Wedding Table Names: plenty of creative ideas for your wedding reception

Looking for inspiration to choose your wedding table names? Here’s a thorough selection of original ideas sorted by theme, from timeless classics to the very latest trends.

Your wedding preparations are almost done: you have sent the invitations and shared your wedding website with your guests, who already confirmed their attendance. Thanks to the R.S.V.P. function, your spinster aunty is free to dispense her advice! What’s more, your cousin Mary – who happens to have recently become vegan – can notify you with her brand new food preferences!

So now, after going nuts deciding who sits next to whom at the reception, it’s finally time to pick your wedding table names…! Let’s be honest: you thought choosing something like table names would be easy, didn’t you? And yet, by planning your wedding, you’ve discovered that it’s always the small things that trip you up.

First of all, have you read our tips on the wedding seating plan? The choice of table names is often inspired by the overall wedding theme. If you don’t have one yet, our first piece of advice is to take inspiration from your shared passions, work, interests and hobbies as a couple.

Wedding table names: ‘Nature’ theme

More and more couples are embracing eco-sustainability and nature and this trend is only growing stronger. Green weddings are among the most sought-after, featuring natural décor, seasonal flowers and table names that evoke the natural world.

The most popular green wedding table names:

• Plant and flower names
• Tree names
• Animal and butterfly names
• Bird names
• Mineral and precious stone names
• Seasons
• The sea: shells, beaches, seas, oceans, islands
  

Wedding table names: ‘Cooking’ theme

As Gordon Ramsay knows well, food is a big part of everyday life. If good cooking is a hobby you share with your partner, the food and drink theme could be just right for your reception.

Wedding table name ideas for a cooking-themed seating plan:

• Food names, traditional dishes, spice names
• Charcuterie and cheese names
• Fruits and vegetables, pasta varieties
• Cocktails, drinks and beverages
• Bread, bakery and cakes
• Kitchen utensils
• Chocolate assortments, tea flavours, wines
• Culinary pairings: cacio e pepe, cream and chocolate, garlic and oil (a truly original and crowd-pleasing idea!)
  

Wedding table names: ‘Travel’ theme

If you and your partner love travelling and exploring the world, the travel theme suits beautifully. You could name every table after one of your trips or adventures, or after a special place that represents a milestone in your love story.

If your choice is a particular city, table names could be:

• squares
• streets
• monuments/places of interest

Otherwise you can pick:

• Names of boats, seas and oceans (very trendy for seaside weddings)
• City names, continents, nations, capitals
• Modes of transport

Wedding table names: ‘Love’ theme

An evergreen that obviously fits the wedding day perfectly.

Table name ideas:

• Feelings: Love, Passion, Tenderness, Sweetness, Belongingness
• Historic lovers: Adam and Eve, Romeo and Juliet, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet
• Disney couples: Donald and Daisy, Minnie and Mickey…
• “I love you” in every language: Je t’aime, Ti Amo, Ich liebe dich…

Wedding table names: ‘Emotions’ theme

Another great idea is to link every table to an emotion. Take inspiration from the characters of the film Inside Out — the result is original and fun for guests of all ages!

Wedding table names: ‘Music’ theme

One of the most popular themes among couples — and endlessly customisable, from heavy metal and rock to classic, pop, country and blues.

Music-themed table name ideas:

• Musical notes and instrument names
• Your favourite songs or artists
• Singer and songwriter names, famous bands
• Album titles and musical genres
• Film or TV show soundtracks (perfect for couples who want to combine music and cinema)

Wedding table names: ‘Books and Literature’ theme

If you’re keen on books, reading and writing, or your job is related to these activities, why not make it the leitmotiv of your seating plan?

Ideas for literature-themed table names:

• Poets’ and writers’ names
• Book titles and bestsellers
• Names of famous poems
• Literary quotes as table names

Wedding table names: ‘Sport’ theme

Did you meet during a sport session, or share a favourite discipline? This is the most fitting theme for sporty couples.

Sport-themed table name ideas:

• Famous athletes’ names
• Olympic games and disciplines
• Tennis players, cricket players
• Popular stadium names
• Cars and motorcycles, racing circuits

Wedding table names: ‘Vintage’ theme

Vintage is one of the strongest trends in the wedding world today. The 1980s are making a major comeback: think taffeta, mirrored surfaces and retro colour palettes. But the 1930s, 40s and 50s continue to inspire as well.

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Vintage-themed table name ideas:

• Names from different historical periods
• Historical figures and icons of the past
• Songs or film titles from the period 1980s board games: Monopoly, Cluedo, Guess Who, Operation (tables named after the characters, rooms or game pieces)

Wedding table names: ‘Fairytales & Superheroes’ theme

For couples who are young at heart, or who want to delight the little ones at the reception:

• Fairytale character names
• Disney characters and animated films
• Superhero names

Wedding table names: ‘Art’ theme

Did you fall in love at a museum or an exhibition? Take inspiration from the world of art!

Art-themed table name ideas:

• Names of famous artists and painters
• Names of paintings and artworks
• Art movements
• Names of beloved museums or galleries

Wedding table names: ‘Movies & TV Series’ theme

An increasingly popular theme, especially for couples who met thanks to a film or a series. After all, love is like a movie: full of emotions, twists and unexpected moments.

Cinema and TV-themed table name ideas:

• Titles of films you watched together or love the most
• Characters from the most romantic films
• The most famous kissing scenes in cinema history
• TV series: Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, Bridgerton, Friends
• Favourite directors, actors and actresses

Wedding table names: ‘Geek’ theme

These last few years have seen a rise in alternative, non-conventional weddings inspired by fantasy universes, perfect for geek and nerd couples.

Geek-themed table name ideas:

• Role-playing game characters
• Favourite video games: Mario, Zelda, Pokémon
• Fantasy series: The Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Stranger Things

Wedding table names: ‘Our Story’ theme

One of the most beloved themes today: telling the couple’s story through table names. Each table becomes a chapter of your love story.

• Important dates: first meeting, first date, engagement, first trip together
• Meaningful places: the city where you met, where you lived, where you got engaged
• Polaroid photos of each moment paired with the table name
• Phrases or quotes that have marked your story

More original and cool ideas for your wedding table names

• Philosophers’ or ancient poets’ names
• Abstract concepts: friendship, joy, luck, hope
• Planets, stars or constellations (perfect for summer weddings!)
• Greek or Roman gods and goddesses
• Famous fashion designers’ names
• Zodiac signs (perfect if you have exactly 12 tables!)
• Months of the year TV series
• International currencies
• Social media platform names (fun for couples who met online)
• Colours or precious gemstones
• The timeline of your love story in dates

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions About Wedding Table Names

How do you choose wedding table names? The best approach is to start from a theme that represents you as a couple: a shared passion, a favourite place, a beloved film or a historical period. Once you’ve chosen the theme, the names will come naturally.

Are table names mandatory? No, you can also use numbers. However, personalised names make your wedding more original and memorable for your guests.

How many names do I need to prepare? As many as you have tables at the reception, plus one for the couple’s table if you’d like to give it a special name.

How do table names connect to the seating chart? The table names should be displayed on your seating chart — the board that guides guests to their seats. It’s important they are easy to read and consistent with the overall graphic style of your wedding.

Can I create my wedding registry and wedding website in the same place? Yes! With Given2 you can create your wedding website and gift registry all in one place and share it with all your guests with a single link.

And what about your wedding table names? What theme did you or are you going to choose? Comment below and let us know!