Creative Options for Table Numbers at Your Reception

Weddings tend to be pretty thematic. Whether you want to turn back time with a 1920s-inspired party or you and your beau plan to incorporate your favorite sports team into the details, conjuring up creative table names is a great way to let your personalities shine. Of course, the easiest way to let your guests know where to sit is to divide the tables up numerically. You can still get creative with simple digits by purchasing large wooden address numbers, spray painting them to fit your color scheme and decorating them with colored ribbon and sparkly gems to sit beside your centerpieces. If you want to be a little more inventive, educate your friends and family by artistically labeling tables with your personal favorites. Below are 20 ideas to get the wheels spinning:

1. Favorite books. Make a list of your favorite books or simply books you’ve read and label each table accordingly. On the place cards, let your guests know whether they’re sitting at The Great Gatsby or Huckleberry Finn. Get your hands on a hard copy of each of the books, and display each book at the correlating table.

2. Favorite movies. Everyone appreciates cinema. Print out copies of original movie posters from your favorite films. Glue small versions of the posters onto distressed wood for a vintage look, and have your guests make their way down the red carpet and to their seats.

3. Sports. There are a couple ways you can do this. Name each table after a different sport you love, or choose a single team you both cheer for and have each table directly relate: team name, name of the stadium, names of famous players, etc.

4. Games. This is a great option if you know that your guests aren’t big dancers. Name each table after games you love to play, and provide that game for your friends and family to play when they’re all danced out. It’s probably best to go with games that aren’t too time-consuming or thought-provoking, like Jenga or a deck of cards.

5. Places you’ve traveled together. If you and your honey are little vagabonds or world travelers, you’ve surely snapped a few photos at each destination you’ve visited. Label your tables after all of the places you’ve traveled together, and include a photo of the two of you at each location.

6. Photos at every age. If you and your future spouse are similar in age, label the tables by year from birth on and include individual photos of him and her at each age. If there’s a slight age gap, label the tables numerically and use photos of the two of you from that particular age.

7. Monuments from the town where you live. Every place has history. If you live somewhere you love, consider naming your tables after local favorites: museums, libraries, restaurants, bars, parks, etc.

8. Bottles of beer or booze. If your reception is at a venue that’s offering a bar package, the staff probably won’t allow you to bring in unopened bottles of liquor for each table. If you and your beau love to party, start saving your empties. Clean out used bottles of your favorite booze and use them as vases for your centerpieces.

9. Song titles. Maybe you choose your favorite songs to sing in the car as a couple, or maybe you choose tunes with a romantic melody. Regardless, make it fun by telling guests at each table to get up and head to the dance floor when the DJ plays their table’s song.

10. Historical places on your bucket list. If you haven’t gotten the chance to travel the world together but intend to, name each table after a place or landmark on your bucket list. Decorate the table with postcards or trinkets from each place.

11. Favorite candies. Name your tables after something that can double as a party favor. Name each table after a different type of candy or chocolate and then scatter that particular sweet treat all over the table for your guests to enjoy throughout the evening.

12. Colors. This doesn’t seem like a creative idea at first glance, but color-coordinating each table allows you to decorate the table with anything you desire, so long as whatever you choose is the appropriate color. It’s a particularly neat idea if your bridesmaids and groomsmen are wearing black and white, because each table adds a fun pop of color.

13. Famous couples or remarkable pairs. Antony and Cleopatra. Tom and Jerry. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Barack Obama and Michelle. Your grandparents. You get the idea. Everyone’s a sucker for an incredible duo, and what a better way to celebrate your forever union than with notable pairs who just seem to get it.

14. Love song lyrics. Cliché, but fitting. Spend a day listening to love songs with your honey and write down lyrics that stick out to you. Assign one beautiful lyric to each table, and voila! You’ll keep the romantic vibes flowing throughout the evening, and your guests will enjoy the sentiment.

15. Date night hotspots. Surely the two of you have your favorite places to eat, drink and be merry. Let your guests know where your favorite places are to get to know each other by naming each table after somewhere you’ve been on a date.

16. Phrases on candy hearts. This one’s easy and inexpensive. Get a bag of candy hearts and sort them so that all of the “Be Mines” sit at one table and all of the “Real Loves” sit at another. You can glue tiny hearts right on the place cards to make it easy for your guests.

17. Terms of endearment. Have cute nicknames for each other? Name each table after your favorites, and have a blast with them as your guests playfully tease you throughout the evening. Right, pumpkin?

18. Anniversary advice. You’ll stick with traditional numbers here, except leave an envelope at each table and encourage guests to write you a note with a piece of advice or words of love and encouragement. Open the envelope from table one on your first anniversary together, and so on.

19. Geek niche. Maybe you’re the world’s biggest Star Wars fan, or maybe you both met in science class freshman year. Label each table after things from your favorite nerdy film, or use the periodic table for inspiration and have your guests dine at each of the elements.

20. Wedding-themed staples. You can’t go wrong naming each of the tables after something that’ll undoubtedly be a part of your big evening anyway: cake, wedding dress, garter, rings, etc.

21. Names for love in other languages: Examples, Spanish – Amor, French- Amour, German – Liebe, Urdu – Muhabbat, Turkish – Sevgi or Sevda, Swediah – Karlek, Sanskrit – Kandarpa, Albanian – Deshire, and for some laughs, Klingon- Parmaq, Vulcan- Ashau.