face of leadership in Camelot by inviting his knights to join him at a table where each man could see the other and there was no designated “head of the table.” If it was good enough for the king, it should be good enough for our wedding…right? I always envisioned the reception hall full of round tables with guests talking to the person beside them and the person across from them all through dinner, while spinning a lazy Susan to share the family-style meal. That is, until lately.
Lately I’ve been wooed by the idea of long, gorgeous feasting tables where our guests can pass food and wine down the table and share in an “intimate” dinner for 150. My mom hates the idea of long tables; she’s convinced that the guests will feel like they are sitting in a cafeteria and won’t be able to have any meaningful conversations. I felt the same way, too, until a couple of months ago when I started stumbling on inspiration photos of beautiful, bountiful dinners with long rows of tables. Did I mention that these round tables we’re looking at will be SIX FEET in diameter? Now, I am thinking that the narrower tables are actually more conducive to chatting with the folks sitting beside them and across the table. I’m not talking about rectangular tables of eight here, nope. I’m thinking rectangular tables of 25! Now, I’m not sure if the venue can do this, but with my décor meeting just around the corner, it’s worth thinking about, right?
Check out these awesome long-table inspiration photos! I swoon…
Source: Elizabeth Anne Designs
Source: Elizabeth Anne Designs
I can’t give long tables an unfair advantage since there are some beautiful settings for round ones, too.
Source: Elizabeth Anne Designs
Source: Elizabeth Anne Designs
What do you think? Long or round?
Miss Bacon you are my most favorite person on earth right now!!! One of your photos is from my wedding! That table 11 photo - that’s me! 
Anyway obvi I love the round tables but did consider long. It depends on a lot: what’s provided, costs, linen rental costs, buffet/plated, flow of the room, set up, location of hallways/doors/dancefloor, guest #’s, venue preference, caterer preference and more. Good luck!
We’re going with square, simply because I couldn’t decide on round or banquet tables. I know how you feel!
Trust your gut. The first long table pic is from my wedding. I had a twitter poll before my decision and 90% of the votes were for rounds. I went with long despite this, because I felt it was exactly the style and ambiance I was trying to great…One grand old dinner party. What dinner party have you been too where the guests set up 2 round tables in their home? So, depending on what feeling you want to convey, just go with your gut. The long tables, at my wedding, were everything I wanted from them plus more. Despite having over 200 people, it felt like a small intimate wedding during dinner. Looking back at my wedding, the things I would have changed, are the things others pressured me to do…trust your instincts.
In my experience, I don’t ever talk to the people across a round banquet table, because they’re too far and there’s usually a big centerpiece. I was at a wedding last summer with long, long tables like the ones you’re talking about, and it was great! It mean I could talk to more people than my immediate neighbors. And it most definitely did NOT feel like a cafeteria!
I REALLY wanted long ones for all the reasons you said–and because I think you can do more interesting centerpieces with the space. Alas my venue includes the round ones for free and they really work better in the space, so that’s one I had to give up early on…
We did long rectangular tables and loved them! We had quite a few people comment on how much easier it was to talk with people than trying to communicate across a round banquet table.
[...] Knights of the Round Table | Weddingbee weddingbee.com/2011/01/25/long-tables/ – view page – cached King Arthur changed the face of leadership in Camelot by inviting his knights to join him at a table where each man could see the other and there was no [...]
We’re doing long tables - I love them! Rounds are usually so big that you can’t really talk over them. I feel like the long tables feel much more intimate. Plus they are beautiful!
I love the look of the long tables and I do think it provides some great options for centerpieces. But I do not like sitting at long tables - which is what I have done for many rehearsal dinners in the past (but no weddings). In fact that is one reason why we did a cocktail party for our RD! It’s harder to get into and out of your seat when you are crammed in between 2 other people, and it sucks if you end up at the ends. I feel much more limited about who I can talk to at long tables. If your friend is sitting 2 people down from you, you have to crane around someone to talk with them. Also I get very nervous about being penned in against a wall or something - hopefully when weddings are set up this way they allow for enough space!
I LOVE LOVE long tables as well but round came with our venue so I wasn’t about to pay extra for long! However, I wanted wedding party and immediate family to all be in one table. No favorites. So we rented long tables for the head table which was in the middle of the room flanked on all sides by round tables.
We did long long tables and loved it! It was really conducive for conversation because you could talk to people on either side of you, plus the 3 people across from you. Plus I just LOVED the look of it! We had 107 guests and the long tables worked out perfectly
OMG - I thought I was the only person obsessed with long rectangular tables!! I definitely vote for the long tables - I think it’s so clean, modern, and beautiful.
I loooooooove long tables! I’m trying to figure out whether they’ll work with our space and guest numbers; I’ve got all of my fingers and toes crossed on this one! I’m excited to see what you decide.
BOTH! We are doing both. two long tables in the middle surrounded by round tables on the outside. It’s still balanced, but I get the variability and look of both. If you’re space allows, you should definitely consider it as an option. I think it’s much my dynamic than all one shape.
Long! Honestly, I am so sick of sitting at rounds at weddings–it is ordinary and I agree with the commenter who said you can’t even talk with the person across, that is true! I really can only talk to the people beside me and its really awkward to shout across the table. At long tables, I feel its more natural and easier to talk to across the table.
I’m with you, what i tough decision. I feel like conversation flows better in a circle but long tables feels more like a family style intimate affair. And I completely understand how table settings can make you flip flop. I am the same way! There are so many ideas going through my head and I have to keep reminding myself that some of them will only work with one kind of table!! I say both!!!
We’re doing round… but I love the way long looks too .
I am so in camp long table it’s ridiculous. It’s not just about look, it’s about the FEEL of the event. We (obviously) had long tables at our wedding and served dinner family style. It gave the feeling that your family and friends were just over for dinner, albeit a fancy and special one. Conversation was easy. I highly recommend.
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Mrs. Bacon, Chicago Age and Occupation: 26, Digital Advertising Manager Fiance's Age and Occupation: 25, IT Client Services Engagement Date: June 17, 2010 Wedding Date: September 2011 Venue: Ravenswood Billboard Factory About Me: I'm a Midwestern girl that can't seem to commit to staying in one place for too long and is constantly daydreaming about my next adventure. I am an aspiring foodie with a weak spot for the unusual and I love semi-reality food television. My other loves easily include laughing as a form of exercise, a book that I can't put down, summer baseball games, espresso with whipped cream, couch potato days and nights with the ridiculous Mr. Bacon, and our two kitties, Lincoln and Sawyer. We're planning a faux-destination wedding for 150 of our closest friends and family in the city we've both adopted as home that has a modern, yet whimsical twist and as many personal touches as we can manage.
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