We got brackets from the florist that attach to the front of the table and hold the bridesmaids' bouquets. Then we just had a flower arrangement in front of DH & me. It was nice b/c we were able to use the bouquets to decorate the table and it also saved the bridesmaids from having to lay their flowers down flat.

I am an odd ball in the group. I'm doing a sweetheart table, as opposed to the whole head table. My bridal party will be seated at tables with the rest of the guests.
i am decorating our table with a different color table cloth, floral garland wrapped around the edge, silk petals sprinkled on the table, small votives and of course my bouquet. The other tables will have large centerpieces with hurricanes.
Good luck!
Penny

I'm doing a "Sweetheart" table for the two of us as well as a "Wedding Party" table... Our table will be smaller than the others (I think...) and will be covered with a matching cloth and then a square overlay (whereas the other tables will have cloths and runners - all from same fabric) The Wedding Party table will have a big square glass vase to hold the bouquets (2) and then similar decorations as the guest tables... The main difference is that the 2 "Head" tables will be set up before hand (ceremony and reception both in our backyard) and the guest tables will be set up around the perimeter of the yard and then moved into place after the ceremony and decorated then, so the 2 "head" tables can be more "intensely" decorated than the guest tables (example our tables will be preset with plates/toasting flutes, etc... guest tables will not be set - plates/glasses will be available at the buffet tables.)

Also, we are considering decorating the chairs along either the back or down the aisle for the ceremony (but not all 75 chairs!) and then we will use those chairs for the 2 "Head" tables...

Not sure I helped you with this, LOL! Best wishes to you and your son! :-)

-DuckyHead

Here's a different tactic. (This was my daughter and her fiance's idea, not mine, but I loved it!)

They wanted to downplay anything that would set them off as "different" or set apart from their guests. Their emphasis was on everyone having a good time and feeling included, So they had a "head table" right in the middle of all the rest of the tables, with enough seats for their families (eight parents), themselves, and their attendants (ony two) and their partners. There were 13 or 14 of us at the table, and it was decorated just like all the others. The only difference was that the other tables seated six.

I really liked the emphasis on "we're here to be among our friends and family."

Judy, former MOB, now just a happy MIL

We are doing a "sweetheart" table and a "wedding party" table as well. My fiance and I will be sitting at the front with a table on either side of our table for the wedding party and their spouses. We are having a picture taken with all of the wedding party sitting at the table and once that is over, the spouses are welcome to come and sit. My attendents will be seated on my side and my fiance's attendents will be seated on his side.

Springbride04

In our community, everyone does it like JustJude -- bridal couple sit with their parents, siblings, grandparents -- whatever group fills the table -- at a table the same as everyone else's, usually in the middle. If there is a messy divorce or something, they vary it so maybe the couple sits with siblings and grandparents only, or whatever seems to work. The rest of the bridal party is seated at regular tables. I like this custom, too -- I also like the family focus, and besides, I for one hate to eat on a dais!

We had a short floral arrangement in the middle that had our unity candle and tapers incorporated into it(we used it in the wedding ceremony) then we had the cutest little outfits on champagne bottles. One was a bride and one a groom. Everyone was taking photos of them! I'll have to see if I get a good one to post, but they were quirky and fun and made a good conversation piece.

We also had all the bridesmaid's bouquets as well as my own laid out on the table. It looked wonderful from the floor!

Thanks everyone.....loved your ideas and I'll pass them onto my soon to be daughter in law. Snapdragon, I owuld love to see a picture of the bottles with clothing..LOL....and if you could tell me where you got them?? This sounds so cute.....

Vikki~~

I don't have the pics back yet but here is what we used http://www.perfectwedding.com/ws-tkb1787.html

I got them from a different site but don't have the address here. It was one in NY state but darned if I remember it now!

I found these online when I was looking for the outfits- they're a bit different: http://www.monstermarketplace.com/Novelties/Product/439/Landing/703/BrideGroomChampagneBottleWraps/288/30/197

Oh, I love the idea of a sweetheart table! Even a table with us and our parents so we can eat our first meal together as a family, but my fiance has nixed the idea. He wants the whole head table and all the wedding party. I gave in, because he now feels as though he has made an important decision about the planning...and I have more leeway on the other things that I really want!
I think we will use the bouquets as our decoration too.

Update:

We did the sweetheart table, and to be honest, we wished we had had one big Wedding Party table... we wanted to sit with our friends once we had finished eating... they were having so much fun sticking spoons to their noses!

I wish someone had gotten a picture! :(

Just a thought...
-DuckyHead