We are making sheva berachos for a non-frum couple who would not attend if the seating was not mixed and it is surprising that they are having a sheva berachos altogether.
We have two options to arrange the mixed seating. Either we can have husband-wife-wife-husband or we can have hubands together on one side of the table facing wives together on the other side of the table.
Can you please advise me which seating arrangement is preferable under the circumstances?
Answer:
Generally keeping the men on one side and the women on the other side will maintain a higher standard of modesty and separation. It would be preferable to put the women on one half of the table’s width [like a semi circle] and the men on the other half, so that they are not facing each other. At the middle of the table where the 2 groups meet, the chasan and kallah should be placed on one side and another husband and wife on the other side.
Mazal Tov!
