Bride Left ‘So Bored’ by Seating Plan at Wedding: Here’s Why – ryan

A bride captured looking less than enthralled during her wedding reception has gone viral on TikTok.

In the clip posted by the bride herself, Duné, 23, she appears visibly bored while sitting alone with her new husband at their head table. Since the video was posted, it has received more than 386,000 likes and over 550 comments. Duné told Newsweek about how the seating plan left her twiddling her thumbs, and why she was making glum faces at her reception.

“What do you mean the bride and groom have to sit on their own?” she captioned the video. “I was so bored.” Her candid expression led many viewers to jump to conclusions, but Duné shared the real story behind the moment and her seating choices.

Duné, originally from South Africa but now living in New Zealand, where the wedding took place, explained the context to Newsweek.

“The moment was just after we had eaten dinner,” she said. “It was quite late into the reception at this point, and me and my partner were both just so exhausted, as it had been a long day and week as we set up our DIY wedding up ourselves.”

The video itself was taken by her brother’s fiance, who noticed Duné’s fatigue. She posted it thinking that it might be relatable, but was surprised by the negativity it attracted.

“People saying that we will divorce, that I will cheat on my husband, how can I look so unhappy on my wedding day, I’m not enjoying the company of the person I’m marrying,” Duné said. She found the assumptions confusing, adding, “It really is just beyond me how people can make such ridiculous assumptions based on a five-second video.”

The decision for the bride and groom to sit alone wasn’t arbitrary. They had decided on sitting separately from the guests because of the layout of the venue, so that their guests could have better access to entertainment. While the initial plan involved sitting with their parents, they decided to put them up to another task.

“Our parents were needed to sit with guests to create a better atmosphere, so it was less awkward for some family and guests,” Duné said. “I guess you can say they were the icebreakers.”

While the seating arrangement contributed to the “bored” look, Duné said it wasn’t due to dislike of her husband’s company. And, after a day of socializing, it wasn’t the worst thing in the world to be apart from all the stimulation.

“We did enjoy some parts of sitting alone; the fact that we could just be quiet for a minute and not having to talk, time to just decompress, as we were talking more than normal that day to guests,” Duné said.

However, she also acknowledged the downside: “But I do think it would have been more fun if we had some friends sat next to us … it could just lighten the mood a little bit and not feel so isolating.”

Being the center of attention added pressure. “I did find that I had to watch my facial expressions, as all eyes are on us, and I usually just have a resting ‘mean face’ when I’m tired or exhausted,” she added.

Despite the questionable seating choice, Duné said she values the memories created at her wedding.

“Saying that, I don’t regret having … bride-and-groom table,” she concluded. “It’s what made our wedding memorable in its own way.”