Oh, and I forgot to respond to this:

I can sort of understand them wanting to keep the line moving and most of the photos I've seen with the guests have been with them leaning over the table, but they should have established that right upfront and not changed their mind ten people in. Grrrrrr.

EXACTLY. If they had done it that way from the beginning, I wouldn't have minded. But once it started going one way, they should have stuck with it. Sigh.